Travel and entertainment credit card Diner’s Club released a stunning cinematic TV commercial.  

Hideoki & Co. made a convincing argument to shoot in New York as the suitable location to represent the passion and ambition of two of Japan’s talent — dancer and choreographer Fukiko Takase and BMX world champ Yohei Uchino. The grit, gumption and the grind of New York gave the scenes a realistic depiction of hard work and discipline in pursuit of one’s dreams. Our job was to choose the appropriate locations and supporting talent in line with the creative’s vision. One of the challenges we encountered was the weather, particularly the shots taken at the rooftop, featuring Fukiko Takase. Whilst we had our rain maker and smoke machine ready, the strong winds, thunder and lightning were not on our side. Our producer was skillful to detect when it was safe to go out to proceed with the shoot. As safety is our priority, we took advantage of the blessing of the natural rain that poured upon us that day. With 2 takes at 20 minutes each, we’re able to successfully capture dramatic shots that were as real as they could be.

The exciting shots with the BMX biker Yohei Uchino required a special cameraman who could follow him whilst in motion and be able to seize some of the fine details. We had to search a special skill where the cameraman can steadily shoot on rollerblades. You will see in the TVC close-up shots of the wheels of his bike, as well as the scratches on his hand while he fervently rode his bike.

With several obstacles we faced, Hideoki & Co. helped deliver another spectacular work.