Forty eight hours away from starting principal photography on her first romantic comedy MOW, director and former award winning TV host Aubrey Arnason was informed production would be halted due to COVID – 19. Like many around the world Aubrey headed home for the unforeseeable future. Her home is a two bedroom apartment in Vancouver, BC she shares with fiance Graham Bath, owner of a youth sports tech start up which is also paused, their 2 year old son and the baby in her belly. Aubrey is pregnant with their second child due June 9th 2020.
The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster of disappointments, fears, tears, arguments, obsessive bleaching of packages, groceries and countertops mixed with family dance parties, puppet shows, Facetiming with parents and friends for support, living room hockey scrimmages ( I mean we’re Canadian after all) and 1 million beautiful memories. Understanding the next many weeks will be more of the same Aubrey’s goal is to stay positive and present despite the pregnancy hormones and isolation making it challenging, so does the very strong willed two year old and sharing a home office with Graham.
Planning for the birth of a baby during this pandemic is impossible. Will Graham be able to go to the hospital for the birth or will she be alone? Will Aubrey’s parent’s be able to travel from Manitoba to help out? The couple have no family in Vancouver and are unsure who will care for their son while their second child is born. Top that with the uncertainty around production timelines for Aubrey’s MOW, will she be able to complete the project or will they want her back during her due date?
Aubrey loves being a mother and she has worked very hard to get to this place in her career, she will do everything she can to make it all work. The pressure to do it all is overwhelming, a pressure universal to women everywhere. It’s A Pandemic, Baby is their COVID story.
This 20 minute film will document the month leading to the birth of the newest member of their family during the pandemic. A slice of life full of realistic fears, comedy, levity, some tears and lessons for all.
Shooting during COVID – Aubrey and Graham will use iPhones, a Canon camera, tripods in the corner of rooms, cross shooting each other during conversations and some When Harry Met Sally style couch interviews to document this time. Aubrey will also do a video diary entry and at times break the fourth wall providing humour and insight regarding a very personal journey. This shooting style will create an intimate, layered and authentic feeling film. Fortunately their home has huge windows and plenty of natural light which will make the footage look great. Adding to the entertainment will be Aubrey directing Graham on how to shoot/operate his camera.
It’s a Pandemic, Baby is a documentary grounded in our nations new reality and this young family’s experience of it. While much of Aubrey’s work this past few years is scripted previous to that she directed numerous reality/lifestyle episodes of TV for which she received numerous Leo Award nominations and she’s looking forward to hopefully working in a similar format again.
Go to Instagram @aubreyarnason to see Langston’s adventures and get a feel for the location 😉