#74 Production: The Things We Didn’t Expect

    Hey everyone, today I’m talking about all the challenges we went through while filming The Hollow because… let me tell you… there were more than I can even count on my fingers.

    The first complication was the dates. We originally planned to film during winter break, so we’d have plenty of time for trial and error. But between Christmas, New Year’s, and everyone traveling, it was basically impossible to get the whole group together. And since I had to go wherever my parents went, it made everything even more complicated. Every time I was free, someone else wasn’t. So, we pushed filming back and used that extra time to plan better and add new ideas instead of wasting the break stressing.

    Then came the script.... omg, don’t even get me started. We kept the main story the same, but the dialogue changed constantly. Some lines sounded stiff, others didn’t match the vibe of the scene, and a few just didn’t feel like something our characters would realistically say. We wanted everything to feel natural, not like we were reading off a Google Doc. So, we kept adjusting until it actually sounded like real people talking. So the ideas kept changing, so I had to rewrite the script multiple times for my group, and that was a very stressful thing for me since I was the only writer, but I didn't bother because I wanted a script that not only I liked but my whole team did as well, because the project is for all of us not just me.

    Now… lighting. This was by far our biggest headache, trust meee. We didn’t have professional equipment, so we had to get creative with whatever we had. My camera let us control the exposure, which helped, but filming in the garage and outside was a whole different battle. In the garage, there was a light switch that controlled two lights. We experimented and ended up turning off the big light and leaving the small one on, and honestly, it changed the whole vibe. It went from “random garage with tools” to “actual movie set.”

    But the worst part? The lights were automatic. They would randomly turn back on in the middle of a take. When I tell you we had those lights timed, I’m not kidding. We had to reshoot so many scenes because the light would flip on at the worst possible moment. It’s funny now, but in the moment, it was a nightmare. We even had Sebastian stand by the switch to keep turning it off. And sometimes the garage was too dark, so we used a mini flashlight to brighten specific spots like when I was shining the light on the mask.

    Filming outside came with its own problems. It was so bright during the day that the camera refused to make anything look scary. But instead of fighting it, we used it to our advantage. Lighter scenes were for Madison and me since we’re the “good guys,” and darker, shadowy areas were for Ethan to make him look more villain‑like. We literally waited until sundown just to get his scenes right.

Bright street without the editing

Bright street with the editing

    Another issue was location. At first, we wanted dramatic spots like Black Point Marina or Deering Estate, but reality hit fast. Those places are crowded, loud, and honestly not worth the chaos. We realized we could film everything we needed at Madison’s house and actually have peace and quiet. It ended up being way easier and way more practical.

    The music was honestly one of the biggest headaches. Trying to find something copyright‑free that actually matches the vibe? Impossible. Every track we liked either needed permission, cost money, or just didn’t fit the older, instrumental style we wanted for the trailer. We kept digging through apps and websites, but nothing felt right. So yes… the soundtrack hunt is still going, and at this point we’re just hoping the perfect song magically appears.