PLEASE NOTE: The Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) announced on 6 August 2021 that Singapore would transition out of the Phase 2 – Heightened Alert phase starting from 10 August 2021, followed by more changes from 19 August 2021. Media companies with SSIC codes starting with 58 to 63 will continue their business activities.

From 19 August 2021 onwards, companies should take note of the following rules (refer to Mandatory Safety Rules v5.1, and accompanying FAQs):

(a) All media content productions may proceed with no more than 50 personnel on location, including no more than 20 onscreen talent/performers (who may be unmasked if necessary), at any given time.

(b) Filming or recording of “live” singing is allowed with no more than 2 singers (out of the total onscreen talent/performers) unmasked at any given time, and must observe a 2-metre safe distancing from the next person. If all 50 personnel (talent/performers/crew) have “cleared status”* on set of shoot day, the number of singers permitted for the shoot is capped at the 20 onscreen talent/performers limit.

(c) Unmasking dispensations are to be kept strictly to the fixed cast of onscreen talent/performers (not interchangeable with other non-onscreen performing roles) for the entire production.

(d) No on-site audiences should be present on location; all personnel should comprise only talent/performers (i.e. cast) and crew.

(e) There should not be more than 5 distinct visitors per day for occupied households under social gathering rules, which may affect filming.

*An individual is considered vaccinated i.e. “cleared status” if the person has: a) been fully vaccinated (i.e. has received the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna or WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines, with an additional two weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective); b) recovered from COVID-19; or c) has obtained a negative result on a Pre-Event Test taken in the past 24 hours before the expected end of the event.

Given the higher level of community spread during current Phase 2 – Heightened Alert, the media industry is committed to more frequent testing to protect onscreen talents (fully vaccinated or otherwise), who are unmasked and are required to film close contact scenes. IMDA is supportive of this approached. These onscreen talents or productions hiring them may approach the Association of Independent Producers or the Singapore Association of Motion Picture Professionals, to request for Antigen Rapid Testing kits to use, during this ongoing Heightened Alert period.  

Additional Links:

• Click here for the full advisory from IMDA.
• Click here (1.08MB) for a printable infographic that can be used for your production.
• Click here to see other FAQs for guidelines pertaining to other sectors (e.g. events and weddings).