Question about using real food on set

I was working on a low budget indie film in Austin last week, and the director insisted we use real spaghetti for a dinner scene. Everyone said it was the only way to get the look right, but I disagreed. We shot the scene three times, and by the third take, the noodles were a soggy mess under the hot lights. The sauce had soaked in, making them look flat and gross. I had to run to a craft store and buy some fake plastic spaghetti for $15, which we painted with thinned-out sauce. It held up perfectly for the rest of the day. Sometimes the 'real' thing just doesn't work for the camera. Has anyone else had to push back on using real perishables for a prop?

2 comments

2 Comments

sarahsullivan8d ago

Consider how much this actually matters for a low-budget film.

stone.evan8d ago

My buddy's indie film got into a festival because the sound was clean, which is what you're saying, @sarahsullivan. That one thing mattered more than the fancy camera they couldn't afford.