The cast and crew were involved in the filming of what's come to be known on our San Jose set as "the crap shoot." And we do mean crap; simulated dog excrement, to be exact. Truly we were dealing with a stiff dollop or two of chocolate on a hardwood floor, and therein lay the problem: chocolate masquerading as dog doo.
It all started with the filming of the Bernice character, as she unknowingly steps into Fidel's fecal matter. The scene went something like this: first there's Bernice, then her fateful step, then the look of surprise and disgust on her face, and finally there's our dog, who must dash across the room ahead of her as she calls out.
First off, it was a challenge to keep Fidel from eating, or at least sniffing, what was supposed to be his character's dog poop. Then there was the matter of getting him to trot across the floor and exit head on into the frame (instead of rushing off to the side, where he was lost to the camera, which he was inclined to do, over and over). In the end it took at least two crew members and one actor to get our pup to cross the room straight into the camera, do not pass go, do not collect a hundred dollars, do not lick chocolate. But it got done, after who knows how many takes. All involved were rewarded with the most wonderful lunch, made by the sister-in-law of one of the writers. But so far she wouldn't let us take a head shot of her for this website, even though she took care of the entire cast and crew by preparing, delivering and serving the most delicious gourmet meal. Thank you, Annette Morrison-Politeo, we'll get you on our website yet!
And we won't forget the acting that day. Bernice and Benny really have great chemistry, and the scenes between them were revealing and compelling. It's happening!Screenplay writer Joe Mangelli enjoys a moment between scenes with favorite daughter "Bernice" and co-star "Benny" in the background.
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