Juan Carlos Oganes' film-making and work blog.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

More civilian wardrobe and Bolivian uniforms



The final row of wardrobe and uniforms.
This time for several civilian scenes in my film and also the Bolivian officers uniforms that fought in the battle of Alto del Alianza.

Got more civilian wardrobe pics to upload soon.

One man's trash is another man's riches




This is a funny world we live in. And it's true what they say that when a door closes, a window opens.

I went early today to Huachipa, a place several kilometers out of Lima to an old brick factory that isn't working anymore. I was told it could be a possible location. It turned out it wasn't what I was expecting.

I noticed though huge amounts of litter around the area. But, oh surprise! What seemed like piles and piles of garbage were actually hundreds or thousands of used plastic sacks. Not the household type but the strong ones used to carry fruit in supermarket tracks. It was JUST what I was looking for to make the sandbags for the barrack lines!

I searched everywhere for months for sandbags but the only ones made in bulk lately around here are plastic polyethylene ones colored in white, yellow and black. Not the ones made of sand colored fabric just like in the old days. Found one actually but they are quite pricey for a bag and I need like 3,000 so...you do the math. I didn't want to spend some thousands of Soles in sandbags. Besides, these look used and worn out, just as I need them to be.

A light-bulb turned on over my head as I saw many around the size I was looking for. I asked the people in charge of the place to give me 2000 and they agreed. I plan then to build the sandbag piled barracks on the field and spray-paint them sand color. Age them and voila!.... all set and at just 90% off of the price I'd pay by buying them elsewhere.

I did tipped them well, though.

Could only pack 500 in my car. Going back now to get the rest with a bigger truck.

God truly has some mysterious ways. Specially now when the film is over-budgeting considerably and I need to save as much as possible. Only little left. It's my pocket, you know.
I thank you, God!

UPDATE: Went to pick up 1450 sacks more. Now I have like 2000 approximately to make the sandbags and trenches.