FiRM to manage Covid risks

Production industry safety consultant Jon Heaney has teamed up with a trio of producers to launch a US- and Australia-based company designed to manage the risks of producing during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jon Heaney

Heaney is working with Lucas Foster (Ford v Ferrari, Mr & Mrs Smith), Mathieu Bonzon and Sean Harner on Film Industry Risk Management (FiRM).

The new company aims to help international film, TV and commercial productions manage the risks of filming while implementing safety requirements and protocols around dangerous pathogens such as Covid-19.

FiRM will offer financiers and producers services including risk assessments, safety reports, on-set safety management, staffing and training. The company will operate worldwide, with headquarters in Los Angeles and Sydney.

With more than 30 years’ experience as a film and TV safety consultant, Heaney will serve as president of the company.

Lucas Foster

After their work during the Covid-19 pandemic made it possible for the successful completion of principal photography on the upcoming feature film Children of the Corn in New South Wales, Australia, Heaney and his team sought to establish their own company to assist others to get productions back up and running.

Heany said: “Over the years I have analysed hundreds of productions, written endless amounts of safety reports and risk assessments but nothing like these most recent ones, which changed so frequently and unexpectedly.

“The rapidly evolving government regulations were a constant during this shoot. FiRM has been built to be at the forefront of the global entertainment industry push to re-start the motion picture, television and commercials industry with the emphasis on having stand-alone safety departments with formalised on-set safety procedures.”