Battleship miniature models for naval scenes

Today I dropped by Alejandro Rodriguez's miniature and model workshop. Having talked for a while already and checked his work online, needed to have a close-up look at his detail handling and workmanship. I have to say he is quite good.

I'm planning on doing the Manco Capac monitor and Covadonga battle ships in a bigger size than usual (about meter and a half long or more) with all full details of rust, bolts and deck to be placed digitally over already filmed sea footage. Perhaps the Cochrane too.

Alejandro was quite a joy to talk to, very humble, very friendly and with lots of knowledge about his craft and naval history. He has not only the chops but the "know-how" to do the job. Was telling me how much identified he feels with my passion on this film and understands my efforts.

Have worked with other miniature models before and miniature battleship filming is going to be quite the challenge so this is gonna be an interesting ride.
Have to work closely with the footage I already have of the ocean and place it to perfection digitally over real and digitally computer-generated water. The digital composite needs to look as real as possible.

The little Manco Capac monitor. I'm ordering a human-size one.

A meter and half long is needed.

The Huascar monitor model.

Ancon battle scenes soon

Getting all ready for the Ancon battle scenes. Being the last large battle scenes to be filmed, pre-production for them is taking a bit longer than usual. Somewhere between 400 to 500 extras plus horses and riders are gonna be used. Seems like I'm going to bring horsemen from another place for I checked on them yesterday and they weren't quite as experienced (and bold) as I want them to be. I understand how much care a horse needs to have but I wish there were riders like the bold ones at Hollywood in the old western movies. Those guys really knew how to make the falls look dangerous and real!

I guess when a film industry actually develops here, a company will appear that provides trained horses and horsemen capable of stunts and dangerous moves.

Like a close friend said: You are pushing the envelope here so far.

Laundry days - Preparing for Ancon scenes

Yesterday and today has been pretty busy days coordinating filming sessions that will happen in Ancón.

Tuesday afternoon we went up to the top of the morro to pick up my stuff (uniforms, canons, equipment, etc) and to destiny -as always- likes to play games: the truck I asked from the army had a malfunction half way up the steep road. But so it seemed. They later sent a mechanic only to discover that it wasnt a malfunction but simply lack of experience of the driver. We finally reached the top and picked up my stuff and came down a few hours later, reaching the place where we are keeping my stuff before taking it to Ancon) at night.

Today has been laundry day. Because new extras are gonna be using the uniforms, we think it is now time for laundry. Starting in mid November 2010, all garments have gathered fake (and real) blood stains, dirt, soil and lots of sweat, making many simply unwearable. So, just a decent wash is in order to take out the excess soil and stains and of course the smell. Starting with the Peruvian uniforms, we did the first hundred or so today. Tomorrow the rest and then on to the Chilean ones.

The idea is to just take off the excess but still keep the dirty look. They are in war time so no cleanliness is expected.

Lucky to have the best team :)

We practically do it all.

Year old stains. Hard to get rid of.

Last days at the morro

Been quite silent for a few weeks for a few reasons: releasing stress, preparing the last scenes at the morro (meetings and coordinations) and also some damn tooth ache that almost killed me! Lol

Finally, these week is the last one at the morro. It has been quite a ride, full of adrenaline, extreme weather changes, dilemmas but above all, quite amazing takes, scenes and performances by the whole cast and crew. I'm very proud for it.

As I look at the pictures and recall all the countless issues that had to be passed to make it happen I can't help it but to enter in deep though. Thought and reflection on perseverance. Like when studying at theater school, my tutors -having a strong japanese discipline- took us while doing physical training, to the the most extremes levels of endurance. We were all skinny during those crazy years for so much sweating and exercise. It was like being in the army. Could not complain but follow indications or u were out. That form of discipline forms character and a certain mystic and respect for your work. There came moments when you couldn't take it anymore and you were about to throw the towel. But if u kept pushing it further you passed a certain type of "threshold" and then....you felt nothing but became the stamina itself. The power itself, the "will" itself.

