"Team Sports" is a film written by Raquel Mira and Helene Bechtel, directed by Raquel Mira, and produced by Zoe Gameros & Parker Foreman for the University of Texas at Austin's MFA Pre-Thesis Course. The film follows protagonist Luna as she navigates the trials and tribulations of friendship and flag football. After switching teams and finding an unlikely ally, Luna begins to find her place.
Mira selected Athená Polymenis to shoot the film. Assisting Polymenis in the camera department was 1st AC Stela Riera, and 2nd AC's Degan Ward & Danny Rodriguez. "We had a rotating team, but they came in every day with excitement and commitment. They did an excellent job, and I was pleased to meet new faces and work with Stela again," Polymenis notes.
Luna, portrayed by Bella Renfro, is a bright and ambitious young girl, who's seeking the friendship and inclusion from her fellow flag football teammates. She quickly sets her sights being friends with Alex, portrayed by Annie Nietzel. Their one sided friendship fizzles once Luna accidentally hits Alex with football. This prompts Luna to switch teams and align with Priscilla, portrayed by Camila Barros.
After switching teams, Luna begins to excel under Priscillas leadership and the team takes the lead. Once Priscilla reveals her true colors, Luna is once again launched into disarray as she ponders her friendships. After a conversation with Alex, Luna sets her sights on the field and takes aim once the ball is hiked. Priscilla goes down after being struck by Luna's throw and Alex joins Luna for a moment budding friendship.
"There were a lot of moving parts and moments of uncertainty," Polymenis recalls. "The location was locked the evening before the shoot, our lighting situation was turbulent as daylight shoots are - we couldn't have been luckier with the results considering the conditions," says Polymenis. Although the film takes place continuously in the same timeframe, the film was shot over five days. Shooting exterior daytime scenes can be difficult on a good day, but Polymenis and Mira had an uphill battle.
"We had one 4x4 diffusion kit for light control. We were lucky that our location and time of year shooting allowed for the sun to travel on a consistent path which aligned with the lighting we wanted for the story," says Polymenis. She also notes that a big part of the success of their visual approach was their realistic expectations for the look. Polymenis highlights that understanding ones limitations is the first and easiest step to charting the best path forward. "We ultimately got a pretty consistent look, but at the end of the day the story shines through and that's what really counts."
Enjoy the additional stills from Team Sports which was edited and colored by Tatum Ostos.
