Yes, we are exhausted, too.
So much of journalism and nonfiction filmmaking involves putting ourselves in the place of others to decipher our collective human experience. We document the events of the world in an attempt to provide clarity amongst the noise and to reveal injustices and truths that continue to play out. But between the production grind and adherence to objectivity, it can be difficult to process the realities and traumas associated with the events around us.
Yet, like individual clips edited side-by-side in a Premiere timeline, traumatic events comprise a tragic story that continues to repeat on a daily basis.
For weeks, those of us who followed the trial of Derek Chauvin have seen replays of George Floyd’s final moments and direct attempts of character assassination. We’ve also seen police violence captured in video, from the pepper spraying of Army Lieutenant Caron Nazario, the shooting of a 13-year-old, and the shooting of Daunte Wright. Additionally, this morning we witnessed another mass shooting, in Indiana, which took the lives of multiple people.
Those of us who cover racial and social injustice are keenly aware of how so many of these events are linked by an inequitable justice system, the proliferation of firearms in our nation, and deeply-rooted systems of oppression. Some of these recent cases happened in the same communities, and even to members of the same families.
But how is our coverage affecting ourselves and our audiences? How can we, as individuals, make a difference without becoming desensitized? How should we speak openly while retaining our ethical boundaries (and for that matter, what do we say the fifth, tenth, hundredth time we see the story replay)? How do we uplift and support each other during times of tragedy?
Within our inner circles, these are some of the things we’ve been debating.
We, the Video Consortium, think the answer begins by opening a compassionate dialogue and addressing the emotional needs of ourselves and each other. Our forums are a place for free discussion about more than just gear and gigs. And we’d like to remind you of other initiatives and resources available to you:
First, to become involved in some of our diversity and equity planning, email community@videoconsortium.org. If you’d like to share any of your thoughts, feelings, or ideas, either as an Op-Ed in The Render or elsewhere, please also email us.
If you’d like to confidentially share any thoughts, please do so here.
Finally some resources for anyone who may be looking for ways to decompress, examine your relationship with your work, or find support:
Job burnout: How to spot it and take action
Mindfulness for Artists & Activists | Sharon Salzberg | VC Workshops
How journalists can practice self-care when reporting on community trauma
Tools to Help Reporters Examine Their Racial Biases — Education Writers Association
Journalists need more help than ever coping with work trauma
For New Yorkers: Community Healthcare Network
Photo by Julian Drost, Unsplash.
