Being Alba - Filming

Anticipation is a great thing. It keeps you focused and moving forward. Prior to the weekend of Nov. 7th-8th. 2009 the adrenaline was so high as I prepared to breathe life to Alba for the film La Soledad. Rehearsals kept the cast and our Director Rob Graydon on a constant journey of discovery and soul searching for who these characters' were and what motivated them. Now as the day of shoot fell upon us the focus turned to technical worries of arriving to set on time, making sure wardrobes were complete, hair and make-up were done, food was available, crew and staff/PA's were accounted for. A flurry of activity demanded so much attention that the cocoon of our small acting family seemed to have disappeared. It was exciting, scary, disturbing, violent and sad. Why... because it meant that we were in production... and soon we would be done, it would all be over. I chose to join in with the group that was driven from the city to our location in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. I'm glad I did! I had the opportunity to spend more quality time with the great people on this team. Upon arrival, I had no choice but to be taken a-back when at set-up of Richie Mauro Team the home we were using was transformed into a set. I mean this was no, camcorder with a few people running around shining lights here and there, like I thought it was going to be. No folks! This was a Movie SET! Like I've seen Richie at before! With all his lights and tons of people! Two Cameras! Dolly! Grips! Sound! You name it... We had it and more! We had all the perks too! Set & Art Designers/Directors, Photographers, Script Supervisors, Makeup and Hair, plus more. The best part is that each and every person was so nice and easy to work with. Oh... did I mention that we got fed like royalty yeah! Perks! Kudos to Alanda Spence - Best Producer EVER So, all good things right? Now I have to work. And that we did folks. Fourteen straight hours on the first day and about sixteen hours straight the second. Glamorous! See, film is VERY different than theater. In theater, once you are done with rehearsals and the show is up, you play in front of your audience, you hope for the best (that you don't forget your lines or song) and then the performance is over. There is no second chance. The moment has passed. But in film, those moments are captured over and over again to be replayed for eternity. There are second chances for mess ups! In theater you work with your fellow actors and they are your anchors to your story. Your Director guides you on how to tell your story upon the stage then cuts you loose on opening night. In film there is another aspect to consider. An actor that is introduced late in the process. He is the camera! He come in after you have worked so hard to find your character and stops you midpoint of a scene to re-adjust himself, refocus, relight and re-align. He's selfish and intrusive. Often he is in the way, magically he is in every scene, and never, ever, can you directly look into or at him. Yet, he is the actor I want to dance the most graceful waltz with. Through him and only through him does Rob and Richie capture the essence of what the story is truly about. So, I work hard. I do each take over and over. I give more each time. I forget to breathe, blink, eat, even go to the bathroom. I'm Alba - for every second, from every inch, from every pore. When Rob or Richie called they nearly tripped over me - I'm right there. I do my best not to be too far away. Thank God, for my guardian angel Erik Shearer(Sean, Brian) who through his grace made me the most 'delish' sandwich, remembered I'm allergic to mustard and made me laugh...without him...well, let's just say that there are people you meet that leave footprints in your heart... The hours pass. To my surprise quickly, too quickly. Sunday. The day comes to a close and at 2AM we wrap. It's amazing that we have completed everything we have set out to do. We are done. Alba is Wrapped. Now what. I volunteer to help out for Next Saturdays' shoot. Closure. I'm dropped off at home. Exhaustion finally hits me. I sleep until 4pm the next day. When I finally have the strength to get up, I feel restless. I'm back to the real world. Boy, I'm going to be hard to live with for a few days. No new projects pending. Back home I finally read emails... Congrats!, Great job!, Thank You!....From everyone.... Click... I turn off the computer, I just can't face it yet. It's over. I'm not Alba anymore. So, if I'm not Alba....Who am I? ____________________________________________ (Donations are still being accepted, Please consider a donation so we can go to Festival with our film! Thank you for all your support!) To make a donation to our film just go to this link:https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8974109

©GuapaFilms™