Written by Wyatt Beckson
During this time of social distancing and self-isolation, I鈥檓 sure one of the biggest questions you鈥檙e asking yourself during this social fiasco is 鈥渉ow do I stay busy?鈥� Like you, I鈥檝e asked myself that question plenty of times. However, through my own experience, I鈥檝e devised a plan that, hopefully, at least one of you can use to your advantage. This is my list of six things you can do to stay busy during quarantine!
#1 Watch Netflix
Yes, I know this might seem pretty obvious as a film major, but hear me out!聽 There鈥檚 an insane amount of genuinely amazing films out on Netflix RIGHT NOW! If you鈥檙e looking for something funny, The Hangover is right up your alley! If you鈥檙e looking for something more serious, There Will Be Blood is the perfect gem for you. Want to relive the plight of high school? The Perks of Being a Wallflower is right there waiting for you. Is there a side of you that makes you feel like a mob boss? Goodfellas is here to make you question what the word 鈥渇unny鈥� really means. Do you have an itch that just won鈥檛 go away, and only a Spaghetti Western can relieve you of that irritation? The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is the itch cream to soothe your desires. There鈥檚 more you can explore on your own! Trust me, there are films you never thought you would have found! All you need is time (and you鈥檝e got lots of it) in a time of social distancing!
#2 Tune into one of the Film Department鈥檚 weekly Film Fridays
I know I鈥檝e mentioned Netflix earlier, but perhaps you鈥檙e more of a social filmgoer like myself. If that鈥檚 the case, I have a convenient solution! Every Friday at 9 pm, for the rest of the semester, I will be hosting a Netflix watch party, showing a different film each week! All you need to do to join is have Google Chrome as an internet browser, download the extension 鈥淣etflix Party鈥�, and I鈥檒l send you the link to the watch party!
#3 Write that script you never had time to produce
As I mentioned before, we have plenty of time to kill during the quarantine. Why not use it to your advantage? Now is the perfect time to write that script that you鈥檝e been holding back on! Even if you use baby steps, using this time to accomplish that goal will give you something to do, and give you that burst of relief once you finish it.
#4 Make a short film
Listen, I know we don鈥檛 currently have the resources provided by the equipment room to check out, that grade-A equipment like we normally do. However, a good amount of us have a camera on our phones, enabling a lot of us to shoot something, even if it is in the comfort of our own space!
#5 Offer up your skills as a freelancer
While this might not be the most favorable choice by many, we certainly have to acknowledge that the employment market is suffering, and will continue to suffer as a result of the coronavirus. With this in mind, if you鈥檙e looking for some extra money, freelancing is certainly an opportunity for you to make some. Luckily, we live in the age of the internet. This means that a lot of things are happening over the internet! And they need videos! Take advantage of that opportunity and make some cash while you up your skills as a filmmaker!
#6 Brush up on your other creative outlets
At least in my own experience, I know a lot of filmmakers who have other artistic passions and desires. One of my best friends, Lukas, is also a singer/songwriter, and loves to draw on the side. Like him, I also draw during my spare time. This is where I鈥檇 like to encourage all of you to either find a new creative outlet, or brush up on an existing one, just for the sake of relieving anxiety and passing the time. Maybe like me, drawing is your thing. Maybe it鈥檚 something different, like graphic design, photography, poetry, music, painting, knitting, or something completely different! Now is definitely the time to find something creative that you deem is therapeutic to your wellbeing. There are plenty of scientific entities supporting this idea. If it helps me out, maybe it鈥檒l help you out too!
Hopefully, there is at least one thing on this list that can help stay busy during the quarantine. Believe me, I鈥檓 well aware that this is not an easy time, and likely, it鈥檚 gonna be something we鈥檒l have to endure for a while longer. As so many people have said before, as long as you can keep your mind and body running, we can march through this ordeal through the very end. Stay safe, stay busy, and as Dory says, 鈥淛ust keep swimming鈥�.
Your resident film major,
Wyatt Beckson 鈥�20
Film Production Major, Graphic Design Minor
He/Him/His