Written by on Sep 11, 2014. Posted in Production News

MPC films on location in Chile's Atacama Desert for trading platform IG

MPC filmed on location in Chile’s Atacama Desert for the online trading platform IG. The campaign builds a visual metaphor around a trader’s experience as he soaks up Chile’s incredible volcanic landscape.

Chile was chosen for its visual beauty and cost-effectiveness, and because the production team was able to move between contrasting locations relatively quickly.

They flew to the north of the country and then moved around by road, dealing with unexpected challenges on location. Two days of sandstorms were swiftly followed by the region’s first snowfall for three decades, prompting the team to switch its filming schedule for the Moon Valley and the Salar de Atacama, Chile’s largest salt flat.

“We had to be smart at that time, because all the routes were closed for the snow and the plan was to shoot three hours away at the Salar for that day,” explains Gabriel Carratu of service company Vagabond Films.

The Valley of the Moon was 2,800 metres above sea level and a glacier location took them up to 4,500 metres.

“We changed our schedule to shoot the Valley of the Moon (known locally as El Valle de la Luna), the location plan for the second day," he continues: "We had to switch the days and when we arrived there we found out the valley was white from the snow and we got the same look we had at the Salar.”

In the Valley of the Moon, the production team had a two-hour early morning window to shoot, after which the steam from local volcanic activity and freezing surface temperatures reduced visibility below acceptable levels.

Altitude was a constant physical challenge. The Valley of the Moon was 2,800 metres above sea level and a glacier location took them up to 4,500 metres with temperatures falling to a bitter -26 Degrees Celsius. A medical team accompanied the shoot and altitude sickness did temporarily claim one crew member.

Adds MPC producer Alan Traquair: “I cannot recommend these guys [at Vagabond] enough if you are filming in South America. They are the kind of solid team you need behind you to make a project happen. I can’t wait to get another suitable project that will give me the chance to work with them again.”

Credits:
Client: IG
Production Company: MPC
Director: Rupert Cresswell
Executive Producer: Sophie Gunn
Producer: Alan Traquair
Production Service Company: Vagabond Films
Vagabond producers: Gabriel Carratu and Lorenzo Benedick