Practice Makes Perfect

     In preparation for filming, all the actors practiced playing volleyball together. To make the project more authentic, each actor needed to brush up on their skills. For one, he had to be completely taught how to play. This worked out perfectly fine because the character he plays is in a similar situation. What resulted in this practice was a fun day of preparing for what was to come. Watching the actors play with each other gave me ideas on what angles to use when filming. I also got to practice filming them as they played. While it was challenging to get close shots without the threat of being hit, it was still a fun and educational experience.

    The day started with each actor warming up. Everyone stretched and took long breaths to help avoid injury. Volleyball is a sport that can be played both indoors and outdoors. For the purpose of our film, the boys practiced outside on a sand court with a net. They practiced both in a group and on their own to grow their skills. Volleyball takes good hand-eye coordination and communication with teammates. Each player practiced passing, blocking, and striking to prepare for the film. Several scenes and shots for the film were workshopped in this process. A majority of these moves will be featured in a training montage, a common element in sports films. Our most experienced player, Josh, helped the other boys with simple mistakes and techniques. After a long day of running around, we watched videos as a group to see how professional volleyball players conduct themselves on the court. This was a great way to end off a tiring day while still getting valuable information for our film.