Filming During a Pandemic

(whimsical music) - Morning, morning, morning.

How are you all?

Welcome to another day on the set of Grantchester.

You know if COVID wasn't happening there would have been thousands, if not tens of thousands of screaming fans around this car, but COVID put the mockers on that.

- When I turn up I go we're still doing it.

- Yeah how?

- Everyday, how?

Do do you pinch yourself sometimes?

- Ooh it's just it's the stress is unbelievable, but the show's going to be an excellent series that we wouldn't you wouldn't know it was COVID times.

But the behind the scenes is insane.

- Chaps in the white masks.

chaps in the black masks.

I need to just stick in groups, please.

So for example, when we have the prison B team, there's two cast members in there.

Ask anybody who's wearing a white mask in that zone.

Does that make sense?

- For safety requirements, it was important that only a certain number of people were ever in one room and some cases, this meant you're having to film scenes normally we'd have six, seven, eight members of crew and cast in a room.

We're now at a total limit of four.

- Which might be just the two actors, the DOP and the grip.

Sometimes there's not enough space to even get a boom operator in.

- Okay quiet, hold the work over the back!

- Despite everything.

- Yeah.

- It's still a good place to work.

- Very good atmosphere, yeah.

I think it's, um it's the only normality we're all getting is coming to work every day.

(motorbike engine going) - So what would happen if I just now said Richard, I've got COVID.

- I'd be a bit shocked cause our testing procedures, mean you should never have made it this close to set.

You did a minimum of three before you were stood next to me.

So we'd be very, very confident that you don't.

- What are you saying?

- Bigging you up matey, as always.

- Just checking.

- Tom Brittney.

- Just checking.

- Number two on the call sheet.

- Yeah but that's gonna change.

(Robson laughing) - Of all the actors you've worked with, who's your most favorite?

- I really like Emily.

Emily's one of the new actresses we've got and I really like Emily.

She's really good.

She's just brought a new life and vibrancy.. - Okay let's narrow it down kind of male.

- Oh Oliver Dimsdale yeah or Al Al Weaver as well too, too.

And they worked really well together, especially in this series, they've got a lot of stuff.

- But best detectives you've worked with in your life?

- Bradley who plays Larry.

Ah he's very good.

Oh, just got to go back.

Sorry about that.

I was going to give you a hug there but ah government laws.

- Never liked him.