I always try to take as many pictures as possible, but on some jobs such as this one, the shoot days are too intense and I don’t have time to take as many as I would like. Here is a small sample of what we were filming in Manila for Lexus.

This one was really good fun to shoot despite the incredibly small budget and the heat! I got an email from Lucien, Great guns EP for Asia, “Bruce, great script but very little money….actually virtually impossible but I’m sure you’ll love it”. Cut to me saying thanks and telling him we have to do it no matter what! Some weeks later we’re in Manila scouting for a Japanese car brand….Manila is fantastic but its not precisely the perfect car shoot city, or film friendly even. But with love and lots of patience, the local prod co did a really fantastic job and against all odds, got the permits we needed, just!

Production company was GREAT GUNS ASIA, EP’d by the brilliant Lucien Tyssendier. I worked with Roman Martinez de Bujo again, never fails! What a great director of photography and always has my back apart from the talent he has for getting the best out of the least. I’d gladly film anywhere in the world with these two!

The client was Amy Hyman, again, great to work with fully on board and the agency was THE & PARTNERSHIP JAPAN. Jobs like these can sometimes be very tricky because of the small budget, its important to have everyone on the same page as to the restrictions with permits, costs etc, and the creatives were really fantastic. Austin Muncy ECD, Fabien Delmontte CD, came to the shoot and were a treat to work with, sharing ideas and solutions. Doug Schiff CCO, didn’t make it but we had some good brainstorms prior to traveling to Manila. Last but not least, Agency producer was Rie Kawai, Patricia Ruiz, Group account director, also on the shoot.

Above from left to right, Patricia Ruiz, Amy Hyman, Austin Muncy and someone in black who I don’t know who it is! In the last pic, Lucien and Fabien.

We filmed in Manila downtown, one of the downtowns because there are three or four…And we spent another day shooting in the rain forest (luckily no rain)…..A lot to film in just two days. Luckily we were able to film some harness and green screen footage the day before.

Thanks to all the local crew, 1st AD Paolo Maderal and the local production team Yellow Brick Road Productions, EP’s by Wimby Jao, line produced by Romina Rodela, and her team. Adrian Montemayor, Harra Agdigos, Crisal Sabinorio. Production designer was Riza Bacay, great job. I know it wasn’t easy as permits in Manila are crazy unreliable! Thanks to all for the effort.

Various pics from the shoot and the scouting. I normally take loads of pics but on this occasion I was really focused on getting all the shots!

A shout out to the guys at UPP in Prague who did the VFX, Tereza, Milos and Albert to name a few, made the impossible, very possible! The following pics are before VFX, and below this, the finished spot.