RSC / Coventry City of Culture - Faith

Faith was a 2021 co-production between Coventry City of Culture and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Due to last minute COVID restrictions a significant part of the programme’s in-person, live content had to be adapted to new circumstances.

I was approached to produce five cook-a-long films in less than two weeks. These films were to be presented by members of religious communities around Coventry (Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu), most of whom had no experience of being on camera.

I took on the role of director and worked with a small team of camera operators to shoot in seven locations around the midlands, including people’s own homes, a Gurdwara kitchen and a derelict Synagogue. A huge part of the process was about me engaging with the participants beforehand and making sure everyone felt comfortable throughout, while getting the footage we needed. We also made sure to adhere to religious needs around when and where we could film, and what clothing we wore in various religious spaces. The participants were incredibly welcoming and appreciated the effort we as a team put into making it a joyful process, often inviting us to stay afterwards and eat the food they had created.

After each shoot, I immediately edited the footage and delivered the five films on schedule for the content to be sent to an accessibility agency. The films were then shared online as part of the lead-up to the main event, with viewers at home commenting live and cooking along with the presenters.

DOPs - Steven Greaves and Joseph Wallace