Being a generalist in COVID-19

Being a "generalist" or a "one stop shop" in normal times has its advantages and disadvantages but having the capacity to completely run a video production alone during COVID-19 has been an essential part of my recent success.

COVID-19 has absolutely annihilated the film production industry (I wrote a blog about the impacts which you can check out here). You can no longer have 15+ people running around touching tons of gear and working long days to create feature length films anymore. Luckily for me, I actually don't work on feature length films as I service Fortune 500 companies and creative agencies. I hire crew members when I need extra or specialized help but after a decade of relentless learning, I have acquired the skill set and knowledge to run a smaller scale production alone. 

 
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Why can I independently run a production?

I have held nearly every role on set over the past decade, which has given me insights that are often only gained through experience:

  • I've won 3 Telly Awards for my work as a cinematographer (cameras are fun!)

  • I’ve directed a multitude of content including a 24-hour film production in which we took 1st place

  • I have a Master's degree in storytelling

  • I completed my certificate in Audio Engineering in my time as an undergrad

  • I’ve even acted in an award winning FanDuel ad

I've led COVID-19 productions for Microsoft, PETA, and a handful of other technology companies. Producers and clients were able to be on set because my skill set allowed for incredibly small crew sizes. Yes, we wear masks. Yes, we stay 6 feet apart. Yes, we are taking COVID-19 very seriously and constantly wash our hands.

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It should be mentioned that in-person productions are still few and far between right now. I am directing A LOT of remote content right now, which has been a bulk of my work over the past few months.

As I outlined in a prior blog about remote interviews, I developed a way to capture high quality interviews via Zoom and I have captured 30+ remote interviews up to this point. This is yet another instance in which being a generalist is greatly benefiting me during the current lockdown; I produce the stories, direct the interviews, film the CEOs giving their sound bites, and edit together compelling stories for their organization.

Being a jack of all trades can sometimes be a negative thing but organizations are now almost exclusively turning to small and efficient production teams to create what would otherwise be impossible content. We are going to be in this state of increased health precautions for a while to come and I predict that the norms of production, even after COVID-19, will shift towards leaner crews.

Organizational storytelling is incredibly important in this tumultuous time and by collaborating with the right creatives, you’ll find that there are many ways to go about maintaining and strengthening a connection with your community.

If you’re in the creative industry, this means that there’s actually a lot of opportunity if you’re willing to adapt and show clients that you can help them pivot to new methods of storytelling.

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Jacob Christensen