Mexico. In the run-up to the Oscars, a Mexican film stands out from the number of nominations and possible awards: Roma, by Alfonso Cuarón. In the production of this film, the Mexican film equipment rental company Equipment & Film Design (EFD), had a fundamental position. Its commercial general director, Eduardo Terán, said that they were provided with the main and most current technologies.
"When Cuarón was here, he told me that it was a film that he wanted to make for a long time, a film of his, intimate, personal. He said, 'It's the movie I want to make.' The project was small, like an author– which is what a director wants, thinks and embodies. He told me it was a small movie for what he's normally done. Even the script was very general and he was giving instructions to people and improvising a lot of what he was doing. I was clear about what I was going to do and how I was going to do it, but on the fly I was moving it. It was something very free and experimental," said the executive.
He said: "Globally, EFD is considered among the top 10 film companies in the world. We have always fought to have the most advanced technology of the moment. In Mexico there is a lot of talent, there are many directors, good writers, photographers, producers, technicians at the grip level, of operation of the set. What we intend is to bring good cameras, lenses, generators, lighting. Because creativity exists, but we needed to give it something to be competitive and with it that the films can have a good manufacture. If we put the equipment that Cuarón uses in the United States, then that is what we have in Mexico, which we seek to be on equal local terms."
Terán mentioned that some of the equipment that provided the Mexican film were: Fresnel reflectors from 150 watts to 5000 watts, quartz reflectors and full reflectors from ARRI; reflectors and adapter for joker from K5600 Inc.; Kino Floo lamp systems; Air Star lighting; Honda generator; Fisher's Dolly and Bangi systems; Techno Crane cranes; Scorpio head systems; TVLogic monitors; Dolly and bazooka from Panther; slider twin for Dolly from Solid Grip System; tripod of Mattheus; super crane by America Grip; as well as various generic equipment of national manufacture. In addition, ARRI ALEXA 65 cameras, for black and white shots, with which the photograph of Rome was made.
The director of the Mexican company highlighted: "Now in Mexico we are making movies, commercials, series of good level, because we already have the same technological tools that are being used in Germany, Japan, England, the United States. They are high-end equipment and you have to look at the result. We are highly competitive. We provide the tools: if we can fulfill your dreams and your plans, that fills us. I have a logic: if you can think about it, we can film it. Cuarón and other Mexicans are competing in the big leagues, because there is a natural talent and surely there are young generations and we have to boost them."
Text written by Vladimir Martínez for TVyVideo+Radio.
