Cine UFM Live: Production and Cinematography in Times of Social Distancing

Sophy Ramírez  | 28 de abril de 2020  | Vistas: 35

Cine Cine UFM Live Cinema UFM Escuela de Cine y Artes Visuales

Even if quarantine has been a rough time for a lot of countries, it can be a time to get creative and innovate in new ways to improve the working environments. In this interview led by Fernando Franco, the filmmakers, Ben Gaskell and Victoria Hill, share some of their experiences during the lockdown.

Victoria expresses that it may be frustrating to have projects canceled because of the quarantine or not being able to go out and film a movie, but there are still interesting opportunities that a filmmaker can explore, like post-production, that can be easily done at home. 

I realized that the more we’re in this situation the more creative you can get, is that creativity, art, and passion that make your work essential. It’s not the same way as a doctor is but I think that for me art gives life in all senses of the word.” - Victoria Hill

Gaskell describes his experience during these difficult times, where both of them started to think in new ways to make a safer and healthier environment for a crew in film production. They advise being productive and not forget the importance of every job, even if it is stopped by the quarantine.

Once we figure out and we experiment a little bit, I believe a little innovation would come out of this as humans, we are adaptable and very creative and I don’t think there is a doubt that new things will come.” - Fernando Franco

They mention their perspective on how entrepreneurship could be developed in the film industry to help more communities, and show their interest in the way technology could improve not productivity but maintain the health and security of the workers after the quarantine. 

 The deathrock of what it is to be an entrepreneur is just having the courage and be willing to desire something, some outcome so much that you’re willing to fail and persevere through hardship.” - Ben Gaskell

Victoria presents how the company where she works uses universal values such as individuality, compassion, and innovation to help new filmmakers develop in the industry and in the process of their stories. She also emphasizes the importance of being collaborative and flexible in accepting ideas that could make a project grow in filmmaking.

To conclude, both filmmakers answer some questions of the public about creative ways to continue producing in this pandemic. 



Creative producer, musician, and professor



Universidad Francisco Marroquín