The Making of: Who’s Next Part 1
The Story
Who’s Next was never actually meant to be seen on a screen. It was going to be a book. During the summer of 2020, Myself and Kelsey Botelho (Producer and actor in Who’s Next) decided it would be a fun idea to write a story based on our friend group. We began brainstorming and came up with a complete outline for a 15-chapter book. We ended up only writing the first four chapters and the start of the 5th when we realized we were not authors.
Fast forward to 2022, And I released my first short film, Refraction. Looking for my next project, Kelsey suggested using The Outcasts. This idea was already on my mind, and for the previous three years, I continued to revise and add to the outline because I loved the story. When Kelsey first brought it up, I was immediately hesitant since Refraction was the first project I had ever done in any aspect of the film. The Outcasts would’ve required triple the amount of resources to complete, and as a one-man band with zero confidence, that was terrifying.
With the encouragement of Kelsey and those around me, I began to plan the script. I planned the script the way I wanted without considering if any of it was possible because it was a story I wanted to tell, and I didn’t want to butcher it just because of logistics. This, of course, would make things so much fun for me later on. When I began to write, I knew there were a lot of stories to tell, and I didn’t want the final product to be a chopped-up Frankenstein of a plot, so I turned it into a limited series. Episode one is the first five chapters of the outline.
I broke down every character, location, motive, and easter egg to make sure everything made sense and could work together to set the stage for an exciting and entertaining show. This, along with writing the actual script, took about five months. Eventually, it morphed into Who’s Next.
Casting
Since some characters were based on our friends, we had them play themselves. That probably helped, seeing as none of us were professional actors. We had Kelsey Botelho as Adriana, Cesar Rodriguez as Caleb, Kaitlin Aurelio as Delilah, Daniela Sousa as Aria, and Skyla Bernardo as Raina. One of the first road bumps was the casting of Cleo. The friend that the character was based on moved out of state, making it impossible for her to play herself. This meant I had to find a replacement. The only problem was that the replacement I found needed another replacement days before filming due to scheduling conflicts. That is when Chloe was cast to take on the role of Cleo. Another struggle with casting was with the character of Giovanni. Why was this challenging? Well, because Gio is based on me, and that meant not only did my inexperienced self have to run behind the camera, but I was also a main character in front of the camera. Challenging is too light of a word for how it felt. But we will get to that in the production section of this reflection.
Production Design
We created this entire project for me to practice my set design skills. The problem with this was that as a full-time college student and a part-time worker, I had almost no budget to work with. The first step was location scouting. The script required 7 locations to film at. These included the dive bar, Aria/Raina/Cleo’s dorm room, the Library, Party 1, the Partygoer bedroom, Delilah/Adriana’s Apartment, School, a field, Party 2, and the woods.
The most crucial location I had to find was the school. I needed somewhere with a prestigious university’s ornate and historic vibe, and that is where Fairhaven High School came in. One of the most beautiful buildings in Massachusetts was what I envisioned. I am incredibly grateful and honored to have been allowed to rent the school for the day. This location alone covered the Library, Classroom, Hallway, School exterior, and Auditorium. Fairhaven High School has impeccable fine details in the woodwork and architecture, finished with stained glass features that bring the building to life.
The second largest location was Delilah and Adriana’s apartment/Bedroom. I was excited because I got to showcase a set that encapsulated two characters’ personalities. Luckily, I had access to an empty first-floor apartment. I had full permission to furnish. I used furniture that I found for free on Facebook Marketplace and used furniture that I already had. Delilah’s bedroom had a Whimsy Goth/ Boho aesthetic with posters and decorations such as candles, crystals, lamps, and plants. The central part of the living room had Adriana’s pink flare incorporated with things like blankets, lights, placemats, and rugs. Delilah’s green and orange palette came in with the bar stools, pillows, and a green crock pot in the kitchen. Personal touches were added, such as the pictures of the two sisters on the wall. Adriana’s bedroom was not seen in this episode , but there just so happened to be a pink chair that was left in the apartment by the previous owner, which I had in the background of one of the shots.
Next up was the dive bar. While researching bars in my area, I stumbled upon The Red Saloon in New Bedford, MA. The second I saw a photo, I knew this was where it had to be filmed. The bar had a very quaint and small town vibe to it. While the building had a rugged visual appeal, The owner was extremely welcoming and accommodating. The manager on duty that day made the process even better. The environment and community that our cast and crew were welcomed into made for an extremely fun shoot day. Side note: all the extras in that scene were actual bar patrons.
The last set I will be covering is Aria/Raina/Cleo’s dorm. This was a tough one. The room itself was in an empty unfinished apartment that was being worked on. One of the pain points of the set was the bare walls, especially in Raina’s section of the room. Since we see Raina move into the dorm there wouldn’t be any pre-existing decor, making for a bland space. In retrospect, I wish I added at least a poster or calendar to add some interest while still keeping with the bare bones look. Aria’s section of the room was my favorite and it exemplified her personality and style, creating a space that felt like the character. This was achieved by using a maroon, navy, and cream color palette and featuring design details such as book pages on the wall. Aria’s section came together with dark academia/old-world decorations and imagery. Aria’s close relationship with Giovanni is shown through a photo of the two on her nightstand. Cleo’s section took her aesthetic into account by having a bright and fun design with yellow, blue, and white being the main color palette and a mixture of gingham patterns and soft textures. Cleo’s quirky character is shown in the chicken lamp as well as the egg rug.
