Lockdown Film Created Entirely from Stock Footage is an Emblem of Hope

The Visionaries director Jeremy Haccoun has created a global emblem of hope in this lockdown film crafted entirely from stock footage.

After spending hours on the phone with friends and family during the lockdown, Jeremy realised how much we had all been taking social contact for granted, and how sorely we missed it. He began thinking about a film that would show how amazing life could be the day this is over. He couldn't shoot anything obviously, so it would have to be made differently.

We caught up with Jeremy to discuss his approach: “As more and more artists kept finding new ways of expressing themselves, I looked into making a film entirely out of stock footage. But most stock footage websites charge by the clip, and a film like this would just be impossible to make on a budget. Until I came across a couple of companies offering unlimited downloads for a monthly fee. This suddenly became doable: I could have a freedom akin to that of directing, and choose exactly the moments I needed among millions of videos. Once I had found the right music track - 'Loud Minds', used under license from Audiomachine - the footage selection is what took the most time. Then it was a case of finding the structure, writing and recording the voice-over.

"The message of us all coming together is not new. However, I feel like there’s never been a better time to celebrate it. When things as simple as a handshake, a hug, or a visit to your grandparents become a distant dream, it is so surreal that you want to share it with others any way you can.

"In times of uncertainty, hope is the one thing that keeps us going and I wanted to put as much of that as I could in these two minutes. This was my way of coping with the isolation of the last few months, and if it could remind people that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and most importantly, that the things we care about are not gone, then it would be time well spent. Let's hope we can soon make this a reality again.”