Production

The past couple weeks in class we have been talking about the production of telenovelas. What I found from our class discussions and the readings was how much work and intricate detail is put into planning each and every episode. So much detail that honestly, it started to stress me out thinking about having to plan every little thing that is needed to make a single episode a success. It really made me appreciate what I was watching so much more. Watching the different behind the scenes clips in class really gave me a deeper appreciation for actors and directors. Before watching these scenes, I did not realize how much is planned for each scene, how the director knows exactly what he wants each actor to do and how to do it. It really highlighted the creative mind of the director in ways that I had not even thought about. And it really highlighted how “coachable” and actor needs to be to make what the director pictures come to life.

What I really found interesting from class was the behind the scenes of the different romantic scenes we watched in class. When we watched those clips in class, I tried to put myself in the shoes of the actors and actresses and found that I do not think I could ever be an actress. Rehearsing a love scene while being told what to do, where to place yourself, how and when you are supposed to touch the other person would be so difficult for me. I think I would end up laughing every time. On top of that, having to be romantic with no music and with the entire production crew watching you is added pressure. I really think for this industry you must truly be confident in yourself and your looks to be able to act out these scenes well. Specifically, in class we watched a love scene where the camera man was getting an aerial shot of the love scene by standing on a ladder. It would be one thing to have a crane over you or have a camera drilled into the ceiling, but to have another human only feet above you while you are trying to make the romance look real and come alive is a talent I really appreciate. Even more so when in situations like the example where the telenovela is short on money, yet everyone does what they can to get the quality shots they need.

Another type scene I found interesting to see how it was filmed was the sequence shots. To me, this pointed out the organized chaos of filming a telenovela. It is really a work of moving art to see a director create this type of shot. The director is able to picture where he wants every person, what they should be doing, how he wants them to appear in the shot and make the scene come alive. What makes these shots most impressive to accomplish is how perfect every single aspect must be, or else the shot must be redone. If I were a director, I honestly do not know if I would have the patience to film this type of shot.  We talked about in class that if one person is not where they are supposed to be, if one person forgets their lines, or if God forbid, the boom leaves a shadow, the entire shot needs to be redone. It’s a lot of hard work, organization and patience to make these shots successful. However, I really think when it is well done, it is worth it for the audience.

The final aspect from our production discussions I had never even thought about was the detail that goes into filming in exotic locations. Besides the cost that goes along with this, it’s the detailed planning that goes into picking a location and then figuring out how to use that space that I found impressive. I enjoyed learning about the process that goes on when a location is finally picked and the writers, directors and production team arrive at the location to write the scenes. I loved watching how the production team, directors and writers worked together to plan how to use the space for different types of scenes. Seeing them get excited and be able to bounce ideas of each other in what could happen next in the telenovela because of what the location offered them was something very humanizing about the industry to watch. It was moments like this where it really hit me how much people who work in their industry love their jobs and how it highlights how creative everyone in this industry truly is.