Reflection on the Production of A World Not For Girl

Development and Pre-Production (December 2024 – March 2025)

The journey of A World Not For Girls started back in December 2024 during the initial concept and development phase. Originally, the film was conceived with a more straightforward narrative, telling the story of Keisha, who tragically ends her own life on camera. Early on, I had ambitions to shoot some scenes abroad, specifically the climactic murder scene, to add a distinctive cinematic element to the film. Unfortunately, this plan became impossible due to the unavailability of the cast and logistical constraints.

Casting was a major challenge throughout the pre-production and production phases. My first main actor, playing Keisha, was initially very committed but eventually could not complete the entire shoot, which forced me to recast and rethink major parts of the story. Finding replacements was difficult, and it led to significant delays and rewrites. One major rewrite was the introduction of the yacht’s officer, Vivian, who narrates the story to a schoolgirl client, offering a fresh narrative device that helped make the film more coherent given the changes in cast and story structure.

Additionally, the availability of equipment at the university was inconsistent. Sometimes, the gear I needed was not accessible, which put a strain on the shooting schedule. This was frustrating and impacted the pacing of the shoots.

Production and Shooting (28th March – 17th May 2025)

The shooting took place over five days spread across several months. Each day presented its own set of challenges and learning experiences.

Cast and Continuity Issues

On Day 3 of shooting, an hour before we were due to film, we had to recast Brandon for the second time. This last-minute change was stressful, but we had anticipated the need to recast both Brandon and Keisha about two weeks prior, allowing some time to prepare. Unfortunately, Young Keisha (the younger version of the main character) proved to be very unreliable, frequently rescheduling and even changing her hairstyle multiple times, which seriously disrupted continuity. To manage this, I resorted to having her wear a hood during several scenes to conceal these inconsistencies. This was far from ideal but necessary.

Older Keisha also became less available after filming her scenes due to extended holidays, meaning I had less time to shoot her parts. This limited availability was detrimental to completing the project on time.

A similar recasting problem arose with Brandon’s older self. The original actor couldn’t commit, so I gave the casting responsibility to someone else. However, I wasn’t satisfied with the choices made and eventually decided to cast Terrell, whose height and body weight matched older Keisha better, ensuring better on-screen chemistry and continuity.

Audio Problems

Audio issues plagued the majority of the shoots. There were numerous technical errors: SD cards were missing or malfunctioning, incorrect audio settings were used, and sometimes the sound operator was inexperienced. The worst incident was on one shoot day when I lost all audio footage entirely and had to rely solely on camera audio, which compromised sound quality. This setback made editing difficult and limited options for re-shoots.

Shooting Alone and Crew Shortages

Crew absence was another significant obstacle. There were multiple occasions where I was the only person present on set, forcing me to manage camera operation, direction, and logistics all at once. This was exhausting and made it difficult to catch errors or spend enough time on multiple takes. The long setup times without assistance also made me impatient and occasionally short-tempered, which isn’t ideal in a creative environment.

Improvisation and Script Adaptations

Originally, I had a detailed script, but due to time constraints and the unpredictable nature of the production, I leaned heavily on improvisation. This approach allowed the actors more freedom to express their characters naturally, and it helped prevent the film from dragging on too long with over-explained dialogue. It also let me focus on visual storytelling and the cinematographic elements.

In the process of adapting the script, it was quite easy to improvise, and I did not bother making a physical script or amending one due to the short notice and ongoing changes. This flexibility helped keep production moving despite the many unforeseen adjustments.

Stunt Work

A particularly unexpected challenge was discovering that the actress playing young Keisha had a fear of heights and could not ride a bicycle, which was part of the original script. I had to double as her stunt, riding the bicycle myself. Though I initially planned to find a stunt double, that was not possible. Fortunately, the physical differences were minimal, and we managed to make it work.

Location and Scheduling

The shooting schedule was frequently disrupted by actors rescheduling and location availability issues. For instance, the shoot at Morley’s Chicken Shop was postponed a week before filming because the main actor was unavailable, and I couldn’t secure reliable actors to cover for the schoolgirl parts. A planned shoot a week before the second filming day was cancelled due to location uncertainties and the main actor’s unavailability, which in hindsight was a blessing in disguise.

Post-Production and Editing

The first full draft of the film was completed on 20th May 2025. A significant rewrite on 17th May introduced the new ending featuring Vivian and Keisha (the schoolgirl), which was essential for story clarity. This change helped create a strong narrative arc despite the numerous production challenges.

What I Learned

• Flexibility is key: The constant changes in cast, schedule, and story required me to adapt quickly and creatively.

• Importance of continuity: Small details like hairstyle changes can disrupt the visual narrative and must be monitored closely.

• The challenge of crew shortages: Having a full crew is vital. Shooting alone hampers quality control and creative decision-making.

• Audio is crucial: Investing time in training sound operators and double-checking equipment would save time and frustration.

• Improvisation can be beneficial: Giving actors space to improvise allowed for more natural performances and helped keep the film’s pacing tight.

• Stunt preparation: Always clarify actors’ abilities early to plan effectively for stunts or physical scenes.

• Planning for availability: Being realistic about cast and location availability upfront helps avoid costly reschedules.

• Post-production needs: Losing audio files was a harsh lesson in backup and data management.

Final Thoughts

Despite the many hurdles — from casting troubles, continuity problems, audio issues, to crew shortages — A World Not For Girls taught me invaluable lessons in filmmaking, patience, and adaptability. While the final product is different from my initial vision, I’m proud of the story we managed to tell under difficult circumstances. Moving forward, I will apply these lessons to future projects to improve workflow, communication, and technical preparation.