Shooting of the Shortfilm 'Un Ladrón'
- Iggy Planas
- Nov 27, 2020
- 7 min read
In this atypical and strange year due to that thing we already know, I had the chance to participate in the short-film 'Un Ladrón' (A Thief), an audiovisual production directed and written by Misael Sanroque, produced by Sanroque and Juan Genlot. A fast-paced thriller with touches of modern western that shows on screen the thin existing line between magic tricks in shows and the "tricks" performed by scammers, swindlers and that people who survive in hostile and intimidating streets, but with some charm at the same time.
What is 'Un Ladrón' (A Thief) about?
Daniel Black is the artistic name of a young magician who survives from show to show. He's close to his thirties and the instability where he lives also reigns his personal relationships, so he disregards his sentimental bond with Rita, a dancer who works in the same theatre; a theatre where Daniel and Rita share their pains with Zeleste the exotic dancer and Rigoberto the outdated ventriloquist, too old-fashioned and worn-out by modern times, they survive as they can.
The relationship between Daniel and Rita walks in a thin line, and she explodes during one of his shows, revealing one of the magician tricks before the audience. Now that he's unemployed and single, Daniel needs the company of his friend Cesar, a former pickpocket with troubles, who tries to convince him to get some money for rent with some scam. But Daniel wants to change, to get mature, to evolve, and he denies César's insinuations.
César takes Daniel to a bar where gambling games of cards are played. After a bit dry night, Daniel decides to use his manual abilities to scam the gamblers with an old trick. And though everything seems to be good for the magician, one of the gamblers, Mandíbula, retains him: he has realized about the scam, but he asks for no explanations, but only for a favor for a favor.
My participation in this short-film was portraying the role of a secondary character without dialogues, but even though the lack of words in my mouth, I can say that I've got my footage minutes on screen, and it's a mysterious character in the plot. A role I received a couple of months ago from the director himself, Misael Sanroque, who thought on me to perform the character from minute one, after all, it was such a gift to portray in this year 2020.
After a month of November quite uncertain to shoot and having to postpone the shooting itself for a couple of weeks due to the circumstances lived in Barcelona, from the 22nd to the 25th of November we were able to shoot this short-film in different locations around Barcelona and its metropolitan area. I was called to shoot for two of those days (the 22nd and the 24th) in addition to a dress rehearsal that took place the previous Saturday, on November the 21st.
For the rehearsal, we were called in the morning at Bar Mieza, just in the center of the neighborhood of El Raval. That will be the location where most of the scenes of the short-film's plot will be shot. After getting to know the place, meeting among the members of crew and cast (most of them already known), passing some medical antigen tests, dressing up and placing on set, the rehearsal itself happened quite smoothly, with some suggestions of some cast members that then will enter into the final montage.
A rehearsal that left us all prepared for the shooting of next day and after finishing it around 14h, I also went to have lunch with Misael Sanroque, Marina Prats (Costume Designer) and David Bo (co-star and also friend). A reunion that let us catch up about our lives and where the will to shoot could be noticed at any time, both in front and behind the cameras.
The next day, at 7:45am, we came back to Bar Mieza in an already assembled set. After visiting the costume and make-up departments, at 9am everyone was ready to give the action order and start collecting footage on camera. The scenes where my character appears were planned to be recorded during the first hour in the morning and the last one in the evening, so I had quite spare time to prepare myself, chat with several members of crew and cast, have some rest or either to take a small sneak peek from behind the camera to what was being shot with the other cast members.
In general terms, the day happened quite fast and without many incidences, everything seemed to flow with such professionalism that we cannot compare it with many other shootings, everyone was centered and knew what to do or how to perform at any time. The final result was quite rewarding in such a way that we got to finish a bit earlier than expected and a feeling of satisfaction was noticed around because of what we captured through the camera lens.
The second day I got called, the morning of Tuesday November the 24th, we gathered at around 7am in an apartment in El Raval that will serve us as headquarters for that shooting day, since all planned sequences for the day were outdoors. After retaking my character with his clothes and make-up, having breakfast with tons of coffee and catching up with Anna Mendos, Pep Miràs and Juan Genlot - the actors with whom I shot on that day - around 8am we all led towards the location in career Hospital where we will be recording some sequences of that day, very close to bar Mendizabal.
