Week 3 on the set of "No Boundaries"

Shoot days 12 through 15 means that we are now more than HALFWAY through principal photography! It's sad, but great all at the same time! Every day I feel more closely bonded with this entire cast and crew. Every day I'm a little more anxious to see the finished product that we're making, that I'm living. But already I'm getting a little sad because each day we get through is one less we'll get to continue to spend together. ;)

Click here to visit the Official "No Boundaries" website!

Tuesday we were on location at a local Philly pub/diner. This is one of the first occasions I've had to sit back on the set and watch the boys (Mark McGraw and John D'Alonzo) at work. It's especially exciting today, as everyone on crew is talking about how MAGNIFICENT yesterday's "shoot-out" scenes went between them. Man, I can't wait to see this movie!!


This is Mark and I going through our lines and working to create blocking for one of the most pivotal scenes in the movie. It's so hard to stay mad at him when he's such a cut-up on set, but I'm always awed and inspired when the cameras start rolling and we both flip that switch to become our characters. I love this job!


And today Tatiana truly found the African-queen-diva she's been holding back from us. This is just a glimpse of how wonderful our chemistry is together. Or maybe its an opposing mechanism to counter the gravity of the scene we're shooting... either way, it's a blessing just to be on this set. ;)

Thursday we had a MARVELOUS day shooting the "orphanage" at Nazareth Academy High School. Everyone on set can feel we are hitting our stride now! The weather was on our side, the location afforded some amazing vistas, and the dayplayer actors were (once again!) spot-on! Not to mention that this was one of the rare days when my character did not have to (at any point) cry, look distressed, or worry. Nothing but purely, blissfully in-love!

The funniest thing about this scene is how beautiful it looks -- because in reality it was incredibly UNcomfortable!!! Ha ha! The mulch Mark and I had to sit on was really itchy and sharp, but all the while we're delivering these lovey-dovey lines... and this picture says it all. No matter how much adjusting we attempted, Jake was adamant that "you will sit there, and you will smile, and you will LIKE it!" All with a grin and a giggle... ;) Yes, these are the memories we cherish...

This is a chance for me to say, "See Maria! Your shirt DID make it into the movie!" This chapel at the Academy was GORGEOUS!! It was such a privilege just to sit inside the hallowed sanctuary, and these scenes where Isabel is both prayerful and thankful were especially easy... there's a lot of ME in those moments, thankful for this role, this movie, and praying that God's grace will shine on our success.


Back in Paoli at "Isabel's apartment" on Friday... this is one of my most popular scenes lately... that's not Isabel, but it's actually ME, hard at work with handfuls of notes, script pages, journaling, research, ideas... after each day of shooting you can find me like this, recapping all that happened on that day's set, and setting up all kinds of emotional and character-driven preparation for the next day's scenes. This is me living my life mantra: "Think like a man. Work like a dog. Act like a lady."


Upstairs on the set, Jake and Violet are setting up a "morning" sequence at about 6 pm in the evening. (I love movie magic!) Back to being distressed, this scene takes place the morning after those scenes in the pub...

Here's where I give a shout-out to a few of our INCREDIBLE crew!




This is a before-and-after of the wonderful work of Ms. Morgan Chalfant, my hair and makeup artist, pictured next to her masterpiece at right. You can see what a chore it is to tame this mane and paint this canvas, but I always know I'm in good hands with her. Her secret talent is years of professional ballroom dancing, and when there's been a moment to spare on set, we get mini-lessons in tango, rumba and cha-cha!


This dear, sweet man is Dexter Wuest, providing a masterful knowledge of lighting and gripping to our set. I can honestly say, never have I felt more cared for and attended to by a crew member than I have with Dexter. Not only does he make sure I'm perfectly lit in each frame, he goes the extra mile between shots to make sure I'm always supported and prepared, which keeps my performance at a premium!


I cannot say enough wonderful things about this woman, Violet Mendoza, our fearless leader! Writer, producer, and all-around big kahuna! I am privileged every time I hear her refer to me as Isabel. It's such an honor! I love our mutual respect and adoration for this character and her story. A lot of people have recently told us we look like sisters, too! What do you think?

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Dani Garza - week 2 on the set of "No Boundaries"

What a scorcher this week was! A record-breaking heat wave swept Philly this week, and our film locations were no exception. It's been a really exhausting week, but the work we've pulled out has been sensational nonetheless, thanks to an incredible cast and crew whose tireless efforts and unending professionalism are turning out some of the most amazing days ever!


Thank God we decided to shoot indoors for the second-half of Tuesday. Here we're about to shoot a scene where my hair was supposed to look "slept in." So after dolling me up all gorgeous-like, I was then instructed to roll around on the living room floor and "get un-pretty"! Ha ha! The things we do...



This was the only opportunity I have had to work with John D'Alonzo (left, as Gene) on this project, which I've really been looking forward to after everyone raved about his earlier scenes with Mark. This scene required a roller-coaster of emotions from both Mark and I, and I have to say, Mark did some incredibly admirable work on this day... he had me in awe. (Even the lighting guy confessed he had goosebumps after one particularly poignant take.)


