Designing the Cochrane bunker

Now on location in the outskirts north of Lima.
Been away from here some days before the holidays and now back. All dusty like if we've been away for weeks. So dusty and windy here that even a day we don't clean and it's all covered in a thin layer of dust.

This next days beginning tomorrow will be mostly of artillery takes and close-up shots of Krupp, Voruz and Parrot cannons firing and the soldiers operating them while being shot down by the enemy.
Also designing now the bunker (in spanish called "casamata") inside the Cochrane for the scene where chilena navy soldiers operate and fire the Armstrong cannons against the peruvian Manco Capac and also the one where one shot from More's artillery at the top of the morro (scene filmed in february this year) hit the Cochrane and entered inside the bunker, injuring 27 chileans and putting the Cochrane out of the game for a long while.

It will take me days to finish building the bunker and hope to do it by this weekend. Hate to spend a lot of resources for a scene that is so short in the final film but necessary for it connects to a consequence that is important and relevant for the story to be understood (apart from being a fact historically).

So, almost midnight and so tired after cleaning, sitting here and designing the bunker.
Tomorrow, artillery shots all day round.

All these details will have to be covered.

Cochrane navy soldiers.

Good news: Navy is in

Happy again for I got good news to share.

As many who follow my blog would know, last year I also contacted the Navy for support by supplying ships that still kept the look and feel of 19th century. It wasn't much but initially they said yes but backed away in the end. It definitely was the opinion of someone in the higher spheres of the Institution that didn't get it. Decided to drop the issue right there.

But that was last year before I even started filming. This new year, some friends insisted that I rekindled talks with them as it is now new people who make the decisions. So I did and made a stop while filming to met with officers in the Navy headquarters a couple months ago.
Today, I just got in my hands a formal document stating they do like my project and mission and are deciding to support me.

Sometimes, good things come late...but they come.
I am glad that I can add now the Navy in my list of helpers and supporters. Regardless of being a personal project or a personal dream, I consider this film to be important also for the nation so having the ones who are in a way supposed to help jumping on the wagon, quite something to be happy about.

:)

More Peruvian and Chilean officer hats.

Finished two more hats for Baquedano and Lagos.
I had already made those like a month and a half ago but I'm making two more for some important characters as during battle scenes and filming they can get worn out or damaged. Filming in disorder sometimes allows continuity inconsistencies to happen so, this is my way of making sure none of that happens and get all accidents covered.

Also made four Navy hats. One for Guillermo More, one for Sanchez Lagomarsino (Ship-of-the-line Captains and Frigate Lieutenant respectively) and two more for lesser rank officers.

Tomorrow I'll finish hats for an Infantry Sargent and a Captain.
So far, looking good!

UPDATE: Here are two more hats for a sublieutenant and an lieutenant colonel.

UPDATE: Finished more forage caps: One for a Chilean colonel and another for the Granaderos a Caballo regiment.

Navy hat prototype

Now, having all the 36 out of 40 hats almost ready, got the prototype of the navy ones made yesterday.
It does look similar to the one shown in the Naval Museum so far. I spent the whole night working on it and putting on the adornments until it looked fine. I probably need a little sleep after this job as my weird drowsy face probably shows.

The Hats

This last two weeks have been frantic running here and there in search for the best hat maker.
I showed hat models that I was kindly borrowed by the army museum (was told I was heavily responsible for them if I was to lose or damage any as it is original historic material) but two makers failed me dead flat. Didn't even get close to it's shape...but one guy.

Today I was shown a prototype and it really looks good!
The shape of the frontal top part leaning forward and the bulky backside was achieved and tomorrow I'm hiring the guy to make me 40 officer's hats which the Army officers have the shape of this first pic I'm holding up.

The Navy officers have this one instead. This belonged to Miguel Grau for real.














And the Chilean soldiers that attacked Arica (3ro de Linea) use one that looks similar to this one. The one that is used by the 4rto de Linea is kinda similar in shape but with a neck cover and it's all beige/and color.

Got a cool idea

This last weekend, as I was rewriting the script part where Guillermo Moore has his flashbacks when he runs aground the "Independencia", I figured it would be more dramatic if I showed the moment as the metal and wooden walls of the ship brake apart letting sea water rush in.

First, dropped by the Navy Museum to check on scale models of the real ships and see what type of structure was needed to make it look real. Admiral Casaretto heard my idea and was nice to offer some suggestions. I told him my plan to have the aerial shots of the ship be done either CGI or scale model and/or a mixture of both. Im still looking for a good CGI guy who can pull this off fine. Computer work its either done good or not done. Cheap CGI looks ridiculous.

Later, dropped by the Navy Base and called Commander Llosa to ask him if the old ship I went to days ago had compartments that could be filled with water. He suggested some others that could work for the idea. Also some training center the Navy has to teach and train marines Damage Control. Finally, after checking it...it seems I will be able to make this scene work!!

Like Hannibal Smith used to say: "I love it when a plan comes together!" (by the way, the 2010 A-Team adaptation is coming out to theaters now. Mmm...the good ol' 80's).
:)

The "Independencia" ship scale model.


