Production Paradise

Welcome to the latest edition of Showcase Buenos Aires, brought to you by Production Paradise. As usual we present the best of Argentina's visual media industry, with more information available in our directory.

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

• The Centro Cultural Recoleta and Asociación de Amigos del Centro Cultural Recoleta invite you to the opening of the XV Encuentros Abiertos, Festival de la Luz 2008, on Thursday, August 7th at 7pm. The world of photography will be on show in one of the most important South American festivals of the year, with more than 80 exhibitions and activities arranged in Buenos Aires and the Provinces until August 31st.

ba production/commercial production: RED CREEK

Red Creek produced the latest video for Sony BMG artist Wyclef Jean in the 'hoods' and Tango joints of Buenos Aires.

The surreal shoot took place over two days and involved the collaboration of local police for complicated camera-car shots. Boat chases, cars, bikes, martial arts and pyrotechnics were all included in an almost Bollywoodian story.

Red Creek also produced the Ed in 08 campaign for Public Interest TV. Ed in 08 is a Washington DC-based NGO that enjoys backing from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The spot was photographed by legendary cameraman Conrad Hall, Jr. (Panic Room).

ba production/commercial production: AGUIRRE FILMS

Latest news from Aguirre Films:

• Gustavo Kaplan recently filmed commercials for Bayer and its Canesten range of products with JWT Guatemala, and also for Sabori, a Beker/Euro RSCG Mexico client account. He also started working in music, filming a video for Argentinean band Sindomingo.

• Hernan Enriquez continues to work with big agencies including JWT and Young and Rubicam, filming entire campaigns for clients such as Bayer for both the local and regional markets.

ba production/commercial production: SO CHIC

So Chic is based between Argentina and Uruguay, providing commercial and photo production services all across the region.

The company has been busy working on different projects throughout the season, recently providing production services for a Deutsche Telekom ad for Tribal DDB. So Chic is currently producing three films in Ushuaia (Patagonia), the southernmost city in the world, for client Theraflu with Saatchi & Saatchi NY.

So Chic provided still photography production services on an editorial shoot for A Magazine from RCS Periodici for its April and May issues.

More examples of So Chic's production services are available on the website.

ba production/photo production: AM PRODUCTION SERVICES

AM was the first still photography production company and photographers' agency to be established in Buenos Aires. Over the past nine years the company has developed a tailor-made and creative service that has reached both international and local clients.

With offices both in Buenos Aires and México City, together with representatives in New York and Costa Rica, AM offers its global clients an attentive and skilled service.

Latest projects include a worldwide Ray-Ban campaign (photographer Antonin Kratochvil), Tecate and Carta Blanca beers (photographer Estudio Buenavista), Toyota (photographer Freddy Fabris), Neimman Marcus fall/winter woman's catalogue (photographer Roger Neve) and Dog Chow (photographer Sisso Chouela).

The company's website is a useful professional tool, especially for newcomers to Buenos Aires.

ba production/photo production: ARGENTINAFOTO

Recent work from Argentinafoto:

• Raúl de Chapeaurouge shot summer portraits in New York for UFO 2009 and Cacharel.
• Leo Burnett commissioned Juan Mathé's latest campaign for Fiat Adventure. The photographer's recent series "'Designers' Portraits" was inspired by the latest collections from Pablo Ramirez, Vero Ivaldi and the Di Domenico team.
• Dino Bruzzone shot a monumental composition with champagne bottles, entitled "Festejo" for Y&R client Disco Supermarket.
• Marcos Lopez is currently working on his next solo show at the Festival de la Luz in Buenos Aires, as well as a series of conferences on contemporary photography.

ba production/photo production: CIVILES MANAGEMENT

Latest news from Civiles Production services:

• Photographer Ines Garcia Baltar shot “not so innocent” girls for Axe Brazil with agency Vega Olmos Ponce from Buenos Aires. Graphic campaign produced by Civiles.
• Gustavo Di Mario worked for UMA on its spring/summer campaign that introduced a new creative vibe to the brand. Graphic campaign produced by Civiles.
• “Retrospective Civiles by Gustavo Di Mario.” Civiles presents artwork by the celebrated photographer from his previous nine years with the agency. Opening August 19th at 7pm, Dabbah Torrejon Art Gallery.

ba photography/photographers: GONZALO LAUDA

Professional photographer Gonzalo Lauda was born in Buenos Aires in 1967. His studies in photography began with Pedro Luis Raota in 1985. From 1989 to 1990 he attended the EFTI School of Photography and Image Centre in Madrid.

Back in Buenos Aires in 1994 he took classes on 'Portraits' with Andy Goldstein and, two years later, on 'Product Shots' with Cuadras.

He studied 'History of Photography' with Eduardo Gil in 2003, and from 2004 to 2008 he joined Fabiana Barreda's 'Art Workshops'.

Today he works out of his own Buenos Aires studio, Lauda Fotografría Studio. He recently completed a range of publications and held a variety of exhibitions.

ba photography/photographers: ALE BURSET

Ale Burset continues to work internationally, recently completing campaigns for Axe and Coca-Cola Zero.

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.

