Soap Opera “La Isla Bonita” to Be Filmed on Ambergris Caye

Do you ever feel like life in Belize is a soap opera?   I’ve often thought that the island in particular provides an amazing amount of material for a soap or even a reality show..The Real House Wives of San Pedro perhaps?

Stuff like people disappearing without a trace…everyone here seemingly related to one another…certain guys with 6 different baby mamas…wife swapping & swinging…anything relating to John McAfee…it’s the very fodder of the truly great telenovelas.

So it seemed more than PERFECT when I saw the announcement that a local production company (Make-Belize Films) was casting a soap about San Pedro called “La Isla Bonita”.

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Good name…but I feel like it could have been better.   As the Coconut Turns?  The Young and the Rastas?   Back A Town?  Again.  Something for me to work on.  And comment if you have any clever suggestions!

This production’s tag line?  “San Pedro, Ambergris Caye is the perfect setting for a telenovela (soap opera), a beautiful tropical island filled with intrigue, passion and secrets.”  This I love.  Local actors with no experience needed?  This is the recipe for complete disaster or complete genius.

I had to stop in to see the try outs.  Yesterday they were casting people of all ages, Belizeans and non-Belizeans, speakers of English, Kriol and Spanish.  Would the hopefuls be in full stage make-up with extra red lipstick?  Would the men be wearing tight tank tops with extra chest hair?  Would someone be wearing a eye patch and a parrot on his shoulder?

This kind of thing doesn’t happen often around here.  Surely the line will be around the corner.  Here is what I found at the Town Council building at 9:45am, 15 minutes before the auditions were slated to begin.

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No one.  But then people started trickling in.

Vying for the role of the romantic lead.  Both willing to rip their shirts off in the try-out if needed.

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This lady was partaking in a bit of liquid courage.IMG_2642

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Everyone was asked to fill out a simple form…

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And then just wait until it was his or her turn.  Sisters from Belize City.

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Camera shy as usual, I chose to take pictures outside and then quiz everyone about what happened.

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In the end, just a bunch of regular folks who thought it would be fun to be on TV.  No costumes, no over the top make-up…just a little test of your acting chops.

Each person was asked to act out a scenario in as many languages (English, Spanish and Kriol) as he or should could.  Scenarios used were:  you are on a crowded beach, you see a shark and need to get everyone out of the water.  Or you are a bank teller and the bank is being robbed.  Or, you are asked to propose to the camera man.

Take a look at the website above for Make-Belize Films.  For me, rather than answer (hobby or business?) my questions it raised so many more.  I think I have quite a bit of investigative work to do here.

I can’t wait to find out more about this project.

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