ABSTRACT
In late December 2019, the world witnessed the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which subsequently led to numerous social and work limitations including face-to-face communication and documentary production worldwide. While many studies have focused on the framing of COVID-19 by mainstream news agencies and political figures, few studies have concentrated on the perspectives of independent filmmakers regarding the pandemic. The challenges faced by these niche filmmakers during COVID-19 would have likely magnified and changed due to the uncertainties that befell filming and distribution. In this intrinsic case study, the researcher aims to explore the creative processes of two documentary films, Luo Luo's Fear and Entrapment, produced by emerging and experienced filmmakers, respectively, during the pandemic while participating in the Caochangdi (CCD) Workstation's Folk Memory Project. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data collected from in-depth interviews with two participants and their reflective memos. This work also seeks to describe the filmmakers' experiences of filming during the pandemic and how these experiences framed their documentary filmmaking. Next, the researcher explores the salient visual framework used by the filmmakers through their documentary film analysis. Both films focused on their fears and challenges at this particular time of the pandemic, framing the entire film through internal monologues that have also become a distinctive style of their own creation. Overall, the current research contributes to the limited literature by focusing on the impacts of building of online strategies and creative community support on independent filmmakers' self-rescue during the pandemic and how visual framing can be enhanced in the study of films.
ABSTRACT
Since 2019, the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has hit the whole world significantly and has been one of the worst nightmares for us. Single mother entrepreneurs have been one of the most affected groups due to COVID-19, and this group's gradual implementation of technology is called for. This article aims to determine the pandemic's implications for SMPs and whether they have taken any new strategies or changes for the survival of their business. Adopting a qualitative research approach, an open group discussion has been conducted at Padang Jawa, Klang. A total of seven SMPs have been interviewed. The COVID-19 Movement Control Order (MCO) impacts on single mother entrepreneurs and strategies have been divided into two sections: the entrepreneur's perspective on COVID-19 and their current view and approach to facing the pandemic. © School of Engineering, Taylor's University.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 outbreak, and the onset of a new normal, has shocked every entrepreneurial sector in Bangladesh including the burgeoning aquaculture sector. To unpack the COVID impacts on finfish aquaculture, two online based surveys were performed in Mymensingh, Bangladesh using structured questionnaires with 40 farmers to assess the economic feasibility of aquaculture farming, and 120 middlemen of the supply chain to unpack market instability. This was followed up with a further open-ended survey done with 120 consumers to gain a clear view of the marketing insights. Our study has revealed that COVID has resulted in a squeeze on profit for the finfish farmer and has opened up inequalities within the supply chain. Benefit-cost ratio analysis of farming reveals that although carp and other catfish farming remain close to the break-even level, pangasius and tilapia farming was potentially putting the farmers in debt. Whilst the consumers are now paying higher prices for pangasius and carp, and slightly reduced prices for tilapia and other catfish, the finfish farmers were receiving less profits. By contrast, the middlemen have increased their selling prices, presumably to offset increased costs and maintain profitability. To compensate rising operational costs and reduced income, farmers have reduced labor costs through reduction in number of staff and their wages. However, this compensation tool risks frustrating working-class people in rural areas and posing huge socio-economic burdens. Finally, the economic difficulties and a lack of support to process fish imposed by COVID restrictions have switched consumer's attitudes regarding fish as their protein source preference. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd