I was amazed at how quickly mass gathering for sports became the norm. COVID infected players can literally have their hearts explode and collapse on the field and the fans still cheer. Entitled players were some of the first to express their ignorance about vaccines and the virus. Positive roll models are rare. Most celebrities are required by contract to hide their COVID infections. Bruce Springsteen and a rash of other musicians are forced to cancel concerts due to a mystery illness. Don’t think I am bashing Bruce because I respect him also canceling a concert to protest North Carolina’s newly signed anti-gay bill.
COVID-19 has hit the Giro bicycle race hard. 16 riders to date have headed home after falling ill with the virus, which returned in the peloton in the weeks leading up to the race. This seems to be the new normal with athletes and performers dropping like flies.
This shot was completed like the previous shots with each row of audience members isolated by erasing around them and touching up areas that might usually be hidden. I did try and animate each layer to get the effect but that didn’t result in a natural movement. Stacking them three dimensionally and moving the camera gave the the natural movement I needed.
When played at speed in the film, no one has the time to pick out all the subtle details in each shot. Each scene happens in quick succession much as the pandemic itself unfolds like a freight train on a collision course.
The entire COVID film is now viral on youTube. You can see the entire film here.