Other recent jobs saw him shoot for Nike, Greenpeace, Clorox, Hospital Aleman, Osteoporosis, Vectra and Sprite.

ba photography/photographers: GABY HERBSTEIN

With its own production crew, graphic designers, art directors and stage designers, the company aims to create production ideas that fully satisfy the imagination of its clients.

Gaby Herbstein has exhibited her work across a variety of museums in Argentina, as well as in prestigious contemporary art galleries in the US city of Miami. She was elected by the Argentinean Consulate in Miami to represent Argentina at a recent International Book Fair.

Studio Gaby Herbstein + Visual Communications has 20 years of experience in photo production for national and international clients such as L'Oreal, Garnier, Procter & Gamble, Falabella, Almacenes Paris, Canada Dry and Telcel.

ba photography/photographers: MATIAS POSTI

Matias Posti directs his own Buenos Aires-based production and photography studio and has worked both locally and internationally for many of the leading advertising agencies.

The construction of his new 200sq. metre studio is currently keeping the team busy. The opening is scheduled for early 2009.

When asked about his work, Matias says: "Finding a balance between imagination and real possibilities makes commercial photography a constant challenge. The challenge is what I like; pushing boundaries is what I enjoy."

ba photography/photographers: BUENAVISTA

Cato Vaudagna and Mallku Salles form the Buenavista Fotografia team. Their studio is based in Buenos Aires and has a solid background in advertising photography. The company is also represented in México, the USA and Europe.

Clients have included DDB, JWT, Graffiti, Publicis (Colombia), DDB and Olabuenaga Chemistri (México).

Buenavista recently completed campaigns for VW Golf, VW Suran, Ford Focus, Renault Logan (Colombia), Cerveza Tecate and Cerveza Carta Blanca (México).

For the second consecutive year the company won awards at the Cannes Festival and the Sol de San Sebastian, this year for its Noir Bonafide Coffee campaign.

Check out latest work on the Buenavista website.

ba photography/photographers: ALEJANDRO ARES

Based in Buenos Aires, Alejandro Ares mixes artistic talent with his professional work.

His work has been exhibited in many art galleries around the world, in cities such as Lisbon, Hong Kong, Macao and Jakarta.

Alejandro specialises in advertising, food, still life and portrait photography.

He has developed projects for clients including Mac Station, Tide, Cadbury Stani Adams, Repsol YPF, P&G, Sanyo, Cepas Argentinas, and many others.

ba photography/photographers: ANDRES SLATER

The quality of light it is very important in Andres Slater's art. Finding contrast in light and shadows, good and evil, life and death, his images express an immense sense of loneliness and silence.

The joy of life overcoming death can always be sensed in the way he portrays his subjects. Using just the basic equipment to make his images more agile, he doesn't rely on expensive productions or digital retouching to make his photos more life-like and focused on the action and intention of the photographer.

ba photography/post production: ESTILO - 3D

Buenos Aires-based Estilo-3D is a 3D-CGI production company specialising in print advertising and photography. In its three years of operation the company has made over 140 print advertising campaigns for major agencies in Argentina, Latin America and the USA, including Vegaolmosponce, La Comunidad, Euro RSCG, DDB, DraftFCB, McCann, Santo, Wunderman, Dentsu, JWT and Ogilvy, and has worked with many world-renowned photographers.

Clients have included VW, Toyota, Corvette, Ford, Coca-Cola, LoJack, HSBC, Mini Cooper, Dove, Nissan, Nestlé, Reynolds Wrap, Cheerios, Yoplait, Coke Light, Sol and American Express.

Awards received include a 'Bronze' for Print Advertising at the New York Festival, 2008, for a campaign with DraftFCB Argentina and client Mini Cooper, and a 'Silver' for Print Advertising at the FIAP, 2008, for work with JWT Argentina.

ba photography/post production: MILLENNIUM LEDESMA

Millennium Ledesma 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 company's postproduction department is of global standard, with two Mac retouching stations.

Facilities include a 500sq metre studio 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.

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

ba talent/model agencies: MONTEVERDE MODELS

Monteverde Models is constantly inspired by the variety of the talent it represents. This was reflected in the company's latest in-house production, completed in a collage-style that shows the great range of faces on offer. Production was handled by the team at Monteverde, and photos were taken by Almendra Arrigoni.

The company's models participated in the Renault Logan campaign, a creative idea conceived in Argentina that will be on display throughout Colombia. With photos by Buenavista and production by VYV Productions, the campaign demonstrates great creative images and impeccable production.

Photo production for the recent Space campaign with the Claxson agency was completed by Posti Studio.

Other recent clients include Axe, Coca-Cola, Vernel Crystal, Beligth, Canal Fox, Reebok, Chivas Regal, Stone, Midway, Ford and DYClass.

ba night/bars and nightclubs: LE BAR

Le Bar offers cosy shelter during the winter season and is the ideal place to meet friends or for couples to enjoy an intimate moment.

Exquisite dishes and unbeatable cocktails are always available, and every night commences with a different style of music to set a uniquely original ambience.

New trends combine with a refined selection of the city's major cultural personalities from the world of art, design, music and gastronomy, who all come to pass the winter at Le Bar.