ACADEMY ROUNDTABLE
CORONAVIRUS QUESTIONS
Six independent filmmakers talk about how the global pandemic has affected their business and life COPING WITH COVID
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH
N one of us have ever experienced anything like the global pandemic of 2020 before. Thousands struck down by the virus, travel – and even going outside – banned, jobs hugely affected, mental health issues coming to the fore, and the worry of a second wave. We organised a ‘virtual round table’ to talk to six filmmaking professionals to see how it has affected their business, what they’ve done to cope and find out if there are any upsides to this awful situation.
and best practice add on to the already tight budgets. Outside of the work going on hiatus, the biggest effect is the damage to close personal connections I have to establish to make my films. Trust and empathy between myself and the characters is what I rely on to elicit visual depth to the story I want to tell, but now there is always this screen of uncertainty and fear that disturbs that potential relationship from the outset. Martyn Moore: I had a full diary for April, making films in car showrooms. They were all postponed and have yet to be rescheduled. In April, a client I’ve made films for got in touch and asked me about my journalism background. He asked me to run the news section of his website, providing coronavirus information and updates for the manufacturing community. There was plenty of work and I easily filled five eight-hour days a week. So I’ve gone back to doing something I spent 25 years doing before filmmaking. John Owen: Most of my work is based in the fitness industry and the lockdown decimated location work of any sort. What changes have you made in the light of the situation? And have any of these worked? DP: I’ve probably made very wrong decisions as I’ve invested more in my films. I’ve been writing, sending my films off to film festivals and funding new films. It’s impacted me differently, as I’d rather go out with a bang. If I lose all my clients, I’d rather try and get more notice as a writer, director and cinematographer, rather then someone who shoots for other companies. Yes that pays bills, but if it all ends soon, I’d rather try my hardest to have my own vision for filmmaking.
What has been the biggest effect of the pandemic on your business? Sebastian Sauerborn: Filming and film festivals stopped, cinemas closed, so production, distribution and coordination also stopped. The business is dominated by freelancers, whichmeans that many were out of work and fell through the cracks. This is muchmore than a job – it’s a passion, something you do with great conviction, and when you suddenly can’t work any more, this can cause mental health issues, somany had challenges on different scales. Daniel Peters: Shoots have been getting cancelled and I’ve lost some returning clients completely. I have been digging into my savings, and making ads for my assets on my site as I sell LUTS, overlays and music. Percy Dean: Production is where it’s hitting hardest. A lot of work still goes into setting up and pitching only to fall apart when coronavirus regulations
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