Tyler Perry’s ‘Sistas’ Starting Production in Atlanta; ‘The Oval’ to Follow

Labor News, Industry News

Reprinted from Deadline Hollywood by Nellie Andreeva on July 13, 2020.

All systems are go for the cameras to start rolling on the second season of Tyler Perry’s BET series Sistas on July 14. The cast and crew of the series had been quarantined at the Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios since late last week when actors were flown in from Los Angeles and New York on Perry’s private plane. (The crew of Perry’s shows is primarily local, based in Atlanta.)

So far, [according to Nellie Andreeva of Deadline Hollywood] the cast has tested negative, with the bulk of results for one final pre-production test done on the entire group to be delivered tomorrow. I hear filming is slated to begin Tuesday night with a night shoot. That may be pushed by a day if all results do not come back on time because of a backlog in processing of COVID-19 tests in Atlanta due to increased volume.

If Sistas is able to complete its second season as planned, the actors and crew members from Perry’s other BET sophomore series, The Oval, will begin arriving July 30 for their Season 2 shoot, [according to Andreeva].

Filming of Sistas and The Oval will be following the detailed guidelines Perry unveiled a month or so ago.  It employs a strict protocol that involves testing and sequestering the shows’ cast and crew on the sprawling, 330-acre lot of Tyler Perry Studios. Everyone, including Perry, who is directing all episodes, will remain on the lot for the entire duration of each shoot. …

Deadline Hollywood 7/13

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Jeff Burman served on the Guild’s Board of Directors from 1992 to 2019. He is now retired. He can be reached at jeffrey.s.burman.57@gmail.com.