How MPC Creative Battled Biblical Weather in a Chilean Desert for IG

Chile’s Atacama Desert has been shot in snowy conditions for the first time ever in MPC Creative’s new campaign for IG. Produced by Alan Traquair and directed by Rupert Cresswell, the filming of the two spots was subject to extraordinary weather conditions. 

Vagabond assisted with the shoot and were on hand to aid in what became highly exciting – albeit testing – circumstances.

The spots for the global leader in online trading are shot in the stunning locations of the Chilean desert, and offer a metaphorical depiction of a trader’s journey to the top. 

MPC Creative Director Rupert Cresswell said, “Traders find themselves on an emotional roller-coaster everyday. Sending our protagonist on a journey through these remarkable landscapes, both harsh and breath taking, was the perfect way to illustrate the experience."

We wanted to move away from the traditional 'city-boy' view of traders and instead show the perceptive, intuitive qualities they possess. Filming in Chile wasn't without its challenges, amongst the 4.00am starts, we also experienced sandstorms, subzero temperatures, even temporarily losing a member of the crew to altitude sickness. It was worth all the effort. We captured some fantastic locations and a strong performance to create an emotive journey that will resonate with those who have experienced riding the waves of the financial markets." 

Despite being filmed in one of the world’s driest places, extreme weather conditions hit the shoot. Two days of intense sand storms were followed by the unexpected snow, the first time it had snowed in the area for 30 years. With the whole project at the mercy of the elements, Vagabond stepped up to provide expert local knowledge and assistance in the shoot. 

Vagabond co-founder, Lorenzo Benedick, says “This is the first time that the valley has been shot in snow ever! It was shot in Moon Valley where the cities are 2800 meters high, so the snow takes forever to melt. The following day we had to shoot in the glaciers at 4500 meters and it was -26 degrees.”

He added, “It was only possible to shoot between 6AM and 8AM due to the combination of the heat of the volcano and the cold temperature – after two hours there’s too much steam and you can’t see. We also had to shoot underwater in a lake.”

Producer Alan says “It had snowed in the night and there was now a thick carpet of the white stuff all over our ‘set’. The team at Vagabond didn’t panic and instead came to me with a list of alternative approaches and ways to shoot around the freak weather, without costing the earth or undoing our already tight shooting schedule.”

Gabriel Carratu, Vagabond’s co-founder who was present for the shoot, added “All of the local roads were closed because of the snow, so permission had to be granted to go into the area at 9:30AM ahead of an 11AM shoot, it was that tight.”

Alan says “I cannot recommend these guys enough if you are filming in South America. They are the kind of solid team you need behind you to make a project happen. I can’t wait to get another suitable project that will give me the chance to work with them again.”

He added, “Their knowledge of the local terrain and their ability to get the right people around us make the whole filing process seamless and a joy. With cool heads and a strong team the delivered on every promise and never let us down”

Gabriel says “The funny thing is that MPC is known for its CGI work but in this instance the footage was 100% real. The landscape is so extreme, it looks CGI!”