The COVID-19 pandemic quickly shuttered the doors of businesses, schools and workplaces across the world. From telecommuting to virtual events, cities have experienced less noise, traffic and pollution. Filmmaker and Director Jeff Durkin of Breadtruck Films recently began to capture these quiet moments on the University of California San Diego campus. Taking inspirations from science fiction series Tales from the Loop, he set out with his children to explore over 100 acres of modern architecture.
With the rise of both self-imposed and mandated social distancing, as well as global turn towards remote work, Durkin's work comes at a time when film and video production have been greatly impacted. He began the series as a way to pause and reflect, and as time went on, he also brought along his kids. He states that "this led us to exploring the campus and its architecture through play and wonder."
Between famous buildings, eucalyptus groves and unique landscapes, he would make up stories about the worlds he was inhabiting with his children. Eventually, Durkin started bringing his camera and they began doing "experiments in color" within architectural photography. As he notes, "my goal was to tell a story with colors, architecture and human interaction in a single frame."
Like the TV series that Jeff draws inspiration from, the project will continue with visits every Thursday to capture new images. Jeff is known for work that combines years of experience in the film/TV industry and working in the architecture industry to create videos that intersect cinema and design, and his company Breadtruck Films tells stories about how design can transform communities.
Follow along with Durkin's work on Instagram: @durkin.films
