sic) - Today on crossing south we visited a creating engine in Tijuana, pumping out animations and vfx for Hollywood.

And we visited an authentic Sushi eatery all coming to you now.

(upbeat music) In the middle of Tijuana Zona Rio lies a creative hub, making a name for itself in the entertainment industry.

More and more Hollywood productions and different visual entertainment companies are looking to outsource their work to become more efficient.

Sometimes abroad of way like India, Europe Eastern Europe, or so on, but believe it or not Baja and specifically Tijuana is becoming also a hub for special effects services for big time productions.

We're gonna meet the company at the forefront of that.

It's right here in TJ.

It's called Boxel and you're gonna get to see it right now.

This place is no joke, no shortage of talent but we want to know how this well-oiled machine functions.

Okay, so the man in charge of the operation here at Boxel is the a guy standing next to me.

His name is Andres Botello.

How are you doing my friend?

- Fine thank you.

(laughs) - So Andres like, talk to me about your operation.

First of all, what are you... What does Boxel specialize in?

- We specialize in three specific markets animation, going from script to final animated delivery.

If we go modeling rigging, shading, texturing, set assembly, lighting and shading, rendering and compositing and delivering the final product.

- Correct.

- Visual effects for live action, we receive the plates and we basically separate all the production processes that need to be done for all of the plates and we do that.

So live action, animation, and we have an interactive division.

So that's what we do at Boxel.

Boxel we use technology to solve creative and visual endeavors for producers.

They'll say, we already film the live action series and there's a lot of cables to be removed in a stunt, or there's a lot of muscle flashes to be incorporated in a gun.

Most of the big productions are now breaking their productions because they're so massive.

The amount of shots that they require for their films.

- Okay.

- Are just ridiculous.

They want what we call the California solution.

They want visual effects and technology producers here that can provide an efficiency of producing the content.

Cheap is definitely not a driving factor and we're actually not going for cheap.

We consider ourselves cost efficient.

- Okay.

- And the reason that we're cost efficient is because cost of living.

You have to really understand what is the mark and the expectation of the production values that you're going to invest.

Production values can be a little bit sacrificed but if the story is strong enough people will actually let it go.

- Yeah.

- But if the story is not good and you put all your money into production values-- - Even if there are amazing effects.

- People will criticize you deeply.

- You're not just a tool them you're actually assisting.

- Correct, we are in meetings in production from the get go of the writing.

- You're affecting the story.

- And that's where I think we add a lot of value being very near in California.

I think that one of the key inhibitors of this industry is a good communication being really clear on the expectation of the work that you're going to do, so yes.

- I don't like this frame, I need access to you to tell you exactly what I do want.

- Hey, can you drive up guys.

I need to explain this because it just...

Putting it on email is going to be so difficult.

Sometimes when you're incorporated too late into the equation, which has happened to us, now you become more of a problem solver.

Than actually somebody that's consulting and adding value to that production.

Everybody has one thing in common.

- The objective, right?

- They wanna finish and they wanna finish in time and with a quality that they want.

We have actually hired people from Canada to come in for certain productions or from other parts of the world.

They're willing to work in Mexico for a specific time of period.

- Oh , nice.

- And...

But they're not willing to do it for less - They wanna get paid what they were getting paid over there.

- Correct.

- Right.

- The closeness plays a role in the type of talent that we can attract.

- Okay - Not a role on making it cheaper.

- Right.

- We have artists here that worked on movies like Deadpool.

We have artists that work on movies like Justice League that combed in other shots We have artists that worked in Star Wars in big studios in Canada that are wanting to give back.

So they come back from Canada they stay here with us for a couple of months.

They work with us -- - Oh, they're given like shops to your guys?

- Shops and worked on shots for our projects, because - Wow!

- What they want... What we want to do is provide to our producers top-notch visual effects talent for their independent films.

- How many of your employees here are from Baja?

- Okay, about 50% are from Baja.

- And the rest?

- And the rest are divided between Mexico City, Guadalajara Jalisco and some of them from different parts of Mexico.

We have people from Chiapas - Okay.

- From Pachuca.

- But are they're all on locationed here or you're working remotely with those people?

- No, no, no, all of them here.

- Really?

- Yeah sorry we're responsible for increasing, (laughs) the demographics of the city.

