As the date to go back to Tacna again gets closer, many things start to not work out well. From overprized costs to carry my wardrobe to weigh problems with the sacks and bags we are gonna carry into the truck. And to top it all off, lodge and local transport has kinda failed and need to find other options fast before we go in a few!
I thank the Lord I managed to get an sponsor to carry the crew to Tacna and back but they wouldn't take our equipment. "Too risky" -they stated, for they thought things were delicate and could get broken during the land trip. I explained that it's just wardrobe. Our film equipemnt like cameras and monitors will go with us as hand baggage. Still they only allow us 20 of those sacks....and we got like 50!
This weekend I drove around downtown for hours looking for an alternative transportation to take our stuff without weigh or size issues....and I think I found one after many days of hassling and negotiating today. I just hope it is safe and secure. It is really a lot of wardrobe (500 + uniforms plus accesories) and equipment.
These days have been between doing inventory to checking and helping with the making of 86 rifel replicas that resemble the Grass model the Chileans used during the battle of Alto del Alianza. So far it does look good. Pedro Nuva, being a hobbyist armorer himself, helped us all by putting the cannon, trigger and loading mechanism onto 86 rifle wood bodies I got myself for this.
I am happy with the results. They will look good on film during battle scenes and they are resistand to beating and hard hits. I hope they dont break during the scenes. Extras get wild after many takes between bullets and close fights. The adrenaline it is.
Now, all is almost ready to go back to to our heroic southern city.
Tacna, here we come!
UPDATE: Seems like I finally found another lodging place for us all to stay. It's almost 3am and just got back a positive reply. Still working and sleepy as hell....but we got a place to stay finally! A door closes and a window opens :)
Packing till late hours of the night. |
The rifles. |
So much to take to Tacna. |
Pedro showing the prop rifles. |
The rifle cannons paint-drying before getting attached to my wood rifle bodies. |
Working hard: the noble ones. |
Pedro and his craftsmanship. A good friend. |
Pedro and his workshop. |
Tightening the cannon to the rifle wood body. |
Looking credible. |
The parts in mid assembly. |
First tests. |
Inventory. |
The rifle wood bodies I got myself. |
First work-in-progress without painting yet. Looking good. |
The real ones to mimick. |