My First Time on a Movie Set | Behind the Scenes of I Owe You

By: Jasmine Cox

What I Learned My First Time on a Movie Set

There are moments in life that unexpectedly open your eyes to a world you knew little about—and for me, that moment came when I stepped onto my very first movie set.

I met Evan in the middle of November, and while talking with him, he let me know he was a movie director. We kept in contact, and eventually he invited me to the set of his movie, I Owe You.

I had never been to a movie set before, so to say I was excited would be an understatement.

Evan gave me the filming location, and after work I made my way there. By the time I arrived, they were already filming the last few scenes of the day. At first, I stood back and admired everything from a distance—but Evan made sure I came closer so I could really be part of what was happening.

What I witnessed was eye-opening.

The scene being filmed involved two actors, an assistant director, the director, sound, and videography—all outside in the cold, with no jackets, fully committed to getting the shot right. It wasn’t a huge production crew, but what they were doing was incredibly impactful.

One of the biggest things I learned was how filmmaking actually works.

My first time on a movie set opened my eyes to the discipline, teamwork, and creativity that filmmaking truly requires.

I realized that although a scene may look simple on screen, it has to be filmed from multiple directions, multiple angles, and repeated several times to make sure every shot is captured correctly. Before seeing it firsthand, I honestly thought movies were mostly done with overhead cameras or some giant production setup. Instead, what I saw was one camera, different angles, the same scene repeated with consistency and precision until it was right.

That process fascinated me.

I arrived toward the end of their shooting day, meaning this team had already been working for hours—but the energy was still focused, professional, and sharp.

As they prepared for the next scene, I watched the assistant director make sure actors and extras had everything they needed. This was also the moment where everyone gathered together—reviewing lines, discussing the scene, understanding their roles, and getting locked in mentally before filming.

Everything had purpose.

Every movement.

Every instruction.

Every setup.

I was genuinely impressed by the level of professionalism. Everyone was attentive, informative, and there to work.

While the team prepared, lighting was being adjusted and placed carefully to make sure the scene looked its best on camera. Evan moved through the set making sure everyone’s placement was correct, that timing was understood, and that the entire production was ready before calling action. He also made sure everyone on set was good before getting started—which spoke volumes about his leadership.

And I have to say this:

One of my favorite parts of the entire experience was seeing that everyone there was Black.

That meant something to me.

Seeing Black creatives, Black professionals, Black excellence—working together, building something, creating art, and doing it with professionalism—was powerful.

That brought me joy.

Then came the next scene:

Lights.

Camera.

Action.

This scene took place in a barbershop and centered around one actor asking another actor for money, promising he would pay it back. Watching that same scene happen four or five times, from different angles and setups, I slowly found myself becoming part of the process.

I helped where I could—making sure doors were opened or closed when needed, resetting things back in place, and simply being available as support. I also took a few pictures and videos for memories—because it was my first movie set experience, and I had to capture that moment.

As filming came to an end, the team reviewed what they had accomplished and felt confident they had captured everything—lighting, acting, sound, and all the angles needed.

It was a wrap.

And what happened next stayed with me:

The team embraced each other.

They showed gratitude.

They celebrated one another.

They showed love.

Watching that was warming to my heart because Black joy—real Black joy—is always amazing to witness.

I’m grateful Evan invited me into his world for that experience.

I thank his team for being welcoming, professional, and kind.

Seeing our own do things that others sometimes believe we cannot do—it brings me personal joy. To see us inspired, creating, leading, and building through Black excellence is something powerful.

I wish everyone involved continued success.

And I look forward to supporting even more in the future.

— Jasmine Cox

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