But yes yes.

And most of those artists come for a specific production but some of them really started start loving Tijuana.

And there's many people from TJ that did their careers here and they're working on big, big, major studios in Canada that have worked on big block baster movie in very big shots for Sony pictures, The Shallows we're working on some of those shots, for History Channel and A&E we did a night, two, three and four for the series Roots.

- People don't know that there's even like full blown series being fully shot in Baja as we speak.

- Yes.

- For like Netflix, AMC.

- I think the proof that we're capable of delivering it's now here and it exists and it's real.

Can you do the shots?

Can I film a series in TJ?

Yes, now it's a matter of growing that business.

- The skill of their staff has allowed them to even launch a fully animated feature and to work significantly with productions in Tinseltown.

(car screeching) - Everything that has to do with creative, everything from color pallette, lighting, scripts passes through this wonderful artists hands.

And all of artists are... Well, this type of artists are enabled with 3D printers.

So they can actually print in what they're working on.

- You molded this on the computer.

- Yeah, you model it and then you print it and then you print it out and then you get the basic shape of it.

So the guys are animating and in 3D that series.

So most of this are animators and there giving life to those characters.

- Nice.

- Yep yep all of these guys are layout.

These guys are the first guys that are seeing the actual movie in 3D space now with the actual sets.

Because this is a 3D animated production, storyboard is done in 2D.

And then that storyboard will get in between frames to give it time and length, that will become an animatic.

- Okay.

- And then animatic will be coming to sequences of the actual film or the actual episode.

So these guys are actually for the first time seeing the film in context.

The 3D space will significantly change the way that you perceive that shot.

Most of our modeling team they work on live action or animated films.

So in this case, Alex is doing a CG prosthetic that it's going to be overlaid on top of a green screen.

So this is basically- - Right, they put a green like a sock.

- Yes, and then - And then they put that over.

- Correct.

So in this case, Alex is doing a very full realistic arm with kinda like the skin layers and the actual-- - The lighting.

- The lighting and everything so this guys can actually overlay so-- - Really?

- So onset they do prosthetics.

- Yeah.

- But they look cheap or they look like the scenes you can see them.

So you use this type of techniques in order to blend them in better.

- Cover that, yeah.

So what do you call this department?

Lighting and shading.

- Lighting and shading.

- Yep, compared to live action.

These guys will be your cinematographers.

- Right, for sure.

- These guys are your DPs.

- They're doing this checking the lighting and the texture.

- They're checking your lighting shading, correct.

These guys basically are the hub for everything.

So this guys had to review concept art.

These guys needed to review the script.

These guys needed to see the animatic.

So they know exactly what they need to be modeled what needs to be textured, what needs to be shaded.

So these guys are the guys that get all of the errors from the different departments.

If there were they catch them all.

- Yeah - I have friends working on mid and high level studios.

And you'll be surprised there's no, (laughs) there is no such thing as a perfect scenario.

- It's amazing to see you the real life process of this movie making magic experience.

- They shot some of the effects practical and when-- - That's the lap, right?

- No, this is actually a muscle flash like from set but this director, for some reason, on the camera settings, we're actually making that artifact.

- Boxel also does augmented reality integrations.

The mobile device or the phone has become our central hub of content consumption, right?

- Yes.

Now, those phones are being enabled by the major hardware creators like Apple and Samsung, to be AR enabled.

- AR stands for augmented reality.

And it is developed to enhance the user's experience with the real world through their device, like a phone.

- Oh, it's so cool.

- It will actually track.

Click on the black ops, click on it and it will open it up.

- What!

- And it will show me the product so I can actually now like, look how it's built the quality of the materials.

Like - (chuckles) Oh!

- It's doing a little animation so I can explore, like click on the materials, button down there, yeah.

- Materials.

- Yes, so now what it's going to do is going to calculate the distance from my camera and it will let me know what material is that made of.

So aluminum, that's made of G10 composite.

So it's detecting the angle of the camera.

So now you can imagine, how far are you from an object, it we'll actually let you know.

And I can explore the product as well.

It's going to correct.

And then I can select different topics on it.

And then I can scroll back through the items.

So as you can see a completely different way of exploring a product in 3D and then I can deactivate it .

