Book: 'Dentsu Inc. Design Talk Vol.2' Kundo Koyama × Yoshimitsu Sawamoto "How to Nurture the Seeds of Ideas"

The book 'Dentsu Inc. Design Talk Vol. 2 ' is now on sale to great acclaim starting December 19, 2014.
This time, from Session 1 within the book, we share a glimpse of the conversation between Mr. Kundo Koyama—who has worked on films like "Departures" and produced television programs—and Mr. Yoshimitsu Sawamoto of Dentsu CDC, who has created hit TV commercials such as SoftBank Mobile's "White Family," Tokyo Gas's "Gas Pa Choo!," and the Central Dairy Council's "Consult Milk." We present a glimpse into their discussion on the behind-the-scenes stories of filmmaking and their approach to creation, featuring Dentsu Inc. CDC's Yoshimoto Kaoru.

Planning & Production: Aki Kanahara, Dentsu Inc. Event & Space Design Bureau

The Making of the Script for 'Departures'

Sawamoto: Mr. Koyama originally started as a radio scriptwriter, working on popular TV programs like "The Humiliation of Canossa" (※1) and "Iron Chef" (※2). He also wrote the screenplay for the blockbuster film 'Departures' (2008 ※3), which won numerous awards both domestically and internationally. He's also involved in producing the historic Nikko Kanaya Hotel and the Kumamoto Prefecture mascot, Kumamon. On the other hand, he's a university professor and has incredibly deep knowledge about food. He has such a broad range of knowledge; he feels like a connoisseur of everything. Today, I'd like to talk with Mr. Koyama about the theme "How to Nurture the Seeds of Ideas."

Koyama: Nice to meet you.

Sawamoto: Well then, let's start with film. When I first wrote an original screenplay for the film "10 Promises Between My Dog and Me" (2008 ※4), I initially wrote it for a single-theater release, aiming to express my own thoughts. But as the release expanded nationwide, various circumstances came flooding in, and honestly, it stopped being something I wrote with that original mindset. Various requests and conditions came attached, and solving those problems made it feel like the kind of client work I usually do for commercials. So, partway through, I shifted my motivation. Instead of writing purely for self-expression, I started writing with the goal of creating something many people would enjoy watching, something that genuinely moved their hearts. From that point, it worked out well. I believe that's how it became a major film. Mr. Koyama, your film 'Departures' dealt with views on life and death, which I imagine was an incredibly difficult subject. The fact that you made it such a hit is, first and foremost, truly impressive. I'd love to hear what your mindset was like while writing the screenplay.

Koyama: I never intended for it to be a hit at all. I heard that Masahiro Motoki, who starred in it, wanted to make a film based on an essay collection called 'The Embalmer's Diary' by Shinmon Aoki, which was like a philosophical and religious book. So I read the book too. It was interesting, but I thought it would be hard to adapt into a movie. I love Juzo Itami's films, and I felt we could never surpass "The Funeral." So I initially turned it down. But then they said they'd make it an arthouse film for limited release, and told me to write the script however I wanted. I wrote freely, and ended up using only about 20% of the original material – 80% became original creation. Then, Motoki's side talked with the original author, and ultimately they asked me to rewrite it not as an adaptation but as something completely new. So I rewrote it again, and that's how it became what it is now. At this stage, concrete production details weren't set, and no director had been chosen yet, so almost no one from the film company was involved. Therefore, I was fortunate enough to finish writing it without feeling any of the frustration Mr. Sawamoto experienced.

Sawamoto: I envy that, but at the same time, it's because the script is so good that even the difficult parts make you laugh.

Koyama: Not at all. I think it's more Director Yojiro Takita's skill than the script itself.

Sawamoto: But I think it's really great how it's structured with humor, even while depicting life and death side by side, including perspectives on mortality. Was it the humor element that made people connect with it?

Koyama: Yes. If we'd approached it directly, it would have become a really heavy theme. So we thought about how to lighten it up, and that idea just sort of came to me.