The creatives aren't just chilling here... they're making executive decisions that will shape the scene in a new way and pull even greater performances out of us. I wanted to include this picture just to make sure that Jake (director of photography), Violet (writer/producer), and Peter (audio) get their overwhelmingly due credit for their creative support and involvement.


After a long day of "being mad at each other," it wasn't hard to want to go out and have some fun! Here, Mark and I swapped sunnies and still make such a great looking pair! Don't you think? :)


Graciously, Jake and Violet joined the party, as we scouted a possible location for an upcoming shot... and took a moment to relax together.


A few days later, shooting exteriors at Isabel's brownstone apartment, Mark and I are getting ready for one of the most pivotal scenes of the movie. Thanks to the stellar performance he'd given at the last shoot, I was spurred to bring out the big guns on this day. Here, we're getting last-moment direction from the creative execs before Mark takes one last trip to makeup and the cameras start rolling...


Here I am with Victor Velez, who plays my cousin Martin. He and I have hit it off right away, both being November babies and working champions for latinos in film.


No actor's performance is solely his own; these folks in the wings are just a few of the team that helps make my performance the best it can be! Left to right: Esther (PR), Victor (Martin), Carol (set decor/props), Morgan (hair/MUA), Tatiana (Gloria), Tyrone (Maurice), and Barret (Peter-Pete).


Still shooting the second-to-last shot of the day at 10:30 pm, after two full 12-hour days of shooting outside in the scorching sun on a street with hardly any shade or breeze, each and every one of these folks is a trooper!

~ ~ ~

I can't believe we're already halfway through this shoot! At the end of every day, I look back and I'm so thrilled that we're capturing such amazing moments, but I'm always a little sad that we're another day closer to being wrapped. I know I'll actually grieve when our little happy family disbands. But I hope, instead of ending, that this is only the start of a great beginning. Already I'm looking forward to coming together again for the first screenings, the press appearances, and most of all the film festivals! I'm so proud to be a part of telling this important story, and I couldn't have asked for a better team to be surrounded by. I am truly blessed!

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Dani Garza - first week on the set of "No Boundaries"

What an amazing cast and crew I am blessed to be a part of!! From the very get-go, at the table read, we've all started to bond and become a family. The talent here from the actors to the creative crew to the grips are all STELLAR and dedicated. And already, it's showing in the work...

We've been shooting for approximately 7 days now, of which I've been on set for five. I haven't seen a whole lot of playback (by my own choice), but it's enough to see and hear the reactions from the creative staff who are watching. It's enough to catch tears in the eyes of the boom operator at the end of a particularly poignant scene! I always thought that playing for the camera (as opposed to playing for a theatre house) came with a regretful lack of audience. Thankfully, I am learning I was a bit wrong. ;)


On day 2 of the shoot, we found a beautiful location in Lancaster County - my own home!! Not only was I proud to include these gorgeous landscapes in the film, but we had some amazing talent on set.


Here we are rehearsing the truckers scene with Jimmy and Ingrid -- two actors whose great dedication helped make me look good! At the end of this day I was exhausted, dirty, sweaty, bruised... and chomping at the bit to come back for more!


Here's a sneak peek at some behind the scenes action! Producer and writer Violet Mendoza leads me and my co-star, Mark McGraw through a sequence of actions to be carried out in the next scene at the breathtakingly gorgeous Appleford Estate...


What a nerve-wracking day for me this was! But thanks to the miracle efforts of my costume designer Jaizelle Stendardo, and my hair/makeup artist Morgan Chalfant, I look cool as a cucumber sitting close to my amazingly handsome co-star as we rehearse the next scene...


These two lovely ladies bring honesty and sanity to the set every day and I thank God for them! Joyce Koh, and Violet Mendoza -- two of the masterminds behind the script since it's conception over 2 years ago...



And this is my valiant hero behind the lens, the incredible "Don't call me 'Sir'" Jake Willing, director. His handiwork is half the battle in bringing this story to life, and so far the results are breathtaking! It's fun learning to push each other's buttons off-camera too. :)


I don't have any pictures, but I can't end this week's post without mentioning the final day of shooting on Friday. Two amazing actors cast as my parents, Judy and Carlos, brought phenomenal performances, which always makes my job just that much easier. Many of us in the cast and crew had had little to no sleep, and that combined with the heat was mixing a delirious concoction. But these two actors brought their A-game and blew us all away!

After I coerced the creative execs into one last set of exterior shots on Friday evening, we called it a wrap for the week. I cannot get over how BLESSED I am to be a part of this project!!! Even my parents can tell over the phone how spoiled I am to be so generously taken care of and set up for success on this film. Already I am very anxious to see the finished product, because if it's even half as good as the looks on the faces of the creative team tell me it is, this is gonna be a great movie!!!

Stay tuned... more to come in week 2!

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