Lights, camera, action!

At last, after long and stressful days of hassles and hurdles, tomorrow we restart filming "Gloria del Pacífico".

It is maybe not good timing date-wise for holidays in the army are approaching (they are already celebrating and it interferes with my schedules (or mine with theirs) and finding common time and space for both parties is a battle itself. But finally orders are orders and tomorrow is soil, heat, thirst and sun burning again.

Worth waiting for the sunnier weather. Continuity reasons.
Send us strength, people!

Strength

Filming day approaches and doing all the coordinations and planning for it is as always, a steep climb uphill and headache. Was missing retaking my film and the adrenaline it feels but, it is also nightmare doing stuff this size and specially trying to pull together many things like the army (and it's erratic times), hundreds of extras and it's wardrobe, thousands of blank-bullets making, actors schedules (that sometimes clash with their own agendas), transportation and all the expenses it involves to make it happen in the same time and space. And now that holidays approach its even worse!!

I truly love this film but it is in reality a true huge mind-boggling thing to put together. There are times or days like now that I just wish I could close my eyes and have it all come together as I envision it in a second. But until the day I get granted magic powers, I have to do it all alone, one by one and in its pace so it is done as professionally as it has been so far. This truly sucks my whole time and drains me emotionally with all the hurdles and dilemmas that I have to solution in tight time-frames. But when I see the results in the trailer and the footage on my editing station...it's all worth it.
The nation deserves it.

Last night, while attending the last day of a theater play of some good friends of mine (who also appear on my film) that takes place in the Presbitero Maestro cemetery, as I waited to be seated, I walked toward the Guerra del Pacifico hero's pantheon crypt. Never been there before and not even at night, but it was a good experience. If only they knew all the efforts I'm doing to make their sacrifice worth in the minds and eyes of the new generations of Peruvians. I called for their strength for they also faced hurdles involving hundreds of people. Maybe they are sending me light and strength from heaven all these time.

I want to finish this soon. I love my film and I truly need a break: physically and emotionally. Still a few months away from doing the last scene.

Trailer "Voces en el Silencio"

Made a trailer for the film I did last month "Voces en el Silencio".
Seems it will be turned into a feature lengh one and we are in the talks for it.

Now, back to do the filming schedule for "Gloria del Pacífico".

Now....retaking "Gloria del Pacífico"

At last, the weather is changing. It's getting warmer around Lima. The morro solar and surroundings aren't as cloudy as before. No drizzle or rain neither.

Time to warm up the engines and retake the film.

Running inventory of the hundreds of uniforms and soldier accessories. Checking scenes and continuity in order to make prior takes from months ago connect with what's to be filmed.

November....up in arms again!

"Cortos de Vista" film festival (videos below)

"Cortos de Vista" vol. IV film festival. It was good to be back in Chiclayo and this time for this important event. And when I say important I do mean it. Every film festival is important for it's a showcase of many talents coming together to do art and give out a message.

It is curious what happens in a festival. Usually, because most of the participants are new people in the field or university students, the quality -technical and content wise- fluctuate between hilarious, amateur and heart-touching. This one isn't the exception but for some films.
It is so good to notice that many young people -in comparison to other festival I had the chance to jury- are more aware of how films need to be made, how to give out a message with just images and less words, how to instill a sensation in the audience with a topic. Perhaps it's the consequence of the media nowadays, the many channels of information as TV or the internet that allows people to know and learn quicker than before. We all capture our surroundings faster than before. We are always heading into a fast-paced future.

Festivals like this are also a chance to talk to young filmmakers about the ins and outs, the hands-in-the-mud rules of thumb or idiosyncrasies of the field that they don't teach you at film school or in books. Sharing one's experiences in order to avoid or spare the new filmmakers errors or hurdles that otherwise could mean loss of money or the total flop of their films.

I believe it's important to give a push and promote proper production to higher standards in film her in Peru and these is one opportunity to do it.

I congratulate all the people involved, the promoters and all for the invitation. It is always good to have a chance to do right for this beautiful field that is Film-making.

Meeting with the rector of the university

Local TV interview

Members of the jury

Discussing the scores

Giving away the prizes

Showcasing "Voces en el Silencio" on the big screen for the first time.

Tallking to the audience at the film festival.

Giving a seminar to Media students and new filmmakers.

Giving a seminar to Media students and new filmmakers.

With the rector.

Finished editing!

Finally finished editing "Voces en el Silencio".
It ended being just a bit above 30 minutes long so it falls into the category of a medium-length film. Rushed the color-correction process just to be in time for the festival I've been invited to to be a jury, for it will be shown there at the end as a special premiere (not the official one and not in competition either as I can't be a jury of something I did in the festival). As soon as I get back home I'll tweak it a bit more.

I'm flying today to Chiclayo for the Cortos de Vista film festival to be a jury. Flight leaves at 6:20pm and it's almost 3. Better rush to the airport!

