Overhead shots of deserted streets and dark, empty spaces stand in stark contrast to what we’re used to seeing at uOttawa: a vibrant campus enlivened by hundreds of students, faculty and staff. A cinematic soundtrack accompanied by student voices describing how the term was turned upside down in a flash and declarations by government authorities that land like a sledgehammer—you’d think it was a trailer for a drama coming to a theatre near you.
The video, COVID Campus, was produced by mechanical engineering student Devang Ghosh, who filmed the empty campus during his last days in residence, waiting to return home to Toronto where he would complete his first year of university, long distance.
It’s a personal project he undertook for fun, and to try out his brand-new drone. Ghosh captured striking, totally unusual images of the campus when classes had just been cancelled.
“It was my first time making a short film,” he says. “In the beginning, I didn’t have a story or a plot in mind. I just wanted to film the empty campus. Later, I stumbled upon an interview on CNBC’s YouTube channel, where students were talking about their experiences and how COVID-19 impacted them. So, I thought of putting together the voice clips from that interview with the video clips I've filmed.”
Immediately after publishing it online, Ghosh’s video started getting attention on Reddit. This kind of response has motivated him to continue with video—a new favourite hobby.
“I'm an active member of the uOttawa (r/geegees) subreddit community so I posted it there one night, and when I woke up in the morning, I think it was one of the most upvoted posts, and also got a few Reddit awards,” he says. “It reached way more people than I thought! I was really humbled because of all the positive comments and all the recognition it got. I never would have thought it’d have this much reach.”
Ghosh adds that he often turns to the platform to stay in contact with members of the University community and with various specialized groups.
“University is more than just the campus itself. It’s about the community—the students interacting with each other, with the faculty, the profs and staff.”
This connection, he says, still exists despite the physical distance.
Exploring a world of possibilities
“I like to do a lot of different things, even if I’m not good at it, just to see what interests me and what doesn’t,”says Ghosh, whose intellectual curiosity leads him down many different paths. Over the years, he has dabbled in a variety of hobbies from photography, videography and graphic design, to robotics, technology, biking and sightseeing.
“I’m learning a lot about urban planning and transport planning through an online summer course I’m taking, and I’m very interested in that,” he says. “I’m really purpose driven, so if I really like something, I wouldn’t mind spending an extra year or two to switch programs. I might even do that as a master’s after. We'll see what the future holds.”
To keep his creative momentum going, Ghosh is working on a catalogue of pictures taken around southern Ontario with his drone. Before the pandemic, he and his friend were planning to shoot a video about mental health, focusing on students in their first year of university—a time that is particularly upsetting and stressful for many.
“Finding a creative outlet is important,” he says. “I think people should feel free to explore different hobbies and interests. If I try a dozen different things, maybe half of them will stick and I’ll see where that takes me.”
Keep up with Ghosh’s many projects.