Year
2024
Client
Category
Product Duration
3 - 4 Months
Created for the Puerto Rican feature film El Bachatero del Diablo, this VFX-heavy sequence reimagines Hell as a volcanic underworld — a hybrid between a mystical cave and a battlefield of fire. Originally planned to be filmed inside a real cave, production pivoted to green screen for logistical and safety reasons. Our challenge was to preserve the essence of that original vision while expanding its scale far beyond what could’ve been physically built.
The look and feel of Hell were inspired by a mix of cinematic and gaming references: Diablo III, The Lord of the Rings, and even Star Wars (notably the Anakin vs. Obi-Wan battle on Mustafar). The Death sequence also pulls inspiration from Freddy Krueger’s demise in A Nightmare on Elm Street, fused with the ethereal, elemental energy of Avatar: The Last Airbender. The result is a moody, high-fantasy sequence layered in ash, lava, and smoke.
El Arenero led VFX supervision from early pre-production, ensuring scenes were designed for seamless post-integration. Entire environments were built in 3D — from volcanic landscapes to demonic skies. We performed extensive rotoscoping, chroma keying, compositing, and dynamic simulations. Every shot was layered for motion, depth, and atmosphere. Even simple moments became complex builds with dozens of visual elements stacked across frames.
This project stands as one of the most VFX-intensive films ever made in Puerto Rico. From on-set supervision to the final render, our team built a fantasy world from scratch while staying rooted in the film’s visual language and narrative. It’s a prime example of how genre cinema can be elevated through detailed world-building and precise technical execution — all done on the island.
