Shooting over spring break

We weren't initially planning on filming over the break, but it had to happen because we were running out of time. It wasn't something I wanted either because I just wanted to get a break from all of my schoolwork for just a little but luckily filming went really well. We managed to film everything we needed in about 2 hours which was great for us because the last time we filmed it was nearly 8 hours. 

Like I've mentioned our main narrative/focus was a couch. It made things so much easier overall because it didn't require our cinematographer, Brendan to move the lights around and adjust them. We also decided to shoot in order. This is something you normally get told NOT to do but since our locations didn't vary, we thought it would've made it easier for all of us. 

Shot list 

So, before we started shooting Brendan suggested that we made a detailed shot list so we know exactly what we need to film and how we should film it. He went scene by scene so when filming we weren't confused. I think this a mistake we made at the very beginning of our production. We didn't make a detailed shot list. We just kind of just went off the script and off top of our head. And the problem with that is that we aren't thinking about everything we need to film and when editing it made things harder for Karnia. So, him making a shot list made things way easier for everyone.  

Scene 1

Since we went in order we filmed the first scene. The scene did need to be at night, but we had to film during the day, so we had to work around it. Brendan did his research and said in order to make a scene that is being filmed during the night we need close all the blinds, make the lighting very blue and obviously make it dark. And luckily for us we didn't have to change or move the lighting around that match. Elena and Valentina are sitting on the couch and are cuddling together. Elena eventually ends up falling asleep but as Elena falls asleep Valentina decides to pour herself some wine. Once Elena falls asleep Valentina takes her to bed. 

Scene 2

The second scene pretty much revolves around the same idea but this time they are just separated. We wanted the concept of as time moves on, they grow apart. One thing that I decided to add right before the film was that since Valentina is drinking wine from a glass cup, we should have Elena drink from her kid cup. I think it touches bases on that concept of the fact that a glass cup represents sophisticated and this sort of adult fellowship while the kids cup represents her innocence and youth. It plays with the idea of Elena being young and being clueless. She doesn't know yet what her mother drinking problem actually entails. 

Scene 3

This scene again is the same concept it's just Elena is now older. But the thing that makes it different is that growing up Elena and Valentina were always on the couch together watching something, whether it was a movie, tv show, cartoon, etc. But this time instead of Elena already being there Valentina has to call her over and when Elena sits down, she sits away from her mom. Since she's older she now knows the drinking issue that her mother suffers from. Elena actually calls her out and is mad at her that they can't even have a moment together without Valentina having to drink. And we sort switch roles here because usually it was Valentina taking Elena to bed or waking her up but now it's the opposite. 

As the film progresses Elena starts to sit closer to her mom in hope to convince her to stop drinking. Elena is going to graduate very soon, and she wants her mother to be there to support her. Eventually when she thinks that her method might've of worked, she realizes it didn't. Things just kind of went back to square one and Elena just gave up. I don't have any more pictures to show but in the final product you'll see how we approach this idea.