Spielberg
once said “a good idea almost always starts off as a bad idea, that’s why it
takes so long”.

I
am drawn to filming road stories as the road can direct the viewer and the
implicit journey is an allegory of the journey of life; we are all on our own
road trip.

Sunset
Boulevard does not split landscapes with the majesty and grandeur of the
deserts of the South West, but it is up there for me as one of the most
exciting stretches of road in America. It is the heart of movie land and the
massive billboards on the strip in West Hollywood leave the driver in no doubt
that they are in the entertainment capital of the world.

My
favorite filming location on the boulevard is looking west on the border of
West Hollywood and Hollywood. In part
because I can give a nod to one of the most famous hotels in the world without
killing the compositional balance and in part because the famous vertical
billboard, so often used by Marlboro in the old days, is in the heart of the
image.

It
is a special part of Americana and I am surprised that American icons have not
been filmed more often in this location.
I guess one reason is that it’s a very busy road and shutting it down
for filming is not easy.

The
idea of shooting here needed work and refinement. We needed a lead, we needed
to close the road down and then we needed a creative idea around which to wrap everything. My choice of lead was easy; Cindy Crawford is
made for this shot. The closure of the road restricted our window to a Sunday
morning between sunrise and 8 am, which meant a 4.30 am wake up. But Cindy is
the most punctual, professional and willing of all the stars with whom we work.

The
creative processing was the key. I
decided that we could go back in time to an era when Hollywood was free
rolling, liberal and fun and all the props would emphatically play to that
moment in time. It was the love and peace summer of 1975.

Cindy’s
team of stylist Nicole Allowitz; hair stylist Pete Savic and make up star Sam Visser
are one hell of a crew and she looked absolutely fantastic. My job is easy with
her on board and as always, we had a blast. I wanted a mid 70s vibe and Cindy’s
team and my production team delivered.

I
am pleased that one of the greatest films of all time - Jaws - takes care of
the Marlboro billboard. As its iconic director said “good ideas take time”.