The Magpie Film Company Struggles as Their Film “Ridgecrest” is Delayed Due to COVID Restrictions – Entertainment News

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The Magpie film company has halted production on the feature film Ridgecrest for safety reasons after Los Angeles locks down due to COVID-19.

Edward Gusts, the films director stated, “It’s unfortunate, obviously; but our cast and crew are our friends an colleagues. We will never do anything that gambles with their safety.”

“The advantage,” he continued, “is that we have been filming in self contained segments, so when we resume there should be no issues with matching shots we did months before.”

Gusts has insisted on a minimalist approach to film-making which he hopes will keep his company viable.

Fortunately for the company, their documentary Shaken: The Great Sylmar Earthquake completed its filming right before shutdowns occurred. According to Bob Brill, the film’s director and a survivor of the infamous quake, “We were quite lucky to get all of our interviews either through zoom or before the latest shutdown. Ensuring the safety of the people kind enough to share their stories with us far outweighs the goal of getting an interview.”

The film is slated to release in 2021, the 50th anniversary of the quake.

No mention was made of the company’s ability to survive a prolonged shutdown which has crippled major studios. But the company’s insistence on safety and efficient film-making may be the keys that help them weather this storm.