Production Paradise

Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Showcase Buenos Aires, brought to you by Production Paradise. As usual, you'll find all the latest news from the leading visual media professionals, with more information in our online directory.

If you're in Buenos Aires, be sure to check out our featured events:

ArteBA, May 29th - June 2nd. The epicentre of Latin American art, the fair is a focal point for business, meetings and cultural tourism, where visitors can appreciate an outstanding collection of contemporary art.

Buenos Aires International Book Fair, April 24th - May 12th. Under the slogan of 'Readers in Action', the 34th edition takes place at La Rural exhibition space and will welcome writers, guest speakers and thousands of avid readers.

Our cover photo was shot by Namiko Kitaura represented by Civiles Management.

ba production/commercial production: RED CREEK

It has been a season full of cars for Red Creek, with both Honda and VW shooting in Argentina. Honda (Japan) and VW (Germany) entrusted Red Creek with the production of their global print and commercial campaigns.

The Honda shoot took place in the mean-streets of Buenos Aires, where over the course of three days Red Creek Productions assembled a large traffic jam in which even the Honda engines felt the effects of pollution. The City of Buenos Aires provided full collaboration with street closures and permits.

The VW campaign demanded complete secrecy and was shot by Michel de Vries in the salt flats of Purmamarca, north-west Argentina. Check out the stunning images and the beautiful new Sedan.

ba production/photo production: REBEL PRODUCTION

Rebel Production, managed by Andrea Porcelli, has joined with Rebel Management, directed by Ofelia Memoli and Rosario Garcia Torres, to form Rebel Casting. The company provides competitive pricing options and a large range of faces for production companies and clients seeking the best in the business.

Rebel Production recently worked in Barcelona for Red Bull F1, and completed editorials in Buenos Aires for Condenast's Lucky Magazine - New York (Ph: Jeffrey Cohen & Rick Haylor), and More Magazine - London (Ph: Peter Pedonomou). The company also produced the Steps NL catalogue for Dutch TV series Julia's Tango filmed in Buenos Aires (Ph: Hans van Brakel).

The company co-produced for Nike with Dolce Vita Productions (Ph: Barrie Hullegie), and for Vogue Italy and Riders Italian Magazine with Mea Culpa Productions (Ph: Pier Paolo Ferrari). Rebel Production manages photographers from several countries and offers production services in Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, Mexico, and soon in Chile.

ba production/photo production: ARGENTINAFOTO

Over the past few months, argentinafoto has been commissioned to produce and shoot numerous fashion, advertising and art projects. These included work for BMW Motorcycles, Visa, MTV, Pampers, Coca Cola, Downy and Magistral.

Dino Bruzzone's new works are one of the highlights at the Maco Art Fair, whilst Marcos Lopez's photos will be at SCOPE 2008 (Basel).

Raul de Chapeaurouge was recently in New York shooting the UFO 2008 winter campaign. Marcelo Setton was responsible for the new Jackie Smith series of photographs, and Juan Mathé was in charge of the company's latest assignment: a romantic series of photos created by BBH London for the Mentos print campaign.

ba production/commercial production: SO CHIC

So Chic is a full service production company specialised in film commercials and still photography. The company is based in both Argentina and Uruguay, two countries that have beautiful natural assets and urban cities with a wide variety of architectural styles.

Over the last few months So Chic has been busy shooting several big film commercials for the European market, including Renault Scenic for Publicis, La Gazetta dello Sport for McCann Erickson, and OMV for Lowe.

The company just finished providing production services for a very important Deutsche Telekom campaign for Tribal DDB.

Plenty more examples of So Chic's production services can be seen on the company's website.

ba production/photo production: CLICK STUDIOS

Avon, Medias Apogeo, Zapatos Azaleia and Lentes Bosrsalino recently trusted Click Studios with the production of their latest photo campaigns. Givenchy also chose the company for the launch of its new 'Rouge' campaign with the beautiful Liv Tyler.

Click Studios covers all stages of the professional photographic process - from the creation of visual campaigns to talent casting, preproduction, location scouting, and many other production services, ensuring a consistently high level of quality. The company has an 87m2 photographic studio that enables it to handle world-class productions.