In my case, the sequence we shot required from less in a performing level than the ones shot on the previous Sunday, though since closer shots were being recorded it also required from me to stay focused, especially for personal accord. Personally, I would say it was a curious experience, the fact of shooting outside. The short-film is set in year 2019, a year when facemasks were not worn yet in the streets, and although we wanted to shoot quite early in the morning, it was unavoidable that some passers-by crossed through the shot wearing them on the face. Therefore, we had to shoot several takes of the sequence in order to, later on in the montage, the impression that the story happened in a previous pandemic world could be given.
The shooting of that sequence took us a couple of hours and the obtained material was worth to admire. I remember that when shooting the last take, a long take of Juan Genlot walking by the street, while I looked from the combi, something unplaned happened: Juan turned around to look at a pawn shop while the camera panned to the same location and in that precise moment, the shop's billboard turned on. In the combi, I turned around to Misael and said: "That's it, dude, you've got THE TAKE." and when the take finished, everyone applauded for what we had captured on camera.
Since I know and because of the photographic material that I was able to see, the remaining shooting days were also quite rewarding and great takes were shot. A thing I cannot help but feel proud, sitting from some distance with the certainty that the final result will be incredible.
Right now, 'Un Ladrón' (A Thief) is in its post-production phase, working against time from the editing room for its premiere in 2021. There's only little to say about it or what I can tell you, but for the few images shot of the final cut that I've seen (and that I cannot share with you yet) I've got the sensation that this short-film will arise some comments in the next to come.
That said, a shooting is nothing but a combined work of several people with the same purpose and 'Un Ladrón' is nothing else but that, so there are many people I must say thanks to for my participation in this short-film.
On one hand, to my co-stars: Juan Genlot, Pep Miràs, Anna Mendos, Eloi Catalan, David Bo, Rakel Espeleta, Christian MIcó, Susanna Calvera, Francesc Ardiaca, Mar Gómez, Guillem Cuadra, Rita Ardiaca, Beatriz Murciano, Alberto Rizzo, Joan Estrada, Laura Balsan, Freyja McHell, Joaquín Diestro and Jesús Marcos. A million thanks! For the conversations we had, your patience and professionalism in front of camera, it's been such a pleasure to share the lens with you all and to be able to learn from your performance.
On the other hand, to the shooting crew: To Pili Ichausti and Gerard Guilleau (Production Managers), Gabriel Mata (Assistant Director), Andrea Cora (Script), Jordi Parés (DOP), Marta Mouns y Álex Panda (Art Director), Marc Requena (Art Assistant), Marina Prats (Costume Design | Storyboard), Oihana Bikuña, Sofia Mayo and Jessica Serrano (MUA), Rommel Moreno, Andrés Tobón and Martina Vilella (Sound), Ainhoa Itziar and Ferran Hernández (Camera Operators), Sebastián García (Gaffer), Bernat Bisbal and Sofía Diego (Electricistas), Christian Micó (Still Picture), Said El Khayati (Location Manager), and to Claudia Garig and Anna Ichausti (Production Assistants). Thanks a lot for making me feel at ease both inside and outside the set, for all the help and care given, for your professionalism and the respect you process to the art you work at. It's been such a pleasure to coincide with you all in this shooting! Hope that's not the only one!
Finally, I would like to thank to Misael Sanroque for his trust in myself and my acting skills in order to perform this character in what it's been our first shooting experience together, hope it's not the last one! A million thanks, comrade! For counting on me once again in one of your projects, for all your advices and for accepting readily some of my suggestions on set. The experience has showed me that it's such a real luxury to work together with you, let's hope for more and better shootings in the future!
As I already said, 'Un Ladrón' is currently on its post-production phase and is expected to be premiered during the first half of 2021, so right now we only have to wait. However, all around this post I've been showing some pictures taken by Christian Micó or some cast and crew members and since I have the final footage, I'll try to show it to you in some way. If you want to stay updated of the news of this short-film, you can follow them on Instagram or visit the short-film's website. Stay tuned, this short-film will make a name for itself in the future! Without nothing else to say, I'll see you in the next!
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