P3s Favorite Masks for Film Productions
Which masks really work?
Before COVID, planning a production was challenging enough - from pre-production through photography and post-production, there are a million moving parts. Over weeks to months, with dozens to hundreds of people in multiple locations, indoor and outside, from script readings to set dressing, costume and make-up, then getting behind or in front of the camera - the list of logistics is never ending. And, taking into consideration the very challenging nature of keeping the star of a film comfortable, happy and able to perform at the highest level - we have to be extremely thoughtful in our approach.
With the need for production staff and talent to wear masks at all times, our team has to make sure the masks on hand work well for everyone. Adding the unique needs of the movie industry - like lowering the level of reflected light around cameras, or the use of prosthetics on actors - brings in challenges that most people don’t need to consider in their daily life. This goes beyond the additional zoning, air safety, and other measures we have to use to reduce the level of virus spread.
The Aclara One Mask
How do we do it?
To begin with, it’s critical to understand that cloth masks are not an option. Independent of their lack of filtration or fit, they tend to be heavy, and also absorb moisture which is no good for makeup. Also, stretchy synthetics don’t work either - again no filtration - but also they ruin make-up.
Fundamentally, mask effectiveness begins with seal and real filtration: does air escape around the face? If the answer is yes, filtration efficacy is reduced 20-50%. So, even if you’re wearing a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator, if you don’t have it sealed, it might as well be a N45. Similarly, mask labeling may read N95 or KN95, or KF94, but we’ve found that the majority of products on the market don’t actually meet that standard. And, frankly, NIOSH and FDA don’t test them, instead relying on the manufacturer to provide results of testing. So, it falls to us to do our best to find out if masks actually perform.
However, if we only focus on seal and filtration, we have an issue. Most N95s, when worn over a period of time, are difficult enough to breath in, that we find people tend to move them below their nose, or bend the nose bridge to allow air to escape - rendering them ineffective. So, we look for masks that have the highest breathability and greatest comfort.
Lastly, specific to the movie industry, our masks often have to be fairly dark. Not in all situations, but during photography, we can’t have white masks reflecting light near the camera. Or, during post-production in darkened editing suites, we can’t have the distraction of white masks degrading our night vision
In summary, here’s what we look for when we source masks:
95% filtration, with respirator style face format - and a quality check on actual filtration levels (except for outside work, when we allow for surgical masks)
Comfortable fit and highest breathability
Conforming fit to an individual's face for optimal seal
Darker, non-reflective colors for camera and post production work
This is the criteria we’ve used on productions with many of the major studios.
Our Three Favorites:
Aclara One
Taking what we know about film production needs, Aclara worked with scientists at George Washington University and developed a mask that meets all our needs. Everyone loves it, hands down.
Huheta KN95
Although not a NIOSH N95, this general purpose KN95 works well enough in our assessment for general use on film sets and works particularly well for construction crews building sets.
O2 Wear KF94
This boat style mask gets high marks from on-set staff for comfort and breathability, as well as keeping pressure off your lips.