Behind The Scenes And on The Set With Anthony De Longis

"DESTINY" - Page 3

We're In the Jailhouse Now - We move from the reveal of the "Queen of Swords" silhouetted against the night sky into the jail. Roberta Brown swings through the door to kick a guard in the chest and send him tumbling backwards. Tessie repeated the action for the cut to closeup as the Queen lands lightly like a cat and continues on the attack.

Photo at left - the view of the jailhouse office - before it was filled with furniture.

Now we had only seen the main room empty until right before we shot this scene. The space was confined at best. Add a desk and chair, a camera, necessary crew and four actors, and things get downright crowded. Fortunately, once the Queen had bopped the guards, we could dispense with their presence, but things were still pretty tight for Tessie and Anthony Lemke who each performed their own sword action.

Photo at right - the hallway to the jail cells was only about 9 feet wide. Add cameras, camera operators, a sound boom, a director, etc., and there's not much room left for a slinging swords.

Things got even more cramped when we moved into the narrow hallway and the fighters were wedged between the rows of jail cells. Cameras had to be placed between the bars of the cells, perpendicular to the action, which were not always the most ideal angle, or alternate from behind one of the actors at either end of the hall. The roof was too low to permit placing a camera for an overhead shot. The one elevated shot is from behind the Queen as Grisham enters the cell area. Picture a ladder with a camera and operator on top and a focus puller with a sound man and his boom and Roberta watching for safety to protect these huddled masses, all crammed against the brick wall behind Tessie. I'm in one of the cells watching the video monitors to be sure the action plays on camera. I said earlier, the environment is a key character in any action story. This was literally a fight about trapping someone in a confined space.

Photo at left - Tessie and Anthony Lemke rehearse under Athony's supervision outside the jail set. The building is under that black drape, done to simulate night during the day shoot.

Anthony Lemke had been training and learning the choreography with Mary--he came in with almost no sword experience, but a desire to learn. With his available time, he rehearsed the fight with both Tessie and Roberta. Again, the actors each performed all their own action. Tessie was up to the challenge and Anthony had no choice but to deliver - we had no double for him. This was Anthony's first fight as an actor, and Grisham's first encounter with the Queen. This was a very important scene. On the one hand, it was Tessa Alvarado's first real fight outside of the fencing studio and her first appearance as "The Queen of Swords." This was the real thing, not a training exercise and Tessa had to realize the consequences were life and death, there could be no mistakes. For Anthony's character, it was important that he lose without undercutting Grisham's threat for future encounters. The Queen had to win by ability and preferably with a bit of humour, style and wit. I was pleased with the moment of discovery that turns the tables on Grisham. Just when he is most pleased with himself, he finds the Queen has him checked and mated.