Five Los Angeles based dancers were hired to compliment the ten local hires and Japanese crew and choreographers. I couldn't understand a word on set!
One of the choregraphers, Yasko, choreographed the little tap dance section you will see in the final video. Yasko was an amazing hoofer - and that's coming from an amazing hoofer, so ... believe me when I say it was an honor to work with her.
Patricia Field was the costume designer. You might know her work on Sex in the City. She also has a line of shoe designs manufactured by Payless shoes currently, which I shot the commercial for. This industry is getting more and more cozy.
Ironically, I had just visited Japan the year prior to see Nine Inch Nails play Chiba Marine Stadium. To my delight, the Namie Amuro "New Look" video was filmed in the exact same location.
Another first on set, which you won't see mentioned in this "making of" music video, was a sit down strike the LA dancers staged. The work format just isn't the same in Japan. I mean, I thought film and television shoots were long in Hollywood, but we were on our 20th hour and well ... the US dancers could see that we were no where near done and well ... we needed another day's pay for this. Honestly, we needed two more days pay - like double triple over time or something. The Japanese production crew was extremely respectful and gave us cash on the spot. But they worked us long hours! In the US, I hate to say it, but we wouldn't have had to sit down for another day's pay, but on the other hand, we would have been shouted at kindy pushy like the entire shoot - which definitely never happened in Tokyo:-)
Oh, and before the make up artists did make up, they massaged our face. For a long time. Now that was brilliant!
Enjoy the "making of" Namie Amuro's New Look music video:
Who's that tall girl?
A precarious situation with tights.
First day of rehearsals:
What to do at hour 19 on a 24 hour shoot:
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