And why are companies doing this?

Because many people in the store open up the box.

- To see it.

- Yes and people don't like to buy an open box product, even if it's new.

- Right.

- So in order for them to avoid opening the box you give them experiences so they can explore the product.

- Now imagine everything in a store having this.

- Correct, without the need of an iPad without the need of phone.

- With your glasses.

- Just what you're wearing glasses these.

- Computer.

- Yes tell me the amount of fat.

- Yes.

- This muffin has .

- Literally.

- Right.

- It will happen, thanks to Dexter.

(laughing) Right now through augmented reality, what if I use my phone and just basically aim it at the stereo and it will through augmented reality will let me know how to pair with my Bluetooth device, - A little digital hand press here.

- Yes.

And you're like, oh, whoa, boom.

- Literally in 3D space.

(laughs) And that's happening right now.

- Wow.

- So Apple is putting a lot of efforts in education, for example so instead of actually opening a frog in school you can actually through AR in animated content, create virtual animals to explore an anatomy of them and project them in mixed reality.

So what we're trying to do is make the Tijuana become like a hub.

We're calling it like a California solution in the South for the Hollywood industry.

- A cost-effective solution.

- Yeah a cost-effective solution.

We are the largest and only studio that it's basically servicing the industry.

But we are hopeful that within the near future a couple of more studios will start to rise and hopefully more producers will look to the South in getting their productions done.

- It's Crossing South folks.

One of the many things happening in the region, important things happening or even major productions are being considered down here.

And one of the guys that it's enabling and effecting those productions in the visual market it's this guy right here.

- Thank you so much guys.

- Andres.

(laughs) Thank you, man, thank you.

(Indistinct ) don't go anywhere.

- As we leave these young creatives to their field of expertise, we head to that which is our own, ah, the Valle de Guadalupe.

This area is a hub for wines, but it's growth is allowing it to include a variety of experiences that provide visitors with a wider gambit of culinary encounters during their visit to the region.

In fact, the gastronomical arts of the land of the rising Sun have made their way to Baja's wine country.

- Very nice to meet you.

(speaks in foreign language) So where are you from Toshi?

- I'm from Japan.

- Japan, what city in Japan?

- I was born Osaka.

- Osaka?

- Yeah.

- From what I've heard some cities in Japan are more modern but Osaka has kept a lot of the ancient culture, right?

Is that true, or?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah, it is, okay.

(laughs) - I start to work in San Diego, 1997.

- 97.

- 2017 I start to walk in the Tijuana.

- Was that in a sushi restaurant.

- Yes, sushi restaurant.

When I using a Mexican product.

- You liked it.

- Yeah, very much.

- Well, you know that Japan buys a lot of produce from Baja, right?

- Yeah.

Japan has a good one but Mexico has also very good one.

- Very good.

- Yeah.

- It's up to your standards.

So is it possible with the produce here to make good sushi?

- Of course.

- That a Toshi would say - Very good.

- It is very good.

- Yeah.

- Okay, yeah.

Is this considered a very healthy food?

- Yeah, of course.

- This pretty healthy, right?

Makes me nice and powerful.

- Yeah, powerful.

- Right?

(laughs) Check it out, check it out, check it out.

Oh wow.

(sighs) Smells delicious.

This is an important moment in us getting to know each other.

This would be part of the chocolate clam.

Oh man.

This is so good.

We're gonna actually have a barnacle.

You normally see barnacles stuck on ships, stuck on boats, so.

Okay, the barnacle must be an acquired taste.

Gotta tell you, sea cucumber egg.

Wow, I can't believe I'm eating all this stuff.

(laughs) So fresh, so good, so invigorating.

(laughs) It is an interesting dish.

It has some, a bit of a seabass moose.

It's got some tataki seabass which is basically a seared seabass.

It has some sea bass crunchy skin.

And believe it or not, those are crickets on top.

I mean, it looks good.

So if I just add a little bit of the puree, little bit of the cricket, a little bit of the crunchy skin.

Cricket where are you going?

I'm telling you folks, if you're not used to some crickets this is it I'll tell you how it is.

Pretty good, cricket give it that salty touch.

Everything's here for a reason, wow.

Very nice.

Now this one right here, it's a lobster eggplant puree.

