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Human Interest Lights, Camera, Testing! lex Ostebo did not spend her pan- demic binge-watching movies. In fact, when stay-at-home orders A brought film productions to a grind- ing halt in spring of 2020, the producer and founder of LA-based Creative Picnic thought she’d be back behind the camera soon enough. But as weeks turned to months, she wondered what productions would look like when they were finally able to return. Studios would sure- ly have to provide safeguards against the coro- navirus and of course, frequent testing. At the time though, no lab option was as fast and as flexible as a time-strapped film production would require. “Our entire industry,” she recalls, “is based on being together.” And that entire industry need- ed a solution. “Film sets are all about safety,” she says, so it seemed logical that testing would become es- sential. “The challenge was to get the right peo- ple and the right labs.” The Kameo Team Founded in the early stages of the pandemic, After a brief intermission, Hollywood is back in business. Some productions started filming again last summer, thanks to an LA start-up -- founded by a veteran producer -- that provides reliable, flexible covid testing for the entertainment industry. Ostebo launched Kameo specifically for the partner labs to ensure they would always meet production industry she knows so well. In fact, the industry’s time-sensitive needs for results. Kameo is a play on the word cameo, a short – They even hired out-of-work movie producers but meaningful -- guest appearance. to serve as account managers, so each produc- Ostebo knew film sets would need a mobile tion would have a seasoned pro on hand. testing unit on-site that could run at any time of The key, Hibberd says, is adaptability. Kameo day. Results would need to be fast, accurate, offers a menu of testing options tailored for the and easily documented, so she brought in Matt industry, including a lab-based Polymerase Hibberd, most recently of blockchain giant Kin, Chain Reaction (PCR) test in the form of a na- to oversee the technology aspect and put her sal swab that’s done on-set and then sent to a strategy to work. partner lab for results, as well as a rapid-run By the summer of 2020, they had assembled a nasal swab test offers test results in 15 minutes. large team of medical professionals, established The latter is processed in one of 12 custom a lab of their own, and created a network of medical vans, outfitted for coronavirus testing. California Business Journal / April 2021 / www.calbizjournal.com By Rick Wein- Human Interest Event testing on-site, Hibberd says, is Kameo’s forte, but they also offer a very-Hollywood con- cierge testing service that is done at a VIP’s home for privacy or in a walk-in clinic. This variety of tests makes it easier for produc- tions to stay on schedule and accommodate challenges that plague any production, like last- minute cast additions or changes in location. It has also made Kameo a trusted vendor of top studios. As of March 2021, dozens of produc- tions have used Kameo to keep their cast and crew safe, including A24 Productions and Film- Nation Entertainment, which has produced hun- dreds of popular films featuring such renowned actors as Tom Hanks, Robert Redford, Jake Alex Ostebo Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Natalie Portman, Joaquin Phoe- nix, Julianne Moore and Emma Thompson. Atlanta can drive down to handle it. Kameo al- At any given time, Kameo is facilitating tests so has a presence in San Francisco, Albuquer- for between five to ten productions and more que, Connecticut, New Orleans, Chicago, and and more entertainment companies are starting Portland. The company has 12 mobile lab vans to schedule for future shoots. Most of Kameo’s and 100+ medical screeners across the county. existing business has been via word of mouth. “This enables us to facilitate several produc- With hundreds of workers moving from pro- tions at once in each of our markets,” Ostebo duction to production, crew management is al- says. ways looking for solutions to common prob- Call time at 2:00 am? No problem. Ostebo, a lems and a good reputation is critical. Being seasoned commercial producer, knows that one of the first entertainment-only testing com- movie productions aren’t exactly 9-5 opera- panies to be on-set set everything in motion for tions. A 2:00 am call time can mean all-night Kameo to evolve with the changing needs of testing and processing results, an absolute must- productions. have for night shoots until the coronavirus no ameo isn’t just in Hollywood longer poses a threat to the cast and crew. though. With core hubs in Atlanta and New York City, the company Which begs the question, what will Kameo be- can reach other locales that may not K come once testing needs slow down and covid require year-round attention. If a production is disappears? They’ll still offer testing, Ostebo in Orlando, for example, the Kameo team in says, but she’s looking into the possibility of offering mobile vaccination units with their fleet of vans. As of now, the company cannot offer vaccines. Until they have guidance from the Center for Disease Control, Ostebo and Hibberd are looking past vaccines, past herd immunity, and into the future. They’re keeping those plans in the vault for now. “Kameo is evolving into a technology-first company,” Hibberd says. “The next iteration of Kameo will enable us to provide a meaningful service once covid runs its course and continue to shape how the entertainment industry oper- ates.” — By Victoria Kertz, California Business Journal Matt Hibberd Copyright © 2021 California Business Journal. All Rights Reserved. California Business Journal / April 2021 / www.calbizjournal.com .

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