I guess this is what comes to my mind when I see no stop to all the huge hurdles that we all go thru. Perhaps we pass the "threshold" of endurance against odds and become the endurance itself. Thats why I'm very thankful to all the people involved who put trust and their own endurance and will with me to push this thing forward.

Now again...going up to the top of the morro for last time. Next stop: Ancón deserts for the Alto del Alianza battle scenes (the following scenes to what has been filmed there half a year ago).

Weather is ok. Lots of sun but with a huge smile on my face. :)

With the real heroes :)

Last day at the morro. Watching the sunset.

The hand of God reminding me to keep pushing along.

Another interview for the "Voces en el Silencio" film

Another interview I was in promoting my "Voces en el Silencio" film. This was taken at the Fundación Telefonica's locale a week ago.

It's good to see that the film and the topic is spreading fast in the media. The theme truly needs to be taken into account. We all can do something about it to help these people and stop the trafficking.

New TV pilot show being developed on the side

Something that is being cooked for some weeks now and is slowly becoming reality.
Will be directing a TV pilot for a new show with my friends Angel and Fiorella (who doesn't know Angel's Nicolasa puppet character on TV?). This time will be with new characters that are being developed and want to take puppets to a new level in language use and topics.

Production meeting today at his place and getting things ready to do it in a week. Puppet show on the go!

Good professional friends

With beloved character Nicolasa and her "double"

All four Institutions - One vision.

Im quite happy right now. Exiting the office of the General Director of Police with a smile on my face and a reconfirmation of support toward my film.

Now I can say I count with all the four institutions that not only existed back in 1880 but actually joined forces and fought for our sovereignty during the war.
Army, Navy, Police and Firemen: all together with one vision. This is quite a joy for me.

New scenes coming soon. Just have to solve some dilemmas regarding logistics and transportation of all cannons and arms to a possible new site. Production meetings tonight and the next days to solve those issues. I feel so proud of you, Perú!

"Voces en el Silencio" press conference and interviews

Make a quick drive down the morro on December 28th for I was to be interviewed about the "Voces en el Silencio" film I did a few months ago. Also, a press conference was offered and here are a couple of videos I found online about it. One of them wrote my name incorrectly (missed the letter "S" in my last name). Funny that I had to change into work clothes and go back up to the top of the morro late at night right after the interview. It was foggy again midway up but going that road many times makes it more familiar each time. 

I think there are more interviews coming soon. Will post them as soon as I see them online.

The topic covered needs much promotion and media attention for it is a very deep social dilemma all over the world, specially in third world countries. Hope this gets bigger and bigger. It was quite a cozy moment for all actors involved and specially for my friend Carlos Vertiz and wife Juana, owners of the project. While standing at the back during the premiere of the film in front of the media, I told him "Here's your baby being born before everyone's eyes, Carlos". It is so heartwarming to make a person's dream come true. Even more if I could help him make it a reality. It's like earning a place in heaven above in a way by making a person happy.
























Here's one video link:

http://www.rpp.com.pe/2012-01-03-voces-del-silencio-el-debate-de-la-explotacion-sexual-llevado-al-cine-noticia_437222.html

And another video:

First days of 2012 - Still filming.

Coming down from the morro for a few days of rest and scheduling for the next scenes. January 9, wow. How fast days go by. This past week has been full of a lot of stress (like if there wasn't any....crap!) and many phone arguments with some people I asked to be removed from their positions for attitude reasons. Seems my inquire went ahead as I no longer hear their self-righteous words or complaints anymore. Doing this is stressful enough to even have to bear people like that, so I let them go in the only way that was needed in order for them to get the message straight: loud and straightforward.

