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Thread: Filming a Movie - Behind the Scenes

  1. #1
    Senior Member Undisclosed Pod
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    Cool Filming a Movie - Behind the Scenes

    I Just wrapped on a movie, so I thought I would share some of the behind the scenes. I will have more to add to this thread, and by the end of the year the film will be streaming online so I'll have links there too.

    So here's an article that came out about the film in March: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...tive-1.5064071

    The filmmakers got a grant to make this film. The story is about a Syrian refugee who comes to Canada and tries to adjust to life, recover from trauma, and adapt to Canadian lifestyle (and cold). She meets and befriends a mermaid.

    I was hired to be an actress for this film, to train the other cast in underwater stunts, and to provide consulting on the underwater aspects and filming. Of particular challenge to me what that the film would be in Arabic - which I do not speak. We cast an awesome lead who is multi-lingual.

    So we had many many meetings where I answered the filmmakers questions, and referred them to rescue divers, various pools for filming in, and consulted on safety.

    To start, we had to train my co-actress to perform underwater. This meant we went to a pool, figured out how much weight she needed, and practiced jumping in while I swam up to her. This took a few sessions for her to get comfortable. It reminded me just how hard what we do can be for others!

    Here's a few screen shots from practicing these stunts: (note that Sean was on hand as safety for each jump)







    The director decided to try one of my mermaid tails to get a feel for things too. She was so great (she's on mernetwork too BTW)



    We had some dry-land rehearsals and then we got to the filming! I won't give too much away because the folks making the film are actually making a BTS videos too (which I'll share here if it becomes available publicly).

    I spent a lot of time repairing and fixing up my she creature tail so it would look great in the film



    It was pretty cold the day we filmed and hovered between 11-13C and the water was much colder. I DID end up getting in for a few shots with a wetsuit from the waist down but eventually switched to the tail. Here's a pic of me being cold haha





    I got some really cool make up done, and they had to keep covering up my tattoos. I tried every tattoo cover up available and the only one that worked in the slightest was Tarte

    [/img]https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/59717714_2344684269143276_5568231950289731584_n.jp g?_nc_cat=108&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=3cc8074469082903a36ab36d5459ef6d&oe=5D69C2 8B[/img]

    We shot near a lake that was next to the ocean so the lake in shots looked like the ocean. Less windier and warmer. I took breaks inside an ice fishing tent to keep warm.



    After those scenes were done we headed to an industrial pool to film the underwater shots.



















    More to come!

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  3. #3
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    People are wearing winter coats! I thought it was summer over there.
    Formerly known as ireneho

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    Senior Member Euro Pod Echidna's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Jaffa View Post
    People are wearing winter coats! I thought it was summer over there.
    late spring.
    Not sure how it is globally (Canada usually is much colder even), but here we had temperatures around freezing point for several weeks now.

    That's the global warming, see.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Echidna View Post
    late spring.
    Not sure how it is globally (Canada usually is much colder even), but here we had temperatures around freezing point for several weeks now.

    That's the global warming, see.
    Ohhh. All I know about seasons are, if Australia is in Autumn, is everywhere else will be in summer!
    Formerly known as ireneho

  6. #6
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    Our seasons have been bumped by 1-2 months now, so it doesnt get warm enough to swim outside until July or so and then starts snowing anywhere from end of October to mid November. We had snow last month. IT SUCKS. But those aren't winter coats LOL we have legit parkas for winter.

  7. #7
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    We recently got to walk a red carpet and attend our movie premiere! Check out my vlog about being in a mermaid film and updates on mermaid life here:


    You can see the BTS of filming here:

  8. #8
    Wow, this is amazing! Love the behind the scenes video. It must have been tiring though filming underwater for countless takes. Hats off to you!

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