It could be said that even in normal times John Kavanagh is quite used to having the streets to himself. That’s because John’s job in one of our council’s city centre offices requires him to be at his desk just after 7am. However, compared to “normal times” the last seven weeks have, says John “been exceptional.”
John (left) who began to worship with us here at MBC after being invited by a friend to last Christmas’ carol service travels from his home in Moortown by bus, and certainly up until the government’s last somewhat muddled update he says it wasn’t unusual for him to see just a handful of fellow commuters during his ten minute walk from his bus stop on Vicar Lane to his office.
However, during that short morning walk and also on his way back home John has taken time out to create a superbly observed and highly personal snap shot of a city in lock down.
Using only his mobile phone John has shot literally dozens of still images, many of which you can see below as well as a ten minute long video.
Some of his pictures have been edited, on the whole simply to convert them to fit a certain shape in a collage or to add a touch of detail to an area lost in shadow. But the video is raw, it is as shot. And the reason we publish it exactly as John presented it is to ensure that nothing detracts from its sheer integrity.
By his own admission John is no Steven Speilberg, nor he says will his film put him in line for an Academy Award. But that’s not the point; in terms of a body of work that sees real life Leeds in spring 2020 what John has produced here, and particularly so by him adding his own off the cuff comments and opinions carries far more weight than any box office smash that tinsel town might drool over.
We do hope you enjoy looking through the pictures and watching the video, and to John who obviously knows Leeds like the back of his hand we say a big thank you.
Over the next few months and years umpteen millions of pounds will no doubt be poured into producing TV shows and feature films that will tell the story of how in 2020 a worldwide killer virus claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, and as the image above illustrates all too well brought the High Street to its knees. As a research tool and before they begin casting I suggest that the professional film makers start by watching John Kavanagh’s little video.
You can watch John’s film by clicking here