Clients include Sony, Avon, Medias Apogeo, Falabella, RBK, Savile Row, Neon-Decathlon, Nexium-Spotty Dog, Candela-Telefonica de España, Telecom, Oyster, Claxon, POL-KA, Landia, Leo Burnett, Eje Publicitaria, Trebejos Films, El bagre Films, Clarin, Elle, Para Ti, Man, Sensation Du Temps, Ocean Drive, Harper's Bazaar and Viva - Polonia.

ba production/photo production: MEA CULPA PRODUCTIONS

Over the past few months Mea Culpa Productions participated in a solidarity project in Nicaragua and produced editorials for client Blob Creative Group 2.

The first was for Vogue Italia with actor Elio Germano, and the second for Riders Italian Magazine with Marco D'Annunzio. Both productions were shot by photographer Pier Paolo Ferrari, with make-up artist Fernanda Perez and stylist Benedetta Baiocchi for Vogue editorial.

ba photography/photo agents: CIVILES MANAGEMENT

The art department at Civiles Management is proud to announce a new development - Civiles Production Agency. Due to the photo agency's immense success over the last two years, Civiles continues to open new doors.

Based in Buenos Aires, Civiles Production Agency is made up of a group of highly innovative young people offering production and creative services for graphic campaigns, editorials, shows, and workshops.

Services include logistical management of local and international campaigns, location scouting and management, casting and talent negotiations, catering and travel arrangements, customs documents, shooting permits, insurance, equipment, and postproduction.

ba photography/photographers: MILLENNIUM LEDESMA

Ledesma Millennium is one of the most prestigious photographic, retouching and production studios in Argentina. Its objective is to create sensations through photography with continuous innovation and creativity. The postproduction department is of global standard, with two Mac retouching stations.

Facilities include a studio of 500sq metres and a 15m x 15m gallery, with a working distance of 28m that enables car photography and set building. A height of 9m allows numerous production possibilities and includes an 8m x 6m motorised screen with 39 mega pixel Phase One digital back for Sinar or Hasselblad equipment. The company also offers 30-head flash equipment with 30,000 Watts power.

Ledesma Millennium has worked in Madrid, Sao Paulo and Mexico (DF), shooting and retouching on location. Clients have included Unilever, Toyota, Ford, Coca Cola, Peugeot, and Citröen.

ba photography/photographers: ALE BURSET

When asked about his work, Ale says "All my photographs are the result of an obsession with lighting and a beautiful image - the aesthetics!".

The photographer spends his time shooting between Argentina, North America, Mexico and Europe. In Spain he is represented by AProductions, and in the USA by Denise Stewart.

Over the years, Ale Burset has shot for clients including Reebok, VW, Ford, Chevrolet, Phillip Morris, Converse, Adidas, Chandon, Energizer and Quaker, among many others.

His most recent jobs have been for Nike, Greenpeace, Clorox, Hospital Aleman, Osteoporosis, Vectra and Sprite.

ba photography/photographers: GABY HERBSTEIN

'Birds of Paradise' - work in progress - is a 2008 production by Gaby Herbstein. The artist has compiled a book of photographs from images inspired by the various sensations provoked by birds.

Movement, colour, beauty, freedom and harmony all influenced the photographer in bringing together a selection of famous personalities known for their artistic expression. Actors, models, dancers, make-up artists, hair stylists, filmmakers, and set designers all contributed. The most prestigious fashion designers in the country also designed exclusive creations for the production.

ba photography/photographers: VIRGINIA DEL GIUDICE

Since Virginia Del Giudice opened her first studio in 1995, her photography has been stamped with a mix of simple, minimalist style and a deep appreciation for the use of natural light. Such principles have turned her into a respected regular contributor to major magazines around the world, including Vogue, AD, Elle Deco, and Interiors.

As well as publishing editorials often accompanied by her own text for books and magazines, Virginia dedicates her time to personal work, using plate cameras and old copying systems.

Virginia defines herself as a passionate object specialist, and shot part of her collection for a series of photographs entitled 'Vanitas ', due to be shown at the Centro Cultural Recoleta, Buenos Aires, from May 23rd to June 16th.

ba photography/photographers: SOL ABADI

Young photographer Sol Abadi has been working in the international fashion and advertising fields for the past 10 years.

