Renegotiating Film Production in Cameroon during the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Virus in front and behind the Camera

Film production in Cameroon during the corona virus pandemic period witnessed a
number of disruptions in conventional film practices. Many Cameroonian filmmakers
found themselves trying to negotiate a new practical audiovisual paradigm for their film
praxis. Given the many restrictions that came with the virus, film stakeholders realised
they had to rethink their filmmaking approaches. What kinds of films should they be
making and who will be the audience of the films they make during the Covid-19 period?
How have filmmakers been affected by this crisis and how are they negotiating a way
forward? Through direct informant interviews with Cameroonian filmmakers, this article
sought to examine the nature of film practice in Cameroon during the peak period of the
corona virus crisis 2019/2020. It was difficult for some Cameroonian filmmakers to
accept the advent of and operation within the covid-19 crises. In most cases though, they
were bound, even unwillingly, to accept the operational difficulties of making a film
within the context of the health crises. Finding a voice for the filmmaker in the crises
turned out to be one of the most challenging negotiations they had to make as they sought
new ways to cope with the situation. The advent of covid-19 took a toll on both the artistic
and technical aspects of filmmaking in Cameroon. In most cases, it had a negative effect
on the processes of filmmaking but also brought about innovations, skill acquisition and
more open-mindedness in the perception of most Cameroonian filmmakers.

Keywords: Covid-19, production, filmmaker, innovation, filmmaking