In the bleakness of a Russian border security post, a wireless operator detects an approaching intrusion. The captain takes charge and amid the excitement of action in the dreary setting, troops are ordered in rapid Russian to position themselves with ammunition, in anticipation of an attack. It is late evening and slowly, in the distance, headlights, followed by a truck drive up and the driver calmly sticks his head out to enquire, “Pajji yahaan kahin chai wai milega?” (Brother, where can I get some tea around here?)
This new television ad for HP Turbo Jet diesel was shot in Rohtang Pass and Chennai. The previous ad, based on similar lines, saw a truck drive into China all the way from India.
Manoj Pillai, who produced the film, liked the idea and challenge of using a Russian setting because he admires Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. The challenge of communicating with Russian cast members and creating accurate dialogues would make the film hard to execute.
A Russian interpreter and translator was, however, discovered in Puttaparty, a small town near Bangalore that is home to Sai Baba and attracts disciples from all over the world. Peter, the interpreter, would relay directions to the Russian actors, who were also found in Puttaparty.
The captain and wireless operator are both Russians and devotees of Sai Baba. Pillai tells a story of how, when he asked the captain to act angry, the actor refused, saying that anger went against Sai Baba’s teachings. Communication, therefore, wasn’t just about getting the bits in Russian right.
The film has been shot in two parts. The second part, when the troops run to their positions in the snow, was shot in Rohtang Pass. The snow here, according to Pillai, isn’t deep and it is a job making the place look like Russia. The first part of the TVC – inside the border security camp, was shot in Chennai, where there is no snow and to give the effect of ice on the window panes, snow machines had to be used. Moreover, since it’s hot in Chennai, the actors’ body language tends to be different from when they’re in freezing conditions. Apart from noticing and correcting body language, the two sections of footage had to be seamlessly integrated.
This would be tricky, since the set of actors who run out in the snow are different from those inside the camp. While the people in the camp were Russians, those outside were Israelis.
The TVC begins with background sound that has been taken from Golden Eye, the James Bond film. At the climax, when the truck driver asks for tea, a jiggy tune in the background breaks the stumped silence. The tune has been inspired by a Russian Roulette, which too comes from a Russian Puttaparty source.
These film ideas come from Senthil Kumar and Debu Purkayastha, who are creative people working with JWT in Bombay and while they have thought of another film for Turbo Jet and have begun working it out, we will have to wait to find out what it’s about.
Credits:
Creative - Senthil Kumar, Debu Purkayastha, Arkadyuti Basu and Hital Pandya of JWT
Production - Manoj Pillai, Thinkpot Productions
This new television ad for HP Turbo Jet diesel was shot in Rohtang Pass and Chennai. The previous ad, based on similar lines, saw a truck drive into China all the way from India.
Manoj Pillai, who produced the film, liked the idea and challenge of using a Russian setting because he admires Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. The challenge of communicating with Russian cast members and creating accurate dialogues would make the film hard to execute.
A Russian interpreter and translator was, however, discovered in Puttaparty, a small town near Bangalore that is home to Sai Baba and attracts disciples from all over the world. Peter, the interpreter, would relay directions to the Russian actors, who were also found in Puttaparty.
The captain and wireless operator are both Russians and devotees of Sai Baba. Pillai tells a story of how, when he asked the captain to act angry, the actor refused, saying that anger went against Sai Baba’s teachings. Communication, therefore, wasn’t just about getting the bits in Russian right.
The film has been shot in two parts. The second part, when the troops run to their positions in the snow, was shot in Rohtang Pass. The snow here, according to Pillai, isn’t deep and it is a job making the place look like Russia. The first part of the TVC – inside the border security camp, was shot in Chennai, where there is no snow and to give the effect of ice on the window panes, snow machines had to be used. Moreover, since it’s hot in Chennai, the actors’ body language tends to be different from when they’re in freezing conditions. Apart from noticing and correcting body language, the two sections of footage had to be seamlessly integrated.
This would be tricky, since the set of actors who run out in the snow are different from those inside the camp. While the people in the camp were Russians, those outside were Israelis.
The TVC begins with background sound that has been taken from Golden Eye, the James Bond film. At the climax, when the truck driver asks for tea, a jiggy tune in the background breaks the stumped silence. The tune has been inspired by a Russian Roulette, which too comes from a Russian Puttaparty source.
These film ideas come from Senthil Kumar and Debu Purkayastha, who are creative people working with JWT in Bombay and while they have thought of another film for Turbo Jet and have begun working it out, we will have to wait to find out what it’s about.
Credits:
Creative - Senthil Kumar, Debu Purkayastha, Arkadyuti Basu and Hital Pandya of JWT
Production - Manoj Pillai, Thinkpot Productions
No comments:
Post a Comment