Covid-related restrictions have been the impetus for student filmmakers to reinvent how they produce content. Although film students have been denied collaborative hands-on class experience, these challenges have encouraged initiative and adaptation.
Social distancing restrictions have periodically forced many tertiary institutions to close their doors and move learning to online and remote platforms. In practical fields such as filmmaking, university closures have prevented students from accessing necessary media equipment.
Sarah Thomas was one of many film students who experienced significant changes to her classes in 2020. She found that original assignments were drastically altered in order for students to complete their units, as seen in her initial film plan for Lilypad. But she also discovered that the forced changes provided film students with unseen opportunities.
“We were [intending] on making my film, Lilypad, at the end of 2020,” she said. “Due to restrictions, it became unsafe and pretty impossible to do. It was quite upsetting to not be able to do my film, but instead we ended up doing a different project called Bloody Good Chat. It was great and I loved it. I guess without Covid, we wouldn’t have been able to do that.”
In addition to class adjustments, Thomas struggled to find internship and job opportunities, as mandated limits on gatherings, workplaces and activities left no room for students or graduates.
“I did an internship in 2019, but I wanted to do another one. That was difficult because there weren’t as many productions going ahead. Many people [retained] minimal crews [only]; they wouldn’t take on extra people, especially students, as they already had less of their own crew.”
Despite the ongoing challenges, Thomas said the unpredictable environment had led to her enhancing her pre-film preparation. She has benefited from using an action plan.
“I [now] think more about things like making sure I have a backup plan,” she said. “It’s made me feel a bit nervous to plan things, but with some other films I was going to work on, we didn’t have a specific plan, and didn’t ask ourselves ‘at what level of restrictions should we cancel?’ You need those plans in place, otherwise you’re going to be stressing. Have a plan beforehand of what you’re going to do if certain things happen.”
With Victoria plunged into yet another lockdown, the question continues as to how future filmmakers will continue to evolve.
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