One way Whedon explored the pasts and personalities of the Avengers is through the dream sequences resulting from the Scarlet Witch's psychic attacks. It's a pretty clever narrative device, because not only does it allow for these dream sequences, it also explains the Witch's power and shows how much of a threat she is. It also allows for some Black Widow backstory, who has yet to have her own film or any major character development. However, according to Whedon, the execs disliked the dream sequences, and Whedon had to fight to keep them. According to Entertainment Weekly, he was only given one day to film each sequence. This may not seem like that much, and it isn't: many people, parts, and places need to be coordinated in order to film each scene. The less time for coordination, the more difficult filming becomes. Of course, Marvel had more misery in store for the Buffy creator.
