Another TV interview at No Culpes A La Noche

No Culpes a la Noche TV show with Mathias Brivio tonight at Canal N. Thirty-minute interview and able to talk more things about Gloria del Pacifico.

Editing the Hero's Oath and Bolognesi's Answer scenes

A few days ago I just finished editing the scene known in history as the "Hero's Oath" (Juramentación de los Heroes), event that happened in real life on May 28, 1880, two days after the Alto de la Alianza battle and ten days before the Morro's siege. The curious thing is that now -october 2013- I'm editing scenes shot back in January 2011...two and a half years later!!

Editing & Post-Production: the final stage.

It is indeed a long but important scene and moment in the development of Gloria del Pacifico's storyline and in the war itself. Any history buff will enjoy as much as I did seeing all the heroes sitting next to each other in a big table dining and discussing possible scenarios and strategies. Also important in it is that Crl. Agustin Belaunde pissed off everyone by stating that it would be better to surrender. An action that caused quite a stir in the other officers and cemented his reputation as a coward in the future (4 days later he would defect Arica and his batallion and escape into the night). Such a pleasure to have actor Juan Manuel Ochoa portray this character in all its glory.

Screen capture: Crl. Agustin Belaunde (Juan Manuel Ochoa)

Preapring the shot.

Today, just started editing the Bolognesi's Answer scene (La Respuesta de Bolognesi) and excited to give form and shape to one of peruvian history's most recognized and heroic moment ever giving birth to the most known phrase of all time: "I have sacred duties to fulfill and I'll fulfill them until I burn the last cartridge" (Tengo deberes sagrados que cumplir y los cumpliré hasta quemar el último cartucho).

This scene gives me such an emotion as it's probably the culprit of all I'm doing this for: Fatherland sense renewal and renovation of our heroes's deeds.

The dining scene.

Behind the scenes: The heroe's oath: an important scene.

Being part of history in a way here....

Screen capture: Bolognesi's answer scene: a paramount moment.

Behind the scenes: Filming the answer scene.

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!

Alto del Alianza final scenes

Making this post is still hard for me for looking at this images not only makes me proud of the achievement of such beautiful images created by us all: great actors, awesome tech crew, wonderful extras and the Army and my best visual effort put in it, but also the memories of my gone fellow friend. But as my colleagues and friends say, the show must go, for years of paramount effort and tireless months and months of non-stop hurdles and victories have been placed on this film. His effort and all of ours. A personal dream that I can say I share with many people that has worked with me to make it true and real.

The last battle scenes to be shot for the film.
Now with all the post-production and digital effects put in it looks something like this:

Retpuching Caceres' make -up.

Water distribution to all extras.

The burning sun.

Chilean infantry.

"Everybody down!"-shouted the chilean officer.

The heat was strong.

Explaining actor moves.

The camera rig.

Applying fake two-day beard to all extras.

Pepe playing chilean colonel Pedro Lagos.

Pedro as a peruvian infantry officer.

Andres A. Caceres warming up.

Caceres before a saber swing.

Josue, long-time extra as a chilean soldier.

The hand-held shots.

Good ol' extras and friends Cesar and Gustavo.

Mariano Santos and the Guardias de Arequipa.

Explaining moves to the chilean Carabineros de Yungay.

Chasing the Carabineros de Yungay. Front: Bolivian Colorados.

Army officers in charge of their soldiers as I explain the scenes.

The extras.

More explanation. Chilean Carabineros de Yungay and Cazadores del Desierto.

The Tacna-Arica train station sunset just after we were done.

Showing scenes to the extras.

The train scenes.

Chilean soldiers before leaving to Arica.

Break time with Col. Pedro Lagos.

Screen capture: Carabineros de Yungay.

Screen capture: Mariano Santos.

Screen capture: Chilean officers.

Screen capture: Infantry charge.

Screen capture: the battle at its best.

Screen capture: Caceres saber swing move.

Screen capture: chilean troops charge.