Filming: "To Be With You"

What did you do on Labor Day weekend?

I laboriously worked on a new short film for a film challenge. The non-profit organization FilAm Creative brought back FilAm Creations established in 2017. This year, the challenge outlined three priorities that must be included in all FilAm Creations' shorts.  

Interested participants all met up at the Paper Tiger Bar in East Hollywood in August. My producing partner Jennifer Aquino (last participated as a special guest panelist for my 11th Filipino Hollywood Actors Panel: Voice Actors event back in June 2024) and I attended. We locked in three people; two who I've known for almost a decade but never worked on something together until now. Two people who I really wanted to work with based on one 2017 short film that competed in the first film challenge... Lullaby. 

We also met actress and model Jaia Lyne. For me, it was a reunion. She volunteered to help out at an event presented by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Hollywood's Up Close With...Mark Dacascos event held at Tiato in Santa Monica, CA in February 2020. I was one of the organization's board of directors at the time.

DEVELOPMENT & PRE-PRODUCTION: 
We were introduced to Erin Aster to write a script based on various ideas we had. Kudos to her in such a short time to come up with a grounded story we, in unison love. Next was a table read, rehearsals and assembling crew and locations, it's off to the races!

​PRODUCTION & FILMING: 
One day of filming and a second day for a couple of pickups on-location at a quiet neighborhood in Los Angeles under a SAG-AFTRA contract in early September. A majority of the scenes took place at night with three actors and a small crew during Labor Day weekend below.

POST-PRODUCTION & RELEASE:
Post-production began immediately after filming. Our film was submitted to the 2nd annual FilAm Creative Film Festival on time.

To Be Continued...