PS: Lost the flight. The people that bought the ticket forgot to do the proper check-in in time. Catching the next flight available. Bit upset for I haven't slept well in a month. Three hour naps everyday isn't good.

Short film "Voces en el Silencio" finished. Now editing...

Finally, the short film is done and in the editing process. Have to rush it and finish it quick by the 16th as it's gonna be taken to Greece for a a latinamerican Tourism congress and this one is on the agenda.

Sleepless nights again...
Deadline approaching.

This video was put together by our soundman Alejjandro. Thanks for putting this together, man. I feel sad and have that "last day of school" sensation.

"Voces en el Silencio" almost done.

Almost done filming "Voces en el Silencio". One more week and principal photography is ready to be edited.
This short film project has been a blow of fresh air to my frantic schedule filming "Gloria del Pacifico", specially because filming big locations and with lots of soldiers and logistics and locations can be quite draining and extenuating, but this is like going back to basics. Not that it's easy but each film has it's own demands and "Voces.." is quite simpler and because of that, quite more calmer in a way.

I have to thank Carlos Vertiz and Juana Herrera -beautiful couple- that called me on-board with this project of theirs and trusted me for this job. I have not only learned how delicate and important to address is this topic of human trafficking but also strengthen my vision about life and about how important is to make your own dreams come true. This is their dream and I'm happy to help them make it a reality.

Yesterday friday, finally slept at my own bed after spending a whole week at Callao in a hotel with all production stuff filming in dangerous locations but with the help of police security. Sadly, one day was lost because of a power shortage  in all three blocks of the surrounding area five minutes before filming (and the neighbors thought it was us who spoiled it), but this week we went at it again and finally made the scene work.

Now, finishing the new article for next month's issue of MAS magazine and on to work for next weeks filming.

PS: Weather is finally changing little by little. It's cold at night but the days are becoming warmer and sunnier and not so cloudy. Can't wait to have clear skies and sunnier atmosphere again up at the Morro Solar to finally return to filming "Gloria del Pacifico". This foggy weather and drizzle wasn't allowing me.

My new article in MAS magazine

My new article in the MAS magazine this month. Good to be able to talk and share stuff with others.

Alternate project: "Voces en el Silencio" - a public awareness short film

Ok, finally a bit more time to write after many long weeks.
This month of September has been quite difficult to film anything related about the film as the weather is quite nasty regarding fog and drizzle. Compared to other years, this one has prolonged days of semi dark foggy days that cover all Lima and the Morro Solar (where I'll shoot the Morro de Arica siege) simply disappears most of the day in a puffy cloud of white fog. Same as almost two months ago when driving up there to re-check the location. You couldn't see past 30 meters! Can't see the ocean below...nothing!

So I decided to put those scenes on hold for this month as all the remaining takes and scenes regarding soldiers and battle are outdoors and at the top of the morro. No use in shooting now. Would be simply a waste of my time and most of it all, my money. Just letting this month pass. This next month of October will be much better to restart filming "Gloria del Pacifico".

Now, I'm setting in motion an alternate project for only this month that was being just "in-talks" for the last two months and a half together with my good friend and actor Carlos Vertiz (who plays Francisco Bolognesi on my film) and his wife. They approached me with this topic that they have been involved in for quite a time now and which they have a theater play even: the human sexual exploitation and trafficking. In this case it's covered how very young girls are picked up or sold by their parents in the highlands and/or jungle towns by people who promise them a better life in the capital, only to make them later street prostitutes and drug users to control them. A totally sad but thruthfull fact that happens not only here but also in other nearby countries as studied and shared by people who works in Tourism departments and offices here in Peru for decades. I proposed them to make a short film to show and make audiences conscious of what is really going on behind doors with tourists that come from abroad to do activities that are not only unlawful but also damaging to a kids life. Now....it's been approved and the filming wheels are set in motion. :)

Have been reuniting with key people in this field of tourism and police for the last month and I'm proud to be a part of this amazing team of excelent human beings who are taking a step forward and do soemthing about this horrible reality. So sad to know how young girls are depraved of their normal raising and growing and be exploited sexually since their early teens, damaging sometimes for good their psyque and health by contracting STD's and not being able to re-enter society normally as they are brainwashed to think there's no escape from that life they had.

I feel proud to be doing something about it. Even if small but doing it as professional as it can be for this film is being taken to Greece this next month to be showned in an international symposium regarding this topic. So i'm in a rush to finish it quickly.

On a side note, it is really a pleasure to work with new actors and also some of the tops names here in the Peruvian industry like Reynaldo Arenas and Teddy Guzman. They surely give this project a high value. Nice to work again with Reynaldo after a long time. Thank you Carlos Vertiz for sharing this project with me.

So...even with this horrible pharyngitis I got, this project is progressing fine and giving it all with my team of people in order to finish it in time for the symposium and then restart again filming "Gloria del Pacifico" in october.

I hope the weather is clearer and sunnier by that time. 35% more left and I'm finished with my so awaited dream war-epic film!