Filming to start on The Right Juice

Principal photography is to start on the Algarve-based low budget indie film ‘The Right Juice’ on Wednesday, 28 March and will roll cameras for six weeks, following a launch event to be held at Zoomarine on 24 March.

The team behind the ‘The Right Juice’ have been working hard in recent months and are bringing the whole production together. All the parts have been cast including the character of Nesta, the romantic interest to be played by renowned Portuguese actress Lúcia Moniz who starred alongside Colin Firth in the 2003 hit ‘Love Actually’.

Film producer Barbara (BJ) Boulter told The Portugal News this week: “I simply picked up the phone, after gaining her contact number through friends in the business, and spoke directly to Lucia, she is a lovely person and a very talented actress.”

“She was in Los Angeles at the time but was interested in the project and asked to read the script, she put me through to her agent and there we are,” she added.

Other actors now confirmed to star in the film include British actress Ellie Chidzey, known for her role as the barbarian Lux in the 2005 film Dungeons & Dragons 2: Wrath of the Dragon God, who is to play the role of Sally Fellows, while British actor Mark Killeen who has played the male lead in the soon to be released film ‘Callback Queen’ will play the main character Oliver Fellows.

Portuguese actor Miguel Damião, from the recent national soap ‘Laços de Sangue’ has also been cast for the role of Manel in ‘The Right Juice.’

“All of the actors have been invited to the presentation on Saturday (24 March) ahead of the start of filming, and the team are very excited,” said BJ.

The presentation at Zoomarine on Saturday is by invitation only and will feature a new teaser of the film to whet the public’s appetite.

“Readers and the public are very welcome to get involved with The Right Juice, as fundraising is ongoing as we have only raised around 54 percent of the €150,000 we aim to receive in pledges,” said BJ, adding that all donations however large or small will be gratefully received and help pay towards filming costs from fuel for vehicles to feeding cast and crew on set. (See The Portugal News edition 24 December, 2011).

Aside from the appeal for funding, a variety of props and equipment are also needed to keep filming costs down.

These include a truck full of oranges, water and beverages to fuel the cast and crew, fuel for vehicles, vehicles themselves to be lent, such as motorcycles, van and motor homes and much more.

“We have received so many offers of help, from the leasing of cars to the free maintenance of the three Ape vehicles throughout filming, we are so grateful to everyone who has contributed so far,” said BJ.

For those who want a piece of the action, there is one party scene that will require a large crowd of well dressed people, and readers are welcome to join in.

“This party scene will be filmed at night throughout Easter weekend in the Loulé area. Volunteers who are interested in a part in the crowd should contact me to find out more and sign up, but essentially they must be prepared to come dressed up and to work all night long,” said BJ, adding: “they will be given hot soup to keep them going, but filming can be a lengthy business, so people need to know it could run all night for the night scenes.”

Her energy and enthusiasm as well as months of hard work have lifted this Algarve project off the ground.

Local Indie author and British resident Suzy Turner told The Portugal News how she has become involved with the project and landed the role of script continuity supervisor for The Right Juice.

“It was a mutual friend who suggested me for the role and I told her I would be very interested. Before I knew it, BJ just picked up the phone and gave me a call,” she said.

An experienced writer and keen cineaste, Suzy Turner is looking forward to her first role in a film production and is currently being coached by June Moody an Algarve resident with 40 years of experience in the business.

“I’m very excited, I think this will be huge for the Algarve as not enough productions are filmed here aside from the odd advert or snippets,” she added.

Fonte:The Portugal News