Behind the Scenes: Belladonna Cove | Episode 5.1

Geoff and Connor reacting to the match

Every now and then I have the urge to build a time machine, return to a certain period in my life and then slap myself silly. Alas, I’m quite dumb, so I cannot invent such a machine. (It would be nice though!)

But why do you want to slap yourself silly? you would most probably ask.

Well, I would respond, in this episode I somehow forgot about Ramir’s wants.

What do you mean?

Ramir got his wish, to throw a party (and then have a great party), but I forgot to check and then fulfil his wants during the party. And this is just strange because I’m normally so focused on a sim’s wants. At least Ramir and his friends had a good time. Let’s just say that when I recorded the episode, it was warm, and my brain was melting! (It was a warm day, to be honest with you, but not sizzling hot. I refuse to record an episode when it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the roof!)

There’s something else I’ve noticed.

The editing process is becoming easier or perhaps I’ve found a routine I’m comfortable with. A routine that makes sense. But I’m pretty sure that I don’t have to edit for as long as I used to with the earlier episodes. Well, it still takes a few hours (I haven’t timed the process, and I don’t think I want to time it because, before I start editing, I’ll be conscious of how long it takes to edit an episode, and then I’ll be all grumble, grumble this is going to take a while) but I honestly like seeing the episode come together.

I like reliving moments that made me gasp, that made me say, “Oh my goodness!”

It just makes me grin!

While editing, I’d wonder how viewers would respond to something unexpected. I’d wonder which moment would be perfect for the thumbnail (I complained on Twitter a while back that thumbnails are annoying) but I’d also know (just know it in my gut) that this moment or that scene is just not important so it can be thrown away. And then, there are moments where I ask myself why did I do that, frame a shot like that or forget to fulfil Ramir’s wants?

Yeah, I think this was the episode that made me shake my head at myself.

Before I forget, I do want a pregnant sim (I’m including men in this category, because I hope that one of my male sims eventually has an alien baby) to have a baby shower. But because most of the sims don’t have connections in the first round and because I’m still getting to know the sims, I think that baby showers will only occur in round 2. I say that because Ana doesn’t really know anyone – and she’ll be popping soon. I can’t wait for the new baby!

And one last thing: I mention CC food occasionally – I say occasionally, but I think I’ve mentioned CC food in 2 episodes so far and we have 10 episodes in total right now. But, let me get to my point (yes, I’m laughing at myself right now as I type this, get to the point!) I just remembered that I have pregnancy food, and I’m grumbling at myself that I didn’t have Ana prepare that! I did like seeing the tomato soup with rice (it can be found in this set over here) but Ana should have prepared one of the pregnancy foods (found in the same set as the tomato soup). She should have!

Oh well, hopefully I’ll get to do that with a different pregnant sim!