American Cinematographer - December 1988 - 113

,

large

sugar

refinery

included

was

within the six-foot-thick stone

walls

along with the residence
building, stables and warehouses.
The architecture is in the classical

Viceroy style, massive and with
spectacular arches. Nearby is Lake
Tequesquitengo, which was created
by water flowing from a Sixteenth
Century aqueduct into a tectonic
fault. During the Revolution of
1910-11, Emiliano Zapata evicted
the owners, reduced the buildings
to ruin, destroyed the crops and
distributed the sugar to the peas¬
ants. Beginning in 1945 the Hacien¬
da was restored to its original
splendor.
Cortez the Conquerer

possible," Wolf noted. "The artist¬
ry and craftsmanship of the Mexi¬
can
cinematographers was a very
pleasant surprise. The fact that we
were
together constantly made our
location shooting very pleasant
work.

"The workshop started
Monday, September 26, and fin¬
ished on Wednesday evening. We
wrapped on Thursday and left for
our base in Mexico
City, where we
on

concerned at the El Presidente
Hotel."
Wolf said that he "was

pleased with the results of the
workshop and impressed by the
high standards of the Mexican cine¬
matographers. They have some su¬
perb artists there. The Agfa films
were
put to a real test, being put
through everything from black to
extreme overexposure, and they
performed excellently.

rushes at Chirabusco Stu¬

"I will miss the friend¬

Saturday. That evening,
Agfa hosted a cocktail party for all

ship, hospitality and camaraderie
of those wonderful people."
A

saw our

dios

on

would have been amazed had it
been

possible for him to glimpse

into the future and

turned into
studio.

a

"On

see

Page opposite: Pre¬
paring tracks for a
dolly shot. Left:

his hacienda

temporary movie
hand

were

truckloads of electrical and

four

Members of the

grip

workshop at the

equipment which included the
complete line of HMIs and any oth¬
er lights that might be needed,"
according to Wolf. "Last, but not
least, we had two generators, a 1200
amp. plant and a 750 amp. plant.
All of the equipment was of the
latest and best. The three

Hacienda Hermosa.

Organizer Jacques
right in front

is at
row

and instructor

Wolf is second

from left in back
row.

Below: Cine¬

matographer takes
a light reading of

cameras

actress in the

complete Arriflex BLs, which
performed beautifully. Agfa sup¬
plied 124 and 320 35mm negative in

were

garden.

abundance."
The
nished by the

equipment was fur¬
large Mexican rental
house, Renta Imagen, owned and
operated by Juan E. Garcia and
"Cuco" Leoncio Villarias.

"The 48

participants were
groups," Wolf
recalled. "Each group had a direc¬
tor of photography, an operator,
and an assistant, plus a full crew of
grips and electricians." The shoot¬
ing locations were selected by each
director of photography, assisted by
Wolf. Scenes were thought up and
executed. Each group was guided
by Wolf, who discussed the lighting
and camera angles with the direc¬
tors of photography before shoot¬
ing began.
divided into three

>

"Because

the

cameras

equipped with 5-1 zoom
complete sets of prime
lenses, many interesting shots were
were

lenses and

December 1988

American

Cinematographer

111
American Cinematographer - December 1988

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