MovieMattepainting: MATTE PAINTING AND MINIATURES ON MEXICAN FILMS.

Mexican film industry used matte paintings and miniature tricks since the mid-1930s when the brothers Miguel Machado and Juan Machado arrived from the USA. Originally from Mexico City, they moved to Los Angeles where they worked in the film industry thanks to their artistic talent. Since 1925 they specialized in matte paintings. In 1934 they returned to Mexico where they were hired by several local production companies to perform matte painting tricks.

Vida intima de Marco Antonio y Cleopatra (1947) Matte paintings by Machado Brothers.

Another of the few matte painters credited in Mexican films, was, Max de Vega. He was born in Peru and naturalized in the United States in 1927. He became matte painter working at 20th Century Fox matte department under Fred Sersen. He went to Mexico from time to time painting mattes at some films during the 40´S.

During the middle 40, matte painter Irving Block went to Mexico after working at 20^th Century Fox, and he set up an FX department for a short period of time, Irwing worked not only as a matte artist but also on miniatures and optical effects. After that, he went back to the

USA

to work at MGM.

In some of those old Mexican films, you can also find models and other special and optical effects, although the technicians and artists are rarely credited in any of these films. Max De Vega and Machado brothers were always credited as special effects "efectos especiales". It is very probable that some other Mexican technicians credited as FX were also responsible for matte and glass paintings. Or maybe some Mexican art directors or scenic artists executed matte paintings from time to time.

The miniature and model work for Mexican films was usually under the art directors and the name of the model makers and miniature artists remains unknown.

Some samples of matte paintings and miniatures on Mexican films.

Los tres mosqueteros (1942) matte painter unknown.