Struggles in Production- Alejandra A

 Real Challenges During Filming

The first challenge we encountered during the filming of the movie was a cast change. Our primary female lead, Gianni, had a trip to Portugal booked that would take place after her filming date had already been changed. Therefore, in order to avoid additional delays, we were forced to redistribute her role to another member of the group.
In addition to the cast change, we also had many technical issues with the camera. Specifically, we received word from Connie on the morning of filming that the camera's batteries were completely dead. A journalism classmate was contacted for use of the camera's charger. Following receipt of the charger, filming was temporarily paused multiple times to allow the batteries to charge; therefore, the time it took us to complete filming was extended due to these pauses.

Costume and Prop Difficulties

    The wig required for the character Agent Valeria created additional difficulty. Alejandra had to flatten her hair into a small bump so the wig would appear natural and smooth. Because her hair is very long and thick, this process was difficult and required adjustments throughout filming. The wig also tangled easily, so we often had to smooth it with our hands to maintain a sleek appearance that fit the spy character.

    The poison prop also created challenges. The vial used was an empty lip stain container that we cleaned with rubbing alcohol to remove the label. Because the container was originally meant for makeup, we had to remove the applicator in order to pour the liquid. This made it difficult for the liquid to come out properly. On our first attempt, the liquid did not pour as intended, so we had to film the scene again. Some pink residue from the lip stain remained in the container and slightly stained Alejandra’s fingers during filming.

Filming Environment Challenges

    Although there was some congestion at the bar due to filming taking place on a Sunday afternoon, the curiosity from some viewers as they observed filming and asked what we were doing did briefly cause interruptions. Additionally, we had minimal technical issues related to the use of the laptop in the scene. The laptop required periodic login and password entry because it logged off while left open for a prolonged time. Lastly, the internet signal was weak enough to prevent opening an additional web page that would be visually appealing for the scene; therefore, the laptop remained open to the school assignment page.

    The problems we encountered in filming, although challenging, provided our group with the opportunity to learn the value of being prepared, working as a team, and flexible when producing content.