Movie Shooting, a Memorable Experience

source: Filmmaker South Africa

Making a movie, a far away experience for most locals has been brought right to our doorstep. The Hollywood production Mma Ramotswe, which is currently being shot in Botswana, is a whole new experience for many locals and indeed a good development in the country's movie industry. by Maureen Odubeng
The crew members have set up their areas of shooting, the most prominent probably being the small village/semi town built just as you enter Kgale View. The buildings simulate the African Mall in the olden days.

To someone who does not know, the buildings look like they have been standing for a long time yet they were built only recently. Only Mma Ramotswe's office has some fresh paint.

Seeing scenes being shot is quite an exciting experience. In a nutshell, the cast and crew are always as busy as a bee, as theirs is a race against time. Movement of visitors during the time of shooting is restricted to avoid disturbances.

The preparation for the shooting is intense, and has to be done only by professionals. While actors prepare themselves, getting into the right costumes and make-up, the production crew are arranging their equipment to make sure everything is in order before the actual shooting begins.

The current location is dusty and with a lot of movement, the dust can be choking but that does not deter the committed crew. The lead actress, Jill Scott, has people they call stand-ins, who include local musician/rapper Desma Basson, musically known as Ice Queen. Her role is to test microphones, camera lighting, for the star (Jill Scott). The role of stand-in ends there - and she does not appear anywhere in the movie. As we watched the shooting, publicist Joey Sapieka explained that a stand-in in movies should not be confused with theatrical understudies as they cannot sit in for the actor in case the actor is not feeling well or should anything happen to the actor or actress.

As everything has to be perfect, the stand-in is dressed in [continue reading]