Juan Carlos Oganes' film-making and work blog.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Andres Avelino Caceres and the Coraceros de Daza scenes

Getting close to film completion.

Three more scenes (that aren't simple though) and a few more for transition between scenes together with chromakey shots and its a wrap everybody!

I brought "Gato" Zapata from Tacna to finish up some scenes with his character Crl, Andres Avelino Cáceres. Some battle scenes were shot back in November 2012 at Tacna and a few close up ones were needed. For they were close up ones, we had to do makeup much tidier.

Caceres lead the Zepita N. 2 batallion at the battle of Alto del Alianza in Tacna back in 1880. The film opens with this battle and his appearance -as one of the most important military icons and heroes of Peru- is simply a must. This cameo is short but memorable to all who knowswho's who and who fought where.

Again, shot up north of Lima where we used to film for about 5 months mid 2012.

Also, this was the first time we shot a few takes of the Coraceros de Daza bolivianos, a cavalry regiment consisting of armored horsemen that wore heavy metal-plated armor taken from the Napoleon times. In fact, Bolivia bought around 50 or more (getting that fact correct) of those to France and had them embedded with their country's sun insignia in the chest. To those who find it odd to see such type of horsemen with looks that belong to a prior era, might find it interesting and may suggest further reading about Coraceros in general here: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coraceros

On another personal note, very sad to not find my beloved lamb who used to make my stay there more pleasurable. She's been taken away and thinking on what could've been her destiny breaks my heart.

Happy to see the metal-plated construction worked! Coraceros de Daza.
Applying makeup to a bolivian Coracero.
A bolivian Coracero (picture: Patricio Greve)

Zepita No. 2
Carlos Zapata as Cáceres leading the Zepita batallion.


Wardrobe.


The actors and extras at Puente Piedra.

Cáceres.

Starting characterization. Applying the beard hair.

Spirit gum. Step two.

Tinting the fake hair to get a more natural looking tone.

Makeup done: Cáceres is ready to roll!



Thursday, April 25, 2013

Editing "Gloria del Pacífico" and a surprise chilean visit

Began editing "Gloria del Pacifico" already. Still some 10 scenes away from total completion but have already sufficient material to start editing. Been doing it for the last 3 weeks.

I'm showing it to only a few thse first scenes and can;t hold back my joy to know its getting in shape pretty well and that it awes the viewer. Showed it also to Enrique Robles, chilean military historian who contacted me a few weeks ago because of the interview I had in the chilean newspaper La tercera and Radio Coorporación. To hear him saying that its superior to what's been done in his own country really sparks a sense of sane achievement, specially knwoing that its been made without any government support nor outside invesment but only my own pocket. Putting heart, soul and life into this has cost me my own health even so....its starting to pay in the end little by little.

Editing "Gloria del Pacífico"

Enrique Robles's visit.

His words in the books he brought me as gifts.