SAG-AFTRA Studio

The Covid-19 pandemic changed so many parts of our lives, including the way we work. In 2020, when lockdown was imposed, the Milestone Studios team realised we needed new ways of ensuring the good health of our customers. Similarly, during the Covid-19 pandemic, production companies became much more aware of the precautions that are necessary to ensure the safety of their artists during audio post-production.

SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has some specific safety guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Luckily, Milestone Studios has these protocols in place, which are approved by SAG-AFTRA. These protocols include minimal contact with the talent, which is made easier by our studio design, which has separate control rooms and booths. We also use removable, replaceable pad-covers for the headphones, as the ear-cups are in direct contact with the actor’s body. SAG-AFTRA requires stringent cleanliness, in terms of wiping surfaces and cleaning bathrooms, and we are happy to be able to provide that. We have dedicated staff responsible for cleaning the studio spaces, common areas like bathrooms and corridors, and our reception. SAG-AFTRA also requires mandatory mask wearing except when the talent is alone in the voice booth, which is easily accommodated. We provide 70% alcohol-based sanitiser in addition to normal hand-washing facilities. We have a dedicated staff member who serves as the Milestone Studios Covid compliance officer, and who has completed the training required by SAG-AFTRA.

Milestone Studios complies with the City of Cape Town’s requirements for fresh air to be circulated through all work areas, which is a big part of preventing infection, whether from Covid-19 or another infectious disease. We have a history of compliance with the South African national government’s regulations. For example, when it was required to do so, we participated in contract tracing and took all client and staff temperatures using an infrared thermometer. Currently we are the only studio in Africa on SAG-AFTRA’s list of Approved Audio Houses/Studios.