Although the key genre ideas and interior scenes of the Marínka Somarinka series were created in controlled studio conditions, the real life and authentic atmosphere of the story were filmed directly in the field under the open sky. The film crew completed dynamic filming across more than a dozen diverse locations. Unique corners were used directly in the city districts of Bratislava, but the camera crew also went far beyond the borders of the capital - from the grandfather's house in Modra or a romantic walk by the water in Zálesí, through the medieval scenery in Lozorno, to the real western town in the Moravian Boskovice.
Child actors also took up the camera
A great variety of the entire production was the moment when the fictional reality of the play intersected with real filmmaking work. In the series, the children appear as enthusiastic creators who are trying to film their own author's project. Thanks to this, however, during the weeks on set, they naturally learned to work with real film equipment and control camera shots. This experiment went even further: selected shots from the camera, which was directly in the hands of the children's crew, will make it into the final cut of the series. The young actors not only acted in their film, but also really participated in its creation.
Mirroring genres and fighting tropical weather
The choice of exteriors had to accurately reflect the diversity of Marínka's imagination and her real life. Each new location required specific lighting, sound and spatial settings – whether it was dynamic street chases or peaceful romantic outings by the water. An extremely unconventional and attractive environment was, for example, a real quarry, which gave an indescribable atmosphere to the more action-packed scenes. It was a unique experience for the entire crew, to which nature itself contributed, when it was possible to watch a natural landslide of stones from a safe distance on the opposite slope.
However, the biggest challenge of the entire production was not logistics, but the weather. Filming took place in full force during the summer months, regardless of the vagaries of the weather and extreme temperatures, which repeatedly approached 40 °C in direct sunlight. This meant enormous physical strain for both young and old actors, but also for the entire technical crew. The production therefore paid maximum attention to ensuring comfort on the set: mobile zones with shade and shelters were built, a strict drinking regime, sun protection and regular refreshment breaks were observed. Thanks to this care and the enormous commitment of the entire team, it was possible to maintain a high work pace and a smile on the faces of the little creators until the last clap.
