Hugh T. Brooks

How one cul-de-sac is making the most of quarantine

As the warmer seasons have begin to show their true colors in the San Francisco Bay Area, quarantine and social distancing continue to force residents to stay inside. For many, this lockdown has created uncertainty and stress with regards to work, exercise, and future opportunities. In order to get a better sense of people’s struggle, I interviewed people in my neighborhood and asked them about their experiences (from six feet away of course).

I thoroughly enjoyed making this video and talking to my neighbors. It was wonderful getting to meet new people and create community interaction in such an isolated time. I have experience with filming and editing which made this project an exciting opportunity to refine my skills; however, I lacked access to newer equipment which made it difficult to get the video and audio quality I wanted. As a result, I took some of the videos on my phone and others on an older camera and tripod I had at my house. Some clips turned out excellently, but many had major issues with focusing and overall quality. On top of this, the SD card I used ran out of memory while filming, and I lost a couple of my recordings. Though I was able to salvage enough content to make the video a decent amount disappeared forever.

Despite the challenges, I like making and producing journalistic videos. I find them to be exciting and appealing both as a creator and a viewer. I think the future of journalism holds more multimedia potential, and I am excited to be on the cusp of new reporting, recording, and creative techniques.

Enjoy!