First Filming Day at the House
I’m really excited about this weekend’s first filming day at the San Antonio Actor Studio/house. It’s a three-page comedy scene with two actors, about a social media influencer who posts a job opening for an assistant.
I spent most of the week dressing the set. From experience, when actors have a nice set that complements their characters and actually feels like the world they’re supposed to be living in, the performances are always better.
I found almost everything through the free section of Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I ended up with a vintage olive-green chair, a black leather chair from the ’60s, and a few other pieces. I cut up old pallets to decorate part of the wall and built a coffee table from another pallet. The only thing I really spent money on was a handmade jute rug I found on Etsy.
Aside from a little more painting and grabbing some snacks for the actors, I’m pretty much set.
The entire scripted scene takes place in the living room, but I want to bring a little more life into it before we get there. I also think it’s important to always leave room for improv. Some of the best takes come from letting the actors play with the scene instead of trying to lock down every word and movement.
We’ll probably start with 30–45 minutes of rehearsal and blocking. After that, I want to establish the characters individually before bringing them together in the living room.
For Margo, the influencer, I’m thinking we start with her at the kitchen counter, completely absorbed in her phone when Charles—the guy interviewing for the assistant job—knocks on the door. I might even have him knock a few times because she’s too preoccupied posting or sending tweets to notice him.
It’s a small moment, but I think it immediately tells us who she is before she ever says a word to him.
Beyond that, I don’t want to plan too much. I want the actors to put their own spin on the characters and see what happens once we start rolling.
So Saturday’s the big day.