Her studio is based in Buenos Aires and her clients include Disney, FCB, Publicis, Ogilvy, Catalogue Magazine, Elle, BG Mag, KFC, Western Union, McDonald's, Adidas, and DirecTV, among others.

Some of Sol's pictures will be presented at the 2008 Cannes Festival.

ba photography/photographers: TOMI & CHERRY

Tomi and Cherry operate a multidisciplinary studio. They perform their skills in several fields, including photography, illustration, postproduction, art direction, prop styling and set design. The pair are involved in every aspect of their projects.

They work together as artists, focussing on fashion yet aiming to mix their multidisciplinary backgrounds to generate a visual language they enjoy reinventing over and over again.

Their work includes fashion campaigns, editorial productions, advertising and party development. They are represented in Argentina by Civiles Management and in Spain by La Despensa//Dealer.

ba photography/photographers: JUAN VAZ DUARTE

Based in Buenos Aires, Juan Vaz Duarte specialises in fashion, beauty and portrait photography. Juan's versatility makes him ideal for a broad range of projects, and he has shot for editorials, designers and modelling agencies. His collection is also on show in art galleries throughout Buenos Aires.

He has worked for clients including Elle, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Glamour, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, and New Man.

Juan is represented in Buenos Aires and New York by Zickzack Productions, and in Spain and France by Gregrossi Productions.

ba talent/model agencies: MONTEVERDE MODELS

Monteverde Models, in cooperation with Am Production Services, recently produced the worldwide Ray-Ban campaign involving some 40 talents and more than 200 extras.

Other important recent productions involving Monteverde Models include Coors Light for the USA's Latin market, Banana Boat for the Canadian, US and Mexican markets, Skoda worldwide, and Orange for the Spanish market.

Other productions and TV advertisements were completed for clients such as MTV, Axe, Nissan, Soviet, VW, and Mercedes Benz.

ba talent/model agencies: RICARDO PIÑEIRO MODELOS

Ricardo Piñeiro is considered among the pioneers of the Buenos Aires modelling industry.

The agency represents many top models, including Priscila Prette, Lara Bernasconi, Andrea Bolatti, Jimena Buttigliengo, Paula Peralta, Emilia Iannetta, Stephanie Demmer, Loli Lopez, Ines Pujol, and Magali Montoro, as well as many other important industry names.

Ricardo Piñeiro recently presented the 2008 catalogue, produced by Fabian Morasut at the Machado Cicala photo studios, which captures the pure, simple beauty of the company's talents.

The agency aims to consolidate a growing international reputation for the quality of its fashion and advertising models by supporting talent for both the film and TV industries. 

ba talent/model agencies: REBEL MANAGEMENT

Rebel Management, directed by Ofelia Memoli and Rosario Garcia Torres, has in 'record time' become one of the strongest and most easily identifiable boutique management agencies in Latin America.

The company is based in Buenos Aires but deals with models, talents and clients from all over the world. Rebel can supply models, celebrities, photographers and production crews through a bright new partnership with Rebel Production (directed by Andrea Porcelli ), and also offers street casting through Rebel Casting.

During March, Rebel Management worked with Milla Jovovich on Chilean client Paris department store's fall/winter campaign. Produced on location in Paris, France, and working with a great team, renowned photographer Nico (represented by Gianfranco Meza) and Claudio Droguett for Twist Films directed a fabulous TV commercial on the roof of the Théâtre du Chatelet.

ba hotel/hotels: DESIGN CE HOTEL

Inspired by the concept of 'total design', architect Ernesto Goransky proposes his new vision for hospitality culture - The Buenos Aires Design Ce Hotel.

Situated in front of a green space designed by the architect Carlos Thays, and in the spectacular presence of the Pizurno Palace, the Design Ce Hotel is just a few minutes from some of the most attractive places in Buenos Aires, one of the cultural headquarters of Latin America.

The hotel's 28 suites, ground-floor Design Café and basement Design Club all reveal innovative design, service and technology standards.