“The Eternaluta” in Netflix: the secrets behind the mortal snowfall

One of the most anticipated series of recent times is finally available, we are talking about The Eternaluta in Netflix. The series is the first audiovisual adaptation of the Argentine science fiction graphic novel Héctor G. Oesterheldillustrated by Francisco Solano Lópezfirst published in 1957.

The secrets behind the mortal snowfall in the Eternalauta

The last true snow over the city of Buenos Aires and its surroundings was in 2007. The previous time had been in 1918. There are no records of previous snowfall. On both occasions, of course, it happened in winter. If snow fell into summer on this great South American city, it would go from being an extraordinary fact to a disturbing, disturbing one.

Create climatic conditions To realize the dream of transposing the Eternaluta to the screen was one of the great milestones of this production. In the audiovisual industry, everyone knows how complex it is to film with snow. In this case, history had to be located in existing and recognizable stages of the city, cover them from a hyperrealistic white mantle and create action, in many cases, under storms. “Generate a climate effect in a place where this effect does not exist a marks a before and after in the industry –Heffirms Nicanor Enriquez, SFX Production Supervisor-. We generate snow in a city where it does not deny. We are pioneers on that path, as Juan except out for the first time to an unknown world. ”

To define what materials and machines use, how to organize to cover huge scenarios or locations under study and how to maximize resources, a lot of research, preproduction and consultations with specialists from other countries were required. “All of them at some point went to snow to a place with an already accumulated base, which then modify or adapt to the need for history – Enriquez gives.

The snow accumulates in inert cars, cars and bodies. It falls on the characters, it is seen from the windows, enters through the gates. It is the evil that stalks a decimated and perplexed population. But it is not any snow that modifies the landscape at every moment. “El Eternauta’s snow is a kind of ash –The SFX production supervisor continues. It does not behave as conventional snow: it has another texture, another color, it does not accumulate in the same way or transform into water. It is volatile, generates mist. All that we had to transmit it and transfer it to concise and practical materials to touch them. ”

In the aesthetic search to know how the snow was going to be seen in the camera, the research process resulted in four main materials: salt, cellulose, dry foam and eco-snowan element generated by production with crushed biodegradable polyethylene. “The ecological was always present – he says Walter Urquiza, SFX Special Coordinator-. We work with hypoallergenic material, friendly in contact with the actors and the technical teamand that could adapt to the needs of the environment. ”

In the research stage, outdoor tests were done and under study to understand how the various artificial snow options were combined, how they worked aesthetically and what their mechanical and dynamic response was based on coexistence with the characters and objects. The results were reflected in a kind of glossary (“the snow bible”) that worked as a guide in the assembly of each shot. “To cover large exteriors, salt with a certain degree of humidity offered the texture that Bruno sought,” explains Enriquez.

To cover vehicles, costumes and other outdoor objects, team makeup artists used cellulose: “It is a product that is used internationally to make snow –Angrega Urquiza. Projected with moisture has adherence for vehicles and is used for makeup of the characters’ costume ”.

In study, the salt had its replacement: the perlite, or expanded volcanic rock. “We found small challenges with salt, which on the one hand is corrosive and on the other, conductive – Enriquez explains -. In the outer scenarios we had no problems, but in a study, full of electronics and delicate elements, yes. When moisturizing the perlite a beautiful texture is achieved that, when it comes to stepped on, also marks the footprint. It is a volcanic rock similar to ash, very volatilethen he gets up and moves. ”

Once the set was armed, other team members were in charge of generating the snowfall. According to the surface and complexity of the day, they could be summoned between 12 and 20 people. This filming group was mainly integrated by technicians who had to maneuver different machines according to the need to generate snow, mist, dust or smoke. Dry foam was mainly used projected by turbines to generate snow in suspension. And in planes with translucent glass or plastics, such as windshields, windows, mirrors and masks, we worked with Eco-Snow.

Each location had its difficulties and required an expeditious solution. “We used cranes and scissors to generate the elevation and projection of that snow that falls,” says Urquiza. To adapt the structure, they had to coordinate everything with the other areas.

The exterior scenarios had, for example, with lights of light and chromas located in different places. “We had to engineer much more practical machinery. For example, we went from a huge turbine to a portable battery backpack to follow a character in a stage that we could not snow with enough time,” says Enriquez. Working in study had the complexity of the height. “The screens that were used in the set and all the electronics of these spaces made the challenge triple: the snow obviously falls from above, but above we always had some structure.”

The third snow team was cleaning. At the end of the day, each location had to be delivered as it was before. Palas and lifting wheel operators were part of this group. “We had the limitations of a public location in terms of the available times and the need for everything to be perfect at the time of going. A very organized team lifted the material, to throw or recycle. Most was salt, which we then moved to other scenarios to use again. And many materials that we send to recycling sites. ”

The complete snow team for a conventional day – although nothing was conventional in the Eternaluta – was made up of 40 to 55 people between armed, filming and cleaning. “It was an exciting feeling,” Enriquez plans We are making a part of the history of Argentine audiovisual”

The first season of El Eternalauta is available in Netflix.