Lima is hot these days. And I mean pretty hot. News reports say that it has gone at least as high as 32 C (90 F) aprox. We all could feel the tremendous heat up there as we are all boldly exposed to the sun when the sky is clear. Being the Morro Solar a bit tall (the part we film at is almost 271 mts high (890 ft) and the actual Morro de Arica is around 120 mts (393 ft) making our place somewhat taller than the real scenario but the eye nor the camera can tell those 140 mts in difference. Both places are high anyway, even for a jump (Ugarte), and that's why the weather is quite different from down below in the city. When the sun comes out is quite heavy on us, melting much of any plastic artifact  left exposed and causing sunburn (a huge contrast when I roll my sleeve) and at night, the temp drops a lot and together with high-speed winds and drizzle-fog, the cold sensation increments exponentially.

I quite love filming up there. It's quite away from it all and also close to it all. Driving down to the city to buy food or to pick up the actors has done quite some a damage to my car and today, a mechanic is needed (the front suspension has dropped and the wheel is touching the chassis at every turn, the clutch is making noises, the exhaust pipe is broken making it lose compresion and engine power, the rear door has the handle broken together with my right rear view mirror and there's a lot of soil in the engine). I guess we have to take a few days off to heal our wounds, so to speak.

All in all, this first week has been quite a ride and got myself really good shots and scenes.

Here I put together some small clips and pictures together taken by my directing assistant and other production assistants who has free hands to take some shots (the credit goes to them for those amazing work pictures) to show a bit of how it is all developing. Now....off to the mechanic.

Last day of the year at the morro

Last day of the year spent at the top of the morro. It was mostly artillery blasts and horse jumps. Asked for three horses and someone made the odd selection of sending me in the same truck two females with a "entire" (testicles not removed) male one, affecting many times my filming schedule as the male was very unquiet and running all the time to the females to mount them. It may sound funny to read but realizing that it was done on purpose to bother the guy who I rented the white horse from (because of a personal quarrel by the owner of the other two) bothered not only him but me. Specially when having tight schedules for filming exterior scenes.

Filming at the top of the morro has its advantages and disadvantages. For certain hours there's clear skies with lots of burning sun and then a few hours later it's all covered in fog, cloudy skies and a wind that affects my boom microphone even when having the softie windscreen on. Filming in extreme conditions is quite a hassle and very challenging.

Pushing those heavy cannons up the hill where we film

Pushing those heavy cannons up the hill where we film

Film shot pass-thru

More and his Vavasseur overseeing the foggy ocean down below

Ugarte

Add caption

The best team

Love these people

Extras playing chilean soldiers

De la Cruz Salvo

Applying a bit of soil to the uniforms to make them look worn

Kaboom!

But, it was fine in the end being just an anecdote among the many of this film.

After putting under cover the cannons and rifles away from the elements, we all came down tired but ready to spend new year's eve with our families.

Here I am, sitting down just a few before the midnight of december 31, 2011 and it's inevitable to do a deep thorough meditation of all the things passed during this whole year. I can't say it has been easy. In fact, it is the most difficult year professionally speaking. Very challenging and extremely stressful. Have lost chunks of hair because of falling debris and rocks during filming, bayonet cuts and rifle blows apart from the never ending tan-over-tan all on my arms and neck (I know I must wear sunblock but I'm somewhat irresponsible on those matters), Army issues that have made me feel so alone on this and very emotionally drained; money issues regarding the huge amounts of resources spent on making this thing happen, but also meeting and knwoing beautiful noble people who has shared and is sharing this dream with me. Helping me onboard and also putting their own efforts to push this thing forward.

But the final words are of thankfulness. Thankfulnes to life, to love, to family, to friendship and to God for helping me thru this: love of friends and family who support and make this heavy load a bit lighter and to God for being next to me all along even when I think I'm alone on this. He definitely is giving me such a lesson of life here for it is a constant exercise of patience, will, stamina, anger management, hope and love even to the ones who have affected me all these year much to their joy of not having it their own way or me not bribing them.

In the end, life has its own natural way of balancing everyone's existence and leaves next to you the people who matter. I'm glad I'm having here next to me those ones. The rest has simply gone behind this wonderful year that has given me not only hurdles but lots of lessons and satisfactions.

Happy New Year 2012 everyone!!!! :)