Production - First Steps

One of the most important things Nicole and I needed to do this week was actually sit down and communicate with our cast, because having a script and having actors who understand that script are two very different things. Up until this point, Nadia and Evan had seen the general idea of what we were going for, but we hadn't had a real conversation about expectations, availability, or character choices yet. That needed to change before we could move any further into production.

Getting Everyone on the Same Page

The first issue we ran into was availability. Nicole had already texted Evan about scheduling beforehand and he hadn't responded, so when we saw him in drama class I took the opportunity to talk to him directly and get a concrete answer. It ended up being a lot more productive than waiting on a text back, and it's actually something I want to keep in mind going forward; some conversations are just easier in person, especially when we're all already in the same room three days a week. With our timeline being as tight as it is, we can't afford to plan around someone whose schedule we don't actually know, and drama class turned out to be the right place to sort that out.

On top of that, I also had to talk to Nicole about my own availability shifting. I had originally said Fridays were a reliable day for us, but my brother's birthday party and an iftar party at my house are both happening on Saturday, which means I need Friday to prepare for both of those. That's a scheduling conflict I didn't anticipate when we first mapped out the timeline, and it's a good reminder of why we built backup dates into the plan in the first place. Nicole and I talked it through and we adjusted accordingly.

Script Run-Through Decision

After those conversations, Nicole and I decided that before we do anything at the park, we need to do a proper run-through of the script with Nadia and Evan first. Not a blocking rehearsal yet, just a read-through where everyone can go through the dialogue together and make sure they actually understand what's happening in each scene and why. I learned from my creative writing class last year that dialogue that reads well on a page doesn't always feel natural when it's spoken out loud, and a read-through is exactly how you find out which lines need adjusting before you're already on location with a limited filming window.

This is especially important for our opening because the argument between Audrey and Mattias needs to feel like a real conversation between two people with history, not two actors reciting lines. The more comfortable Nadia and Evan are with the material before we get to the park, the better everything else is going to go.

Nadia's Costume Idea

One of the best things to come out of our cast conversations was actually Nadia's input on Audrey's costume. She suggested that Audrey should be wearing wired string headphones and then pull them out of her ears with intention after the collision, as a way of physically showing her shift from focused and unbothered to actively annoyed. I thought that was a really smart character choice because it gives Nadia something specific and purposeful to do in that moment rather than just reacting verbally.

It also adds a layer to the visual storytelling that we hadn't thought of before. The earbuds coming out is a signal to the audience that Audrey is choosing to engage, which communicates her personality without needing any additional dialogue. When I was researching props and costume choices for our earlier planning post, I found that small physical details like this are often what make characters feel real, and Nadia came up with exactly that kind of detail on her own. It makes me even more confident that we cast the right person for this role.

Confirming the Alternate Intro

Nicole and I also used this week to officially confirm that we are going with the alternate intro, meaning the opening sequence will start at Audrey's house before moving to the park rather than starting at the park directly. We had been going back and forth on this for a while, but the main reason we landed on keeping it is pacing. Without the intro, the entire opening is just the confrontation scene, and even though the argument is well-written and the physical comedy sequence is strong, having it go on for the full two minutes without any setup would feel unbalanced.

The alternate intro gives the audience time to understand who Audrey is before Mattias shows up, which makes the collision more impactful. We also finalized the full script this week, incorporating all of the changes we had been discussing including the revised voiceover, the confirmed costume details, and Nadia's earphone idea. Having a locked script is a huge milestone for us because it means every other production decision can now be made around something concrete rather than something we're still figuring out.

Location Changes & Visit 

During this planning stage, Nicole and I also made the decision to change our filming location. Originally we had planned to film at Peace Mound Park, which I had scouted and written about in my location post as a strong contender because of its intersecting sidewalks and pier structure. However, after communicating with our actors and thinking more carefully about everyone's travel distance, we realized it might not be the most practical choice for a filming day where we're already working with a tight window.

I actually thought of William B. Armstrong Dream Park as an alternative because I had been there before when it was newly renovated and already knew it was close to my house. That matters more than it might sound, especially during Ramadan, since my mom mentioned it would be a lot easier to drop me off there compared to driving further out. When I suggested it to Nicole, we looked into it more and it quickly became clear that it wasn't just the convenient option, it was actually the better one.

What convinced me most is that William B. Armstrong Dream Park still has a bridge and pier structure, which was one of the main things I loved about Peace Mound Park for the interesting composition opportunities it offered. So we're not losing that element at all, just relocating it to somewhere that works better logistically for everyone involved. The park is a good compromise between practicality and aesthetics, which is exactly what we needed.

The weather was good when we visited and the lighting felt natural and bright, which is important for everything we've been planning around since my research into warm, open light for outdoor rom-com filming. There aren't too many trees blocking the light in the areas we're looking at, so the space stays well lit without feeling harsh or shadowy. The whole park has an open, clean feel that's visually appealing without being so busy that it competes with what's happening in the foreground of our shots.

After visiting, Nicole and I both felt more confident about this decision than we expected to. Seeing a location on screen or in photos is one thing, but actually standing in the space and being able to imagine how Audrey's run would look, where the collision would happen, and how the camera would move through the environment is a completely different experience. We have a clear picture now of how filming day is going to work, and that clarity is something we didn't have before the visit.

Reflection

This week felt like a lot of small moving pieces coming together at once, and some of it was a little stressful. Between the scheduling changes, the cast communication, and the camera situation, there were more things to figure out than I expected. But I think what this week also showed is that the planning we've done up until this point is actually working, because when things came up we had enough structure in place to adjust rather than spiral. The fact that we confirmed the alternate intro, locked the script, and got Nadia's input on the costume all in the same week feels like real progress. Now we just need the weather to cooperate for our actual filming days. 

Links used:
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/short-film-schedule/
https://screencraft.org/blog/top-10-tips-for-writing-better-dialogue/
https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/how-to-get-started-in-costume-design-70464/