Entertainment

How did Film Producer Grace Wan’s COVID-19 Documentary Impact People

Published

4 years ago

October 16, 2021

The globe would be devastated by the novel virus coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), as reports of a respiratory disease began to circulate. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization labelled this severe respiratory illness a global epidemic. The virus’s spread has accelerated, and coronavirus cases have risen sharply all around the world.

This deadly illness has claimed the lives of countless people along its path, which extends from the West to the East. In contrast, it has significantly impeded trade and business, as well as education and transportation. Many people’s careers and everyday lives have been ruined by the deadly pandemic. Impediments to daily duties and chores affect not just those who are sick, but also those who are healthy.

This disease has engulfed the entire planet with its virulent force. Anti-bacterial sprays, anti-bacterial gloves, and surgical masks are among the disinfectants that have become standard issue. Normal lockdown procedures, cancellation of social meetings and activities, and the use of the internet for education and commerce are only a few of the significant changes brought about by coronavirus outbreaks. It’s hard to imagine how an invisible virus could upset the world’s normal course of events. It’s obvious that even after the virus has been eradicated, the effects it had on the planet will remain.

There has been a lot of content created to increase awareness about how to save others as well as yourself in light of the global epidemic. ‘Coronavirus Explained,’ a Vox documentary, was an excellent example of this. ‘The Disease’ is a Netflix original series that launched on April 26th, 2020 and quickly became popular among viewers interested in the fight against the deadly pandemic.

This documentary features the work of many brilliant filmmakers, including Grace Wan. The Canadian filmmaker is a polymath who works in a variety of fields. The woman is multi-talented; she’s a director, producer, writer, actress, musician, singer, and so on… She’s been in a lot of films and has a lot of practical experience in the business. Acts of vengeance, Game Night, and The Lost Wife of Robert Durst are just a few of the films in which Grace appeared. She has also worked on Cruise’s Prime Day Concert 2019, as well as films including Alphamem, Tic Tac Toe, Jia Fu’s Daisy, Friend, Glow, and Inseperable.

There is an in-depth look at the coronavirus pandemic, the measures to combat it, and ways of dealing with the mental health consequences in Coronavirus Explained. This is a three-episode limited series that covers a wide range of topics.

This Pandemic’s first episode, narrated by J. K. Simmons, explains how the virus got started and spread over the world. It provides details on the pandemic’s emergence and spread throughout the world’s nations.

Laura Linney narrates the second episode, “The Race for a Vaccine,” which explores the widespread worries about developing a vaccine. The struggle to find a cure for this pandemic and put a stop to the suffering of the general public.

Idris Elba provides the narration for “How to Cope,” the third episode of the season. While dealing with the stress of a pandemic and a global lockdown, it covers coping techniques. You’ll learn how to maintain a positive outlook while still taking care of your bodily and mental health during the virus outbreak.

In these difficult times, filmmakers like Grace Wan are vital in bringing attention to important issues and disseminating information. They help people stay positive and test negative by producing outstanding visual art. They instruct their viewers on how to be safe from the pandemic while also providing in-depth information on current occurrences.

Entertainment

When Motherhood Meets the Mic: Stacey Jackson’s Story Sings Its Own Soundtrack

Published

6 days ago

December 13, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

Stacey Jackson doesn’t take herself too seriously, and that might be the secret to her success. She’s the first to admit that her latest project, How a Gangsta Rapper Made Me a Better Mom (Integrated Musical Edition), began with laughter. “The title came from a moment of total chaos and comedy in my real life, juggling my kids, my career, and all the curveballs in between,” she says. “At the point I found myself working with an actual ‘gangsta rapper’, and the clash of worlds was so surreal, my son blurted out ‘Mom, how about calling the book How A Gangsta Rapper Made Me a Better Mom?’ And it just stuck with me.”

It’s the kind of moment that defines Jackson’s brand of honesty, a combination of humor and heart that turns the chaos of daily life into something both relatable and inspiring. “The phrase may have started as a bit of a joke… but the more I thought about it, the more I realised how true it was. That experience (and the people I met along the way) genuinely changed how I parent, how I view and teach my kids about drive and ambition, and how I navigate life as a woman trying to do it all. So the title is cheeky, yes but it’s also honest.”

That mix of playfulness and sincerity runs through the entire project. How a Gangsta Rapper Made Me a Better Mom isn’t just a memoir it’s a musical novel, a storytelling format that merges fiction, sound, and emotion. “Honestly? I’ve always seen life like one big music video, scenes, moods, characters and music has always been the emotional thread that ties it all together for me,” Jackson says. “So when I started writing this story, I couldn’t not hear the songs that went with it. I thought, what if the characters in the book had their own voices literally through music? That’s when it hit me: what if a novel could be heard as much as read?”

It’s a question only Jackson could ask and actually answer. The book allows readers to hear songs as they appear in the story. “For the paperback we’ve included QR codes throughout the story where the song appears (direct links to all music platforms on an e-book) so that readers can instantly listen to the tracks that align with certain scenes or characters,” she explains. “For the audiobook, we took it a step further: the music is actually woven into the narration. The tracks are part of the whole immersive experience much like a film score or a musical.”

Her confidence in crossing genres from pop to publishing to tech innovation didn’t come from comfort zones. Jackson credits her past collaborations for teaching her how to take risks. “Working with someone like Snoop was a game-changer,” she says. “It showed me what it meant to blend worlds, to find common ground through music even when you come from totally different backgrounds. That spirit of collaboration and that sense of humour and grit absolutely influenced the tone of the story. You’ll see it in the character of ‘The Most Famous Rapper in the World’ he’s not based on Snoop, but let’s just say I borrowed some of that larger-than-life charisma.”

Behind the glitz of the project lies a deeply personal truth: Jackson knows what it’s like to be stretched thin, to juggle family, art, and the expectations of the world. “While the plot is fictional, the emotional heart of it is deeply personal,” she says. “Like Stephanie Bloom, I’ve had to juggle a million roles: mom, wife, performer, businesswoman all while chasing dreams that sometimes felt a bit… delusional. I know what it’s like to be underestimated, to start again, and to fight for your creative voice.”

That battle fought with humor and resilience fuels the book’s message. “At its core, it’s about second chances, finding your voice, and refusing to let age, motherhood, or society box you in,” Jackson says. “It’s about stepping into your power, even if it looks messy or unconventional. It’s also about grief, resilience, and the beauty of reinventing yourself and doing it with humour and heart.”

But make no mistake: this isn’t just an emotional journey. It’s also a technical feat. “Syncing the timing of the book release with the music production was a bit like conducting an orchestra while tap dancing,” she says with a laugh. “Then there were the logistics of making sure QR codes worked… and that the audiobook format allowed music integration without disrupting the listening experience. It was a lot of back-and-forth with engineers, designers, and tech partners. But I had an amazing team, and we just kept pushing boundaries until it all came together.”

Like her heroine, Jackson isn’t content to stay still. She’s already imagining future chapters, sequels, new formats, fresh reinventions. “I really do feel that audiences today want more than just a book or an album; they want experiences,” she says. “We’re already used to streaming, binge-watching, interacting across platforms… So why not apply that to storytelling? For me, this is just the beginning.”

And for someone like Stacey Jackson whose career has thrived on laughter, chaos, and pure creative courage it’s easy to believe her story is only growing stronger.