Behind the Scenes of LIKE WOE: A Glimpse Into the Darkness

By Micki Rose

Filming LIKE WOE was one of the most emotionally intense and creatively rewarding experiences I’ve had so far, as a writer and filmmaker. We knew going in that this story would demand a lot — not just from the actors, but from the entire crew. Every frame, every shadow, and every silence had to carry weight.

This wasn’t just about telling a story — it was about feeling it.

🕯️ Setting the Tone: The Bedroom Scene

We started production with the opening bedroom sequence — and that set the tone for everything that followed.

The actor playing The Man showed up ready to go to a dark place. There was something about the way he sat on the edge of that bed — head hanging, hands shaking, sweat soaking his shirt — that immediately pulled everyone into the reality we were trying to build.

The crew whispered more than usual that day.

The lighting team fought to find that delicate balance between moonlight and shadows. It needed to feel like the room itself was grieving. And they nailed it.

We had to stop and reset several times — not because of technical issues, but because the emotion in the room was too real.

🎂 Light Between the Storms: The Kitchen & Cookie Scene

Shooting the kitchen scene felt like stepping into another world.

Bright sunlight. Laughter. Colorful cookie icing. It was almost surreal — especially coming off the heavy opening. We wanted it to feel like a dream, or a memory — something beautiful that couldn’t last.

The actors brought such natural joy to that space. The child actor especially brought so much energy that everyone — even the camera operator — was smiling between takes.

But we all knew what was coming next. And that made the joy feel even heavier.

🦋 The Butterfly Mark & Violence Unseen

Filming the moment The Sister is found lifeless was a challenge. We were extremely intentional about not showing the violence, but letting the aftermath and the characters’ reactions speak louder.

The butterfly tattoo behind her ear wasn’t just a design choice — it was a symbol we wove throughout the production, hinting at a deeper network, a cycle, maybe even a curse.

Then came the intruder.

Watching that moment play out — the standoff between The Man and the masked figure, the silent realization between him and his wife — was like watching a slow collapse in real time. No yelling. Just breathing. Eyes. Tears.

That kind of silence is hard to perform. But our actors delivered.

🩸 The Kitchen Aftermath

Shooting the scene where The Man cradles the bodies of his wife and child was emotionally draining — for everyone.

The set was quiet. You could hear the camera hum. Some crew members looked away behind the monitor. We let the take run longer than we planned, because there was something incredibly human happening in that moment.

No words. Just raw grief.

That’s what LIKE WOE is, at its core — not a film about violence, but about what it leaves behind.

🛋 Therapy and the Fragile Thread of Hope

The final scene — in the therapist's office — was our last day of shooting. We scheduled it that way on purpose.

We wanted to end with light.

After all the darkness, blood, and silence, we shot in a warm, sun-filled room with birds chirping outside. The actor brought it full circle, with sadness in his eyes, but this time, he wasn't alone.

The therapist didn’t say much, but they didn’t have to. The simple act of listening was enough.

🎬 What We Carried

During production, it became clear that this film was more than a script. It opened conversations about grief, mental health, cycles of trauma, and resilience. Cast and crew brought their own stories to the table. And we treated the material with care because, honestly, it felt sacred.

By the end of each shoot day, we weren’t just tired — we were emotionally wrung out.

And that’s how I knew we were doing something meaningful.

Final Thoughts

LIKE WOE was never about spectacle. It was about quiet truths, and how grief lives in the corners of our lives. During production, we didn’t rush. We sat with the pain. We leaned into the stillness. And we gave every character — even the broken ones — a chance to be seen.

Looking back, I’m grateful. Not just for the project, but for the people who helped bring it to life with honesty and heart.

Because in the end, LIKE WOE isn’t just about death. It’s about the small, stubborn hope that somehow — with time, care, and healing — we might learn to live again.

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