Circling the Waters | Source: ICG Magazine

“Shark Tank Season 12 has become a shining example of how to deliver an ultra-high production-value series while complying with or exceeding current CDC protocols. As Executive Producer Brandon Wallace relates: ‘More than a million square feet of The Venetian resort was dedicated to our Shark Tank safety ‘bubble,’ which allowed us to operate within a single secure facility, ensuring the safest possible environment for cast and production crew.’ With fast and reliable COVID testing, every single member of the show was tested before being cleared to depart for Las Vegas (from their Los Angeles base). Once in Las Vegas, staff and crew were then tested again and isolated in their rooms until they received a negative result. Only then were they cleared to enter the bubble. ‘Once in the bubble, staff and crew were continually tested on-site, depending on their designated zone as laid out in the Safe Way Forward,’ Wallace adds. ‘The same protocols in place for staff and crew were also in place for the approximately 200 Entrepreneurs who were selected to travel to Vegas and pitch to the Sharks.’”

Source: Pauline Rogers, ICG Magazine

AT A GLANCE:

From rapid COVID-19 testing and an abundance of PPE to plexiglass barriers and strict hair and make-up protocols, season 12 of ABC’s Shark Tank was a master-class in how to film a reality production during a pandemic. Writing for ICG Magazine, Pauline Rogers details how the production crew — including production designer Anton Goss, lighting designer Oscar Dominguez and lighting director Ronald Wirsgalla — all worked together to retool the show for maximum safety while still retaining all of the intimacy and excitement of the original version. Widening and extending the set into an arc allowed for social distancing, but the changes presented challenges to the camera and lighting crew, who now had additional space and elements to light and capture. For the 13 camera operators (and one off-set camera operator shooting post-pitch interviews), the widened spacing also meant that it was impossible to film a true master shot.

Head over to ICG Magazine to read the full story.