This was a new resource that wasn’t budgeted for. The anxiety and stress levels were high.īehind-the-scenes, a lot of researching, up-skilling, juggling and pressurised lobbying commenced. Students were trying to work out if they’d stay enrolled in the course, and what the consequences might be if they stayed or left. There were mixed reactions to the plan, as everyone was still in shock. We invited one of those students and a production designer to demonstrate the power and the incredible usefulness of the program, particularly as a tool for communication between cinematographer and designer. A few third-year students used it in 2019 to great effect on graduate projects. I’ve been aware of Cine Tracer for some time but it has not been included formally in the GFS curriculum. The new plan, to enable them to effectively create high-level realistic pre-visualisation was to train them to use Cine Tracer, the cinematography simulator in a game engine created by Matt Workman. Indeed, without confirmed locations, they couldn’t even do final drafts of equipment and lighting plans. The cinematography students, however, could not deliver the principle item finished TVCs. The deliverables required from the producing and the design students were mostly unchanged and they could still make most of their course requirements. But all TVCs would be developed, designed and pre-visualised to a high level, ready to go into production later after restrictions were lifted. On 20 March, an urgent meeting with the eighty odd cohort was held to explain the new circumstances and the way forward. Effective almost immediately, and certainly within two weeks at most. On 19 March, GFS Faculty took the very difficult decision to halt all face to face classes and access to cameras and lights. There was a real buzz of excitement about the projects with some ambitious plans on the table. Ideas had just been pitched, projects selected and teams formed. The second year students were right on the brink of starting to produce their major assignment – eight sixty-second television commercials (TVCs). At the time, like most film schools, GFS had few fully online courses.

In the first weeks of March staff at Griffith Film School (GFS) listened closely to every announcement from the Federal Government, anticipating that universities would soon be declared closed.

Teaching cinematography online in the time of COVID-19, with Cine Tracer and Griffith Film School – by Erika Addis and Ben CotgroveĪ student-created, neo-noir scene in Cine Tracer – DOP Jason MorrisĮA – I’ll remember March 2020 forever, as the moment when the virus COVID-19 changed my professional teaching practice and workplace, virtually overnight.

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