So those are lobster rolls down there.

It looks pretty rad.

So let's see if it tastes as good as it looks.

The lobsterness, it was quite good.

Okay, I'm really looking forward to this, Toshi made these for us, these fish collar.

So I'm really excited about trying them.

I dunno if Toshi going to get mad if I'm using my fingers but there's no way I can grab this fully with my chopsticks.

Look at how that glows, oh my goodness.

Make sure you get that skin.

(chuckles) It's very important, the skin is delicious.

Some of the dishes are definitely a concoction for the region based on the ingredients in Baja based on the methods of cuisine that Baja has to offer and Toshi smart, he's offering that to kind of wean someone in who's not used to a fully on, fully fledged authentic, bonafide, Japanese experience, which by the way, it leads me to show you this sake.

That sake is good and it's not Japanese.

That sake is from, I think Mazatlan or ...

It's in Sinaloa, its Mexican, Mexican sake.

But I asked Toshi if if it had met his expectations and he said it's pretty good sake, so (laughs) if Toshi thought it was good, yeah, I just thought it tasted and I agree with him.

Okay, so this is your sashimi because it has no rice, kampachi fish which is kinda like a yellow tail family fish.

It's from La Paz in Baja Sur, Southern Baja state.

And this is right here is baked abalogne.

Look at like the glittery skin.

Look at the subsurface scatter, (laughs) of this glistening skin.

Wow, I want a creamy fresh.

It tastes like a delicacy, that's how I can describe it.

Let's try this vieja fish.

Oh, that was good.

Creamy citrusy, fresh, very aromatic.

So let's the abalone, this is the baked abalone.

Let's try it, okay.

A little chewier, but it's good.

It doesn't taste as delicate as the two sashimis here but it's still a very good, very good dish.

Okay, so this right here, it's a clam venus miso soup.

So let's try this.

(sips) This is delicious, it is so flavorful.

That's a lot coming from me folks.

I'm not normally a fan of miso.

Wow, it's full of energy and I'm telling you, I feel the power the power within me.

Those small clams really enhanced an already good dish This is just delicious.

You wanna know what sushi is?

This is sushi.

Okay, so you have this row of sushi and this one is a pismo clam sushi.

The second one is a Blanco fish.

I don't know what that exactly is but it's a Blanco fish from Baja.

And this one is basically a scallop sushi.

So is this just right there?

It's your raw scallop.

This handle has in a Ruby crab inside.

And that's the Ruby crab hand roll.

And this is gonna be interesting, but it's a it's a sea urchin sushi.

So that's interesting.

Let's see how that tastes.

This may be my first time ever actually eating actual sushi instead of sushi rolls.

I'm telling you if you eaten any sushi rolls, you're ready for sushi.

This is prepared by Japanese hands.

I know Japanese.

They're the ones, if there's anyone you can trust on the planet preparing the sea food, Japanese people.

So.

Okay, you can always tell by my reaction when I bite into a specific dish when it separates itself from the pack, even better.

I don't think I've ever had raw scallops before.

Creamy, so creamy.

(chuckles) So let's try the Ruby crab hand roll.

That is really good, wow.

It's so subtle and yet so impactful.

Now the sea urchin, I'm not looking forward to that one.

It just doesn't look great to me, it just sea urchin.

Do you remember the Lion King when Timon and Pumba lift that log?

It started eating (laughs) the grubs that.

I don't wanna taste it, and I wonder if I can get out of it.

(laughs) But no.

(mimicking) okay.

It's not bad, it's like a butter.

Something like a mustardy butter.

(laughing) It's not bad but it's definitely one that I probably would not.

There wasn't like a phenomenal blow your socks off tastes that I would wanna try again that particular one as opposed to like the sushi.

The sushi for instance, was incredibly creamy.

These two, if this sashimis were basically a delicacy it's almost like a cream, they melt in your mouth and very good fish.

So Toshi knows exactly what he's doing.

(upbeat music) - Having seen Toshi make Baja his culinary background and Andres developing the VFX industry of Tijuana We leave wondering what other interesting folks and delicious foods we'll taste the next time we cross South.

(upbeat music) Like to know more about the places you've just seen.

Maps, videos, podcasts, and more at crossingSouth.com.

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