Unprecedented

UNPRECEDENTED

A short film I created in the early stages of the Covid-19 Lockdown in the UK.

Thinking about how everyone is being affected by this, thinking of my own story, my friends and family's stories, stories from the different industries the have been hit by this, I realised that while everyone's experiences have been so different, this time that we are all existing in together is one of the most powerfully unifiying factors of the pandemic. Everyone has been affected differnently, but in unity.

This is a story for everyone, but told how my voice and head felt at the time. I chose words that attempted to speak to everyone, but I used a voice that was very much my own.

Unprecedented, uncertain, difficult, time - to work from home, in isolation, to come together, to wash your hands.

Time, to re-download skype, how do I use Zoom?, mum your connections poor, mum youre filming the floor, time to disinfect the door.

Time… have enough time, to use this time, what’s the time, is THAT the time, this now all rhymes, time to be wrong.

To feel the pinch, to be angry, to think, to overthink, time and no space, too much space stretching out time, are these the end times?

Flatten the curve, perfect your serve, practice makes perfect, the medical practices distracted, ill health, ill wealth, look after your self. If you have time, and be thankful if you do.

These are times like we’ve not seen for at least a generation. They have turned some peoples lives upside down, put other’s on hold and made those who have to keep working’s more dangerous than they’ve ever known.

Ciara is one of a few close friends of mine that have had to go to work, out of a sense of duty and also because their careers have vanished overnight. Worse than fearing for their health is simply not being able to relate to their situation. There’s know way I can help remotely.

However we remember this period, the unifying factor will be time. As human beings we live by the clock. We have bed time, meal times, break times, train times, but now we face a time that we couldn’t predict.

It means a lot of different things for different people. It can be a time of sickness, poverty, loneliness. A time to try and work as normal when the world around you seems inside out… or outside in.

I’m currently in isolation away from my family. My mum, sisters and granny are all high risk and as someone escaping London just before the lockdown measures were put in place there was no way I could safely go home. I’m happy and healthy but at the back of my mind I don’t know when I will see them again... what I’ve really learned during this period is to do what I can, and not expect anything more from myself. To let myself feel sad, despite survivors guilt and to not feel selfish when I logically know I’m doing the right thing.

With the structures gone that we used to rely on, for many people - for the first time in a long time, we exist only within our own time. Time for ourselves, our family, our own bubble. Time that we have no choice to fill. It could be a time to run, take longer in the shower, to bake, to make. A time to clean out, workout, let it out. Time without the distraction of the outside world forcing us to face what’s within. A time to heal, to feel, to stretch those moments of quiet we’d usually steal. Time to escape or time to get involved.

For most people, however used, it’s going to be a time alone that has been universally and collectively, even connectively spent.

Time is the one resource that will run out for everyone and if this pandemic has taught us anything is that we should use every bit of it we have.

So don’t waste your time, and don’t let anyone tell you how to spend it.

Only you know what you’re going through, and how you need to get through.

This time, like all time, will run out, will be over. It seems like forever now, but it won’t be, nothing is. You never know, you might even miss it - and that’s okay.

Until then though, keep safe, keep your distance, keep happy.

Oh… and wash your hands.