Shoot days 12 through 15 means that we are now more than HALFWAY through principal photography! It's sad, but great all at the same time! Every day I feel more closely bonded with this entire cast and crew. Every day I'm a little more anxious to see the finished product that we're making, that I'm
living. But already I'm getting a little sad because each day we get through is one
less we'll get to continue to spend together. ;)
Tuesday we were on location at a local Philly pub/diner. This is one of the first occasions I've had to sit back on the set and watch the boys (Mark McGraw and John D'Alonzo) at work. It's especially exciting today, as everyone on crew is talking about how MAGNIFICENT yesterday's "shoot-out" scenes went between them. Man, I can't wait to see this movie!!
This is Mark and I going through our lines and working to create blocking for one of the most pivotal scenes in the movie. It's so hard to stay mad at him when he's such a cut-up on set, but I'm always awed and inspired when the cameras start rolling and we both flip that switch to become our characters. I love this job!
And today Tatiana truly found the African-queen-diva she's been holding back from us. This is just a glimpse of how wonderful our chemistry is together. Or maybe its an opposing mechanism to counter the gravity of the scene we're shooting... either way, it's a blessing just to be on this set. ;)
Thursday we had a MARVELOUS day shooting the "orphanage" at Nazareth Academy High School. Everyone on set can feel we are hitting our stride now! The weather was on our side, the location afforded some amazing vistas, and the dayplayer actors were (once again!) spot-on! Not to mention that this was one of the rare days when my character did not have to (at any point) cry, look distressed, or worry. Nothing but purely, blissfully in-love!
The funniest thing about this scene is how beautiful it looks -- because in reality it was incredibly UNcomfortable!!! Ha ha! The mulch Mark and I had to sit on was really itchy and sharp, but all the while we're delivering these lovey-dovey lines... and this picture says it all. No matter how much adjusting we attempted, Jake was adamant that "you will sit there, and you will smile, and you will LIKE it!" All with a grin and a giggle... ;) Yes, these are the memories we cherish...
This is a chance for me to say, "See Maria! Your shirt DID make it into the movie!" This chapel at the Academy was GORGEOUS!! It was such a privilege just to sit inside the hallowed sanctuary, and these scenes where Isabel is both prayerful and thankful were especially easy... there's a lot of ME in those moments, thankful for this role, this movie, and praying that God's grace will shine on our success.
Back in Paoli at "Isabel's apartment" on Friday... this is one of my most popular scenes lately... that's not Isabel, but it's actually ME, hard at work with handfuls of notes, script pages, journaling, research, ideas... after each day of shooting you can find me like this, recapping all that happened on that day's set, and setting up all kinds of emotional and character-driven preparation for the next day's scenes. This is me living my life mantra: "Think like a man. Work like a dog. Act like a lady."
Upstairs on the set, Jake and Violet are setting up a "morning" sequence at about 6 pm in the evening. (I love movie magic!) Back to being distressed, this scene takes place the morning after those scenes in the pub...
Here's where I give a shout-out to a few of our INCREDIBLE crew!This is a before-and-after of the wonderful work of Ms.
Morgan Chalfant, my hair and makeup artist, pictured next to her masterpiece at right. You can see what a chore it is to tame this mane and paint this canvas, but I always know I'm in good hands with her. Her secret talent is years of professional ballroom dancing, and when there's been a moment to spare on set, we get mini-lessons in tango, rumba and cha-cha!
This dear, sweet man is Dexter Wuest, providing a masterful knowledge of lighting and gripping to our set. I can honestly say,
never have I felt more cared for and attended to by a crew member than I have with Dexter. Not only does he make sure I'm perfectly lit in each frame, he goes the extra mile between shots to make sure I'm always supported and prepared, which keeps my performance at a premium!
I cannot say enough wonderful things about this woman, Violet Mendoza, our fearless leader! Writer, producer, and all-around big kahuna! I am privileged every time I hear her refer to me as Isabel. It's such an honor! I love our mutual respect and adoration for this character and her story. A lot of people have recently told us we look like sisters, too! What do you think?
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