Filming in the Countryside of Argentina
I was the Showrunner for the international travel series StoryBooked commissioned by Marriot.
This film, Holy Dog, was shot in the remote countryside of Mendoza, Argentina and Santiago, Chile.
It features Brady Jandreau, a young Lakota Sioux cowboy and bronco rider. After suffering a potentially career-ending trauma, he travels deep into the Patagonian highlands, on a quest for spiritual renewal.
Here are some things I learned while making this film.
Location, Location, Location
Before making this film, I had never been to Argentina and had three short weeks to prep the entire production. For Brady’s story, we needed to gain access to wild horses amidst stunning scenery. It was obvious that the location for this film was going to be the key. Luckily, the knowledge one gains from many years of traveling and working abroad really comes in handy in situations like these. I had to quickly research a few regions, all of which had unique landscapes and gaucho culture. Also factored into my search was the proximity to an airport, access to facilities and supplies, and regional weather. My gut knew we needed to be near Mendoza, most famous for its Malbec wine, but also home to herds of wild horses that roam the remote countryside. Finding the right fixer to help make local arrangements was also key. I’d highly recommend Carola Iujvidin, whose company IFIXIT is based out of Buenos Aires.
Wild Weather
Climate change is making weather more and more unpredictable.Gone are the days that production can solely rely on weather averages and mainstream forecasts. I had to find advanced weather tools that give more valuable insight. However, it’s best to also check in with locals on the ground who can assist with gauging irregular weather patterns.
Unlike the sweltering heat of NY, July is winter in Argentina. I therefore opted for the Mendoza region instead of further south, where the Patagonian landscapes are the most dramatic. My instinct was right. The Mendoza region, while still chilly, was warm enough to shoot outdoors. Nonetheless, we ended up getting hit with a snowstorm that almost got us stuck & stranded on a treacherous mountain road. The snow added a lot of drama to the story, which was fantastic. But had we been further south, our production would have gotten shut down by blizzard conditions.
YOLO
There is little to be gained by working your crew to the ground. And when blessed with a production that takes you to amazing, remote locations, its important that you schedule in some time to take in the surroundings, have great meals, drink fabulous wine, and rest. You only live once. A little time for you and your production to enjoy this unique moment won’t throw you off budget and will pay off exponentially in company morale. You’d be surprised how miserable anyone can get when overworked, underslept, and not fed well, even in the most beautiful settings.
Communication
This was a bilingual production, with about half a dozen local participants having little or no English proficiency. We also filmed over vast areas of open land where the wild herds ran free. And so having a solid plan was a must. This seems like an obvious point, but it’s amazing how quickly any plan can go out the window at the whim of a VIP request. Vital to a production of this kind is regular and consistent crew & cast meetings. In addition, establishing firm boundaries really helps with the ability to execute in the field.
Clients on Set
In total, I was overseeing three films in this series that were being shot across five countries on three continents. Added to the challenge was that our clients were traveling with production. Branded content of this caliber requires an additional layer of client attention than I had encountered in past projects. I would therefore highly recommend having a designated team member on set to handle all client needs, ensuring they get 5 star treatment.
Creative relationships
This film was shot by the very talented Anna Franquesa-Solano, from Barcelona. One thing I learned from her is the importance of strong, creative relationships. While building a successful career in the states, Anna invested a lot of time building very strong relationships with her core crew. I was impressed with how much that helped her achieve the very best results while filming across three continents.