Questions in a World of Blue (Ciana Russo)

 THE FEMALE GAZE

This such an enjoyable and wholesome shoot. Both the cast and crew were kind and fun to spend time with, and the weather had just begun to get warmer. A large part of the script are montages, so we had fun capturing beautiful shots in the sun. 

The most intense day was filming in the Independent Cafe; they were very kind and allowed us to film, but we were also keen to spend the least amount of time possible in the space (the cafe was open while we were filming). I was initially the Sound Recordist (I later became an Assistant Director) and struggled a bit with the background noise and buses passing outside, but we made it work. Because of the montages, we were also able to rerecord audio where needed. 

Because of creative differences between the original Writer and the Director, the script was adapted and scenes were reshot in the Autumn. The new plot became about the female gaze: imagining and fantasising about the passerby, Mr Blue. The new narrative is much stronger and more reflective of the cast and crew as a team. I unfortunately was unable to make these additional shooting dates. 

This was a wonderful experience and I hope to work with many of these creatives again on future projects.

UPDATE: The film premiered in January and was screened at the OUFF Short Film Festival. It was also accepted in the Liff-Off First Time Filmmaker Sessions. It has been very well-received. 

-Emma