Release Date:
November 15th, 2024

Starring:
Pennelope Gonzalez • Jada Ann Chevalier •
Luis Ortiz • Malika Peterson • Marie Ogando •
Noelia Bravo • Peter Anderson

Directed by:
Steve Sanchez Rosales

Production Assistants:
Edgar Felix • Malika Peterson

Music by:
Liam Canet Leiva

March - April, 2024

Where It All Started:
It happened here in The Bronx: I was on a location scout for a different project when I took these photos and although that project never came to light, the scenery and landscapes of the borough were a chrysalis that would shape the story and characters of Walking on the Moon.

A film that takes place in The Bronx was always on my mind as I've set projects in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. The decision to shoot here was primarily made to see more of the borough and capture its unique features such as the mountainous terrain, droning highways, and the everyday people walking through the street.

At this moment the only story I had in mind was that of a single person walking alone early in the morning, for whatever reason. Maybe they were waiting for someone? Yearning for a special day to come? I didn't know, but taking these walks through what would become our set created the tone for what the project was about to become.

May - August, 2024

I was cautious about writing a screenplay about two friends. Many writers will teach that conflict is the key to a compelling story, I wanted to disagree and I wanted to write something sincere and compassionate. I wanted characters who could be gentle and kind, yet leave a profound impact on each other.

Luna and Terra were the core to this script, drafts consisted of them in different scenerios but the story was always Luna rejecting Terra and then making a surprise appearance at the park. Below you can read the first and final draft of the screenplay! Compare for yourself and see how much the story grew from that concept.

May 30th, 2024 First Draft

August 1st, 2024 Final Revision

June - August, 2024

This is the Place:
Location scouting took me to all corners of the Bronx. This part of the process is where imagination turns into reality, I was looking for the right place to set the scenes I had written and the location would serve two needs. I need places that aesthetically match the film's tone, and I could realistically shoot in. These photos depict Parkchester and Pelham Bay Park, both of which would be major sets for the production.

At this time I wanted a look that felt stranded and empty. A lot of shots in the film are wide with so much room to breathe, not only to emphasize loneliness but to also show as much of these neighborhoods as possible. Film can work as a time capsule and it was important to me for this project to also be a snapshot of what The Bronx looked like in 2024.

Casting:
Pennelope and Jada were immediately right for the roles. Casting was completed on July 22nd, 2024 and rehearsals started soon after. The two actors were cast independently from each other so when they met for the first time during rehearsal I was relieved that they worked well together both as artists and as their characters. The actors understood the assignment and their interpretation of the characters were what the film needed.

Camera Tests:
A camera test took place at the restaurant and it was eye-opening seeing Pennelope act out the scene on camera for the first time. We also got to test the lighting and shot set ups and I was content with how the footage came back. The film was becoming closer to reality and I felt the momemntum increase.

Another camera test was conducted for the bedroom scenes. I practiced the set ups in my room and it was okay, I'm glad the final film looked better.

August 10th - 21st, 2024

Opening Scene:
The first day of shooting took place on a rooftop which was not in the script, but our location had one so we used it and added it to the film. It was such a good location and it made the opening bigger and wider.

The biggest hurdle of the first day is getting all the nerves out, it's surreal being on set for the first time and actually making the movie. For this reason it's good to schedule a simple scene first, in this case the first scene had minimal dialogue and the tone is calm. But once the camera starts rolling it is pure magic and you realize what a privilege it is to be working on a project like this.

Restaurant Day:
This is the busiest set I've worked on, and this is what I had to be the most prepared for. This day required the most amount of actors, crew, and equipment. And on top of that we were renting out a restaurant so I was responsible for setting up and breaking down the set in the five hours we had for shooting.

The biggest lesson to take from that day is that I felt overwhelmed, but everyone on set had my back. It is important to be trusting of the cast and crew and we got a lot done despite the limited time and setbacks we had at the start. Everyone helped out beyond what was expected and I'm thankful for having such a caring amount of help that day!

Walking on the Earth:
For the exterior scenes we travelled all over The Bronx to get the variety of sceneries we needed. These days required walking through the summer heat, and catching trains to get to and fro.

The final scene was shot at Pelham Bay Park and the sun was turned all the way up! Filming outside is ideal for natural scenery and lower production costs, but it can be troublesome due to weather, terrain, and noise.

September - November, 2024

Starry Starry Sky:
Stars in the daytime sky was an idea I've kept in my backpocket for years. I tried implementing the stars in previous projects but they didn't fit in thematically and were scrapped before production began. When the screenplay for 'Walking on the Moon' started to include astronomy themes I knew this would be a perfect opportunity to add the stars in the sky.

So how do you make the stars shine during sunset? The route I took to achieve the effect goes like this: First I had to mask the foreground and track any movement, mainly the actors and background extras; but a mistake I made during filming is not bringing a tripod. Because the shot is handheld, the entire screen is constantly moving from handshakes. This means every little movement of the screen had to be tracked.

Next, I used the 'Particle World' effect to generate stars into the background. Because of the shaky screen I also had to make the stars shaky or else they would be static in the sky and look fake.

Finally, I added a colored background to make the sky a sunset magenta. This was one of the most difficult choices during the process. Setting up stars in the sky is something I can easily imagine in my mind but when trying to actually do the effect it doesn't work for the same reason you don't see daytime stars in real life: stars are just too bright. It took hours of calibrating the size and brightness of the stars and I also tested how they would look on different screen sizes and resolutions. I'm okay with how the final effect looked but on some screens they are hard to see.

The Score:
The plan was to dig through my music collection and use some obscure instrumentals to fill the soundtrack for the film. During the editing sessions I realized that the music I chose wasn't working and I need something tailored for the film. Liam came in to compose music for the film in October and we spent a couple weeks trying to figure out what the sound of the film would be. Once we got our sound the rest of the process flowed nicely, focusing on what the emotions of each scene is and testing out demos in the edit.

The edit was faithful to the script. Nothing was cut out other than a few lines and alternate shots. The biggest challenge with assembling the cut together was keeping a good pace as this was the longest film I've edited at that point.

Premiere Night:
We had a screening for about thirty people followed by audience questions for the Jada, Pennelope, and I. We had a good night and most people enjoyed the film. I won't forget the memory of being able to celebrate our art with friends and family.

Looking Back:
I really like Walking on the Moon; I believe this is the most engaging film I've done and the most emotional film I've done. No other film is like this one. It's so unique and I'm fortunate to have found people that believe in this project to help create it!