Dec 13, 2024
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Filmmaking in the Pandemic
by Leslie Streit
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A landscape that inspired and appeared in Leslie Streit's new film '95 Days'. photo: L. StreitLeslie Streit, who has made feature documentaries and short films, was challenged by the pandemic to make a film.
2020 and 2021 brought devastating drought conditions to the San Francisco Bay Estuary and its surrounding locations. This area is a delicate living ecosystem of marshland and wildlife. My film “95 Days” chronicles its journey from a lush spring through the progressive heat and dryness of summer when the lack of rain and humidity gives way to nearby wildfires. Using photos and videos taken from May to late August 2021, often overlaying imagery from archival sources, I documented a changing landscape that is at once colorful, abstract, poignant and threatened.
I live only minutes from the San Francisco Bay Estuary and spend spare time walking its trails and photographing its flowers, grasses and birds. To my eye the landscape translates as interesting lines, patterns and color fields punctuated by colors and textures beyond what the camera could ordinarily see. I've tried to capture those images in the hopes that others might see what I see. There is beauty even when there is damage to the land and even as climate changes before our eyes.
Although much of my work in the past 13 years has been focused on feature documentaries, “95 Days” was a return to my roots in visual and performance art which was often considered experimental. Working with my long-time editor and producing partner, Robin McCain, we chose to make every frame melt into the next one with changing color, depth perception and point of view. There are 3 sections accompanied only by music within the film’s 5 minute length. No dialog was needed to tell this story.
When it was time to send “95 Days” out into the world we found that the Covid pandemic and resulting turmoil it brought with it have radically altered our way of viewing content from live theater to virtual screenings.
The poster for '95 Days'. photo: L. StreitAs we start to come out of the pandemic it is still a time of great uncertainty. There are people who are desperate to socialize in real world situations and they are anxious to return to the experience of seeing film in a movie theater surrounded by a live audience. Recently I’ve received numerous invitations to preview screenings with live Q & As and live audiences inside an actual screening room.
On the other side Netflix, Apple, Hulu and many others are distributing theatrical films and series and have been producing their own big budget content. The big award shows (Emmys, Golden Globes, and Oscars) reflect the continuing importance of the streaming media providers well beyond the days of pandemic isolation. For many people this is still the best way for them to see movies.
There also seems to be a pandemic/post-pandemic trend for films to focus on content that reflects disturbing issues: disease, famine, politics, apocalypse, racism and inequality, gender issues, crime and corruption, mental illness, poverty. And an endless stream about the lives of celebrities has taken over the documentary scene as well as a looming fear that things we used to laugh about are now off limits.
But there are many new film festivals opening internationally and short films especially those about subjects like the environment and climate change are very much appreciated in many parts of the world. Our “95 Days” has already won several awards and special mentions in the only three months that it has been submitted to festivals. It has had a cross cultural impact—video art, stills, and music are universal.
Right now the short film format seems ideally suited for many things. Short films can be made with all levels of budgets – high to low – by individuals in isolation or crews and teams working together. They can be issue oriented, comedy, animated or many other genres, suitable for all age groups. Most importantly they can be self distributed. Festivals can program them in between longer films and audiences can see them comfortably on a variety of devices from television to mobile phones.
For the last many years I had only been creating short format films as teasers for feature films. But “95 Days” has changed my entire outlook on filmmaking. It is my invitation to enter a joyful world of experimentation and I think the experience of making “95 Days” has given me a new freedom to tell all kinds of stories going into the future.
"95 Days" went on to win a total of nine awards at international festivals including two for best female director and others for best experimental short and best film about nature and the environment.
Leslie Streit is a filmmaker, writer and producer, living in San Francisco who can be reached here
Posted on Jan 09, 2022 - 03:20 AM
by Leslie Streit
Please support our stories by liking articles—thanks!
A landscape that inspired and appeared in Leslie Streit's new film '95 Days'. photo: L. Streit2020 and 2021 brought devastating drought conditions to the San Francisco Bay Estuary and its surrounding locations. This area is a delicate living ecosystem of marshland and wildlife. My film “95 Days” chronicles its journey from a lush spring through the progressive heat and dryness of summer when the lack of rain and humidity gives way to nearby wildfires. Using photos and videos taken from May to late August 2021, often overlaying imagery from archival sources, I documented a changing landscape that is at once colorful, abstract, poignant and threatened.
I live only minutes from the San Francisco Bay Estuary and spend spare time walking its trails and photographing its flowers, grasses and birds. To my eye the landscape translates as interesting lines, patterns and color fields punctuated by colors and textures beyond what the camera could ordinarily see. I've tried to capture those images in the hopes that others might see what I see. There is beauty even when there is damage to the land and even as climate changes before our eyes.
Although much of my work in the past 13 years has been focused on feature documentaries, “95 Days” was a return to my roots in visual and performance art which was often considered experimental. Working with my long-time editor and producing partner, Robin McCain, we chose to make every frame melt into the next one with changing color, depth perception and point of view. There are 3 sections accompanied only by music within the film’s 5 minute length. No dialog was needed to tell this story.
When it was time to send “95 Days” out into the world we found that the Covid pandemic and resulting turmoil it brought with it have radically altered our way of viewing content from live theater to virtual screenings.
The poster for '95 Days'. photo: L. StreitOn the other side Netflix, Apple, Hulu and many others are distributing theatrical films and series and have been producing their own big budget content. The big award shows (Emmys, Golden Globes, and Oscars) reflect the continuing importance of the streaming media providers well beyond the days of pandemic isolation. For many people this is still the best way for them to see movies.
There also seems to be a pandemic/post-pandemic trend for films to focus on content that reflects disturbing issues: disease, famine, politics, apocalypse, racism and inequality, gender issues, crime and corruption, mental illness, poverty. And an endless stream about the lives of celebrities has taken over the documentary scene as well as a looming fear that things we used to laugh about are now off limits.
But there are many new film festivals opening internationally and short films especially those about subjects like the environment and climate change are very much appreciated in many parts of the world. Our “95 Days” has already won several awards and special mentions in the only three months that it has been submitted to festivals. It has had a cross cultural impact—video art, stills, and music are universal.
Right now the short film format seems ideally suited for many things. Short films can be made with all levels of budgets – high to low – by individuals in isolation or crews and teams working together. They can be issue oriented, comedy, animated or many other genres, suitable for all age groups. Most importantly they can be self distributed. Festivals can program them in between longer films and audiences can see them comfortably on a variety of devices from television to mobile phones.
For the last many years I had only been creating short format films as teasers for feature films. But “95 Days” has changed my entire outlook on filmmaking. It is my invitation to enter a joyful world of experimentation and I think the experience of making “95 Days” has given me a new freedom to tell all kinds of stories going into the future.
"95 Days" went on to win a total of nine awards at international festivals including two for best female director and others for best experimental short and best film about nature and the environment.
Leslie Streit is a filmmaker, writer and producer, living in San Francisco who can be reached here
Posted on Jan 09, 2022 - 03:20 AM
