Reading time: 1 – 2 minutes

“Love Noted” is a film adaptation of a short stand up I did at a friend’s wedding. The story went through a few drafts, and development. Once that was completed, production was a bomb…

…the following are a few lessons that came out of that day:

• When “actors” aren’t paid, and you want their commitment to help you out…have them sign a contract for them to say that they will be there at least a week in advance. Follow up a few days later, and a day before. People have a tendency to forget.
• It’s a good idea to give people a gift as a token of appreciation for helping you out. Take them out for lunch or dinner.
• If you can, keep filming to a weekend when working with students, and non-professionals. During the week they have lives of their own.
• Let people know that the production start time as 1.5 hrs before the actual time — or — start right after one of the daily prayers, that way everyone shows up for salah, and then you can start right after that.
• Don’t be afraid to ask other to be backups for current “actors”. As them to bring their friends if they can to help behind the scenes.