Making films is the ultimate group project, no question. Every set is a tight-knit group of people working in sync to get that perfect shot and to get that movie made. Each person involved is crucial to the well-oiled machine.

So when Covid-19 came barreling through the United States, I started to panic. My livelihood and future career were at stake. And I wasn’t alone. Every single production, from indie short films to Hollywood blockbusters has been affected by all of this. Check out this list of cancellations and delays on Indiewire, detailing how Hollywood is adjusting to all of this. Push backs, premiere cancellations, filming delays…

When it comes to my filmmaking career, I specialize in music videos and event coverage, so it’s definitely smaller scale ventures. But even for me, all of my projects have had to be put on hold for the foreseeable future. I can’t exactly direct and film a music video over a Zoom call.

So how have I been able to keep making a living as a filmmaker in these crazy times?

1. Remote Editing Gigs

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash — Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Luckily, I’ve still been able to find some editing gigs that I can do with my home setup through past clients as well as by scouring platforms like Thumbtack. Even though I might not be able to film any new footage for these clients, there are always people who want their home videos edited. I’ve even found a few people who need older music videos re-edited.

It hasn’t been the easiest thing to find these types of gigs, but they’re definitely out there. As I’m writing this, I’m actually putting together some archival home footage for a client to create a celebratory wedding video. That’s been a lot of fun and has definitely stretched a new creative muscle for me that I’m not used to.

2. Video Podcasting

Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash — Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash

For just over half a year now,I’ve been producing and editing a video podcast called Stump the Monk. We make our revenue through monthly Patreon donations from our listeners. Although it might not be a huge source of income, the show has really come in handy for me by giving me a routine to follow.

And I’m gearing up to start a second video podcast project as well, which will give me another creative outlet. Even if it doesn’t make any money right away, it’ll be a fun way to get in touch with other people in these isolated times.

3. Stock Photography and Videography

The photos you’ve been seeing all throughout this article were sourced through Unsplash, a site were creatives to upload and distribute stock photos while receiving compensation. There’s plenty of sites that provide a similar service. So as a way of keeping my skills with a camera sharp, I’ve started taking my camera on walks with me.

Don’t worry, I wear a facemask and gloves each time I go out and I wipe my gear down with Lysol each time I come back inside. Safety is the priority.

Just like the video podcasts, though, this avenue is more of a long-term time investment. Stock photo and video almost never give you significant cash flow right away, but rather build slowly over an extended period of time. But if you’re bored at home, give it a shot. You get to be creative while building your portfolio.

4. Writing on Medium

That’s right, this article right here has the chance to make me a little bit of extra cash. Similar to sites like YouTube, Medium allows creators to make an income based on the views and audience retention a piece has.

So if you want to help out, from one creative to another, click that “clap" button down there and share the article if you feel like it’s interesting.

My interest in Medium goes far beyond making a quick buck, though. Before I attended film school, I was majoring in English. I had an interest for writing, research, and journalism. Ever since getting into the filmmaking profession, I haven’t really gotten a chance to stretch that writing muscle much, so I’m definitely having a lot of fun with these articles.

Beyond just making money, I’ve also spent a lot of time during this quarantine learning new skills that are more than likely going to come in handy after all of this craziness is behind us. I might as well take all of this free time to gain a few marketable skills instead of moping around the house. Through the University of tutorial videos on YouTube, I’ve been teaching myself motion graphics, 3D modeling, music production.

Picking up new hobbies has also given me more to do than just playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons all day long. Now I know how to embroider some custom designs onto old t-shirts to give them a new life and design my own enamel pins!

So even though this Covid-19 lockdown isn’t the most enjoyable process, I encourage anyone reading this to make the most of the time you have to get creative and learn some new skills that you didn’t have before all of this went down.

Stay safe and wash your hands!