Guillermo Moore













More work still...and 2 months aprox before filming starts.

BAP Ferré at Navy Base

Guillermo Moore, one of the Naval heroes in the Pacific War had one incident that haunted his last days of existence: the sinking of the Peruvian battleship under his command: BAP Independencia. As it's told in history, while chasing the Chilean ship Covandonga, it hit an undersea rock that wasn't in the nautical charts and it run aground. The smaller Covadonga -noticing this- turned around and began to bomb the ship taking it out completely. Commander Moore after this incident, was under the spotlight politically and was sued for losing the ship. Being infamous for it, he looked for ways to clean his name of shame thru dangerous endeavors that would salvage his honor. That's why he was stationed in Arica and fought in this battle where he lost his life next to Bolognesi.

My script involves some scenes where he has flashbacks recalling those moments when he run aground. I needed then an old ship that I could alter to make it look like one of that era.

My friend, Commander Juan Carlos Llosa, suggested me to give a check to the old Peruvian battleship BAP Ferré stationed in the Naval Base of Callao. It's years since I've been there so, it will be fun to be back and see the gigantic destroyers and ships. I drove around slowly and felt some kind of national pride to see how many good ships we have and in good conditions. Of course the one's I was seeing here were just some of the many around the coasts of Peru in naval bases and in deep sea assignments.
Anyway...back to BAP Ferré. It's one of the oldest ships around here and being long-time "retired", it's slowly being "cannibalized" and dismantled, leaving just several structures intact that keeps the "look" of the era.

The only bad thing is that this ship is from around World War II not from the 19th century.

I gave it a look in and outside to see what areas could be used if decorated and furbished as the old vessel and found some spaces that I could use.

I think it will be quite a challenge to make things look much older than it already is and recreate the scenes where he is being bombarded by the Covandonga and the water is coming flooding the lower levels of the ship. Here are some pics. to show a glimpse of what I saw aboard. I guess I will have to use CGI for some canon-shot takes and aerial shots.

Getting picky on the uniforms details

The six years of research took me to study even the details of how certain battalions and regiments wore their garments. From similar fabrics (but cheaper of course...the cost of the uniforms is running in the thousands already), to the adornments and the buttons with the Peruvian and Chilean insignia, be it from the army or from the navy.

So far, I got both covered!
Those little things are hard to get. And they are not cheap either.

The Navy is in!

Finally...the Navy said yes!
I got the approval from the commander in chief himself formally!
Now the Police and Navy are on board.

Just to fix some stuff and it's all good.
:)

Time is getting close for filming time!

Meeting with vice-admiral Pizarro

Today I had a scheduled meeting at the Comando Conjunto de la FF.AA. (Peruvian Joint Army Forces) to sit down and talk with a very much recommended person who happens to be in love of history just like me...and specially about the Pacific War: Vice-Admiral Reynaldo Pizarro.

As expected, he understood the hurdles to push this project thru amidst all bureaucratic stages of dealing with government institutions. So he offered strong help on this and even valued the effort to make a film about a topic like this.

Later today he will have a meeting with the Secretary of Defense and will talk with the Army Commander in Chief. He said not to worry that if the army doesn't take participation, the navy will do it alone.
At least I have the Navy and the Police willing to support my battle scenes filming.
And that is really something!
Let's see what happens.

















UPDATE: He talked with the Army Commander in Chief. He says he is willing to help and wants a full report from the Army History Commission. Mmm...I was told he didn't want to help before (according to those two officers that were wrongly handling my project inside).
I can't help but be leery. Let's see what happens.

Strange happenings

Negotiations going pretty well this week.
On Friday I got a call from the Navy telling me advances on their decision and all seems positive so far.

But got a suggestion by them that has developed today into a very unexpected string of meetings with the former institution.

So far, this is pretty interesting but....delicate I must say. And odd.
Tomorrow Tuesday will be full of meetings to...and more interesting I might add.

Mmm....

Civilian wardrobe and locations!

Haven't updated in some days for mostly security reasons (better to keep things private with the navy for now) but all I can say is that I'm happy with the talks so far. Today I got an informal approval stating the head is interested. I'm just keeping my feet on the ground until i get it officially.


Today, I went to check on civilian wardrobe I have ordered a while back and things are developing good so far: full dress uniforms for the high-class people scenes, maids clothing, top hats, sandals and old lady's day dress, gloves, etc.


After that I dropped by an old house under re-construction and renovation that was built around the 1840's. The patios, hallways, rooms and doors/windows are kept intact like it was back then. Talked with the person in charge and got permission to shoot some scenes there also!
The energy felt there was so magical to me...so so magical. I felt like I had transported back to that era. I couldn't help but wonder how many generations of families have lived there...right there: children walking and running around the house while nannies chased and yelled at them to behave, ladies in day dresses with beautiful make up, gentleman in suit pants and neckties, etc. As I looked out the window and saw the main avenue full of cars I imagined like all cross-faded to a cobble-stone street with gentleman and old carriages pulled by horses. Lima of the mid 1800's.

And this means that this house was fully occupied while the war was going on.
Mmm...so beautiful.


So...wardrobe is being worked on.
The project still going strong,
:)