Sawamoto: When you were writing it, did you go for interviews multiple times?

Koyama: For research, I interviewed an embalmer just once for three hours. I also talked to a guy at the crematorium for about ten minutes and a priest for an hour. That formed the basis. People who specialize in film might get mad at me for that.

Sawamoto: But that was sufficient, right?

Koyama: Yes. It might be partly because the people I happened to talk to were interesting, but it was sufficient enough.

Ideas come while listening to briefings

Sawamoto: In our advertising work too, we go to clients and listen to their briefings, but we don't listen for hours on end, right? Don't ideas usually come to you while you're listening?

Koyama: Yes. I come up with ideas while listening. Also during presentations. Sometimes during a presentation, I realize, "Ah, this other idea is more interesting." While talking with the client, I might say, "Got it. So you mean something like this?" and gradually voice what I'm thinking, then end up adjusting the direction that way (laughs).

Sawamoto: That happens sometimes, doesn't it?

Koyama: Yeah. Since commercials are 15 or 30 seconds, I think you can make something work once you have one idea. Getting briefed is incredibly important, isn't it? Even when we're commissioned by an ad agency, I personally think it's better for me to attend the briefing stage too. Is that something that's not allowed as part of the ad agency's protocol?

Sawamoto: No, sometimes we go, sometimes we don't. Honestly, going is definitely better because you often come up with ideas on the spot. But maybe the creative people aren't too keen on going. They might just find it a hassle. There are ways to handle it, but basically, I also think hearing directly from the client means less thinking on our part.

Koyama: Even with TV programs, requests like "Change this part" come in during production. Who's making that request is crucial. Is it the client who wants the change? Or is it the ad agency staff reading the client's mood and proactively suggesting changes at the agency stage? Or is it the TV station's sales rep, looking at both the agency and the client, suggesting changes? It makes a huge difference, and it confuses us. Then, when we make the changes and finally present it to the client, they ask, "Why did you change this?" That kind of thing feels incredibly wasteful.

Sawamoto: It is wasteful. In our case, when we go to a commercial orientation meeting and they say, "Use the workplace as the setting," for example, since workplaces vary, we'll ask, "So, for instance, would this be what you mean?" Then we gauge their reaction and eliminate options that clearly won't work. That way, we rarely miss the mark. So for me, the orientation meeting isn't so much about listening as it is about asking a few questions, blocking off several possible paths of thought, and pinning down the direction. When you do that, it's definitely easier to just go yourself.

 

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※1【The Humiliation of Canossa】

A late-night program broadcast on Fuji TV from 1990 to 1991. It humorously explained the history of modern Japanese consumer culture by drawing parallels to actual events in world or Japanese history. While appearing to be a serious educational program at first glance, it gained popularity through modern satire using parodies of famous historical figures and iconic visuals. Actor Noboru Nakatani served as the regular "Professor" and host.

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※2【Iron Chef】

A cooking show broadcast on Fuji TV from 1993 to 1999. It featured culinary battles between a renowned chef, certified by the program and called an "Iron Chef," and a guest chef who appeared each episode, judged by a panel of experts. It gained fans through its flamboyant production style, including Takashi Kaga's over-the-top hosting and high-energy commentary during the cooking segments.

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※3【Departures】

A Japanese film released in 2008. Screenplay: Kundo Koyama, Director: Yojiro Takita, Starring: Masahiro Motoki. After his orchestra disbanded and he lost his job, cellist Daigo Kobayashi found new employment as an encoffiner, a person who places the deceased into coffins. The film depicts his growth as he struggles to gain understanding for his work from those around him and grapples with family issues. It won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 81st Academy Awards.

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※4 [10 Promises with My Dog]

A 2008 Japanese film. Screenplay: Yoshimitsu Sawamoto, Director: Katsuhide Motoki, Starring: Rena Tanaka. Middle schooler Akari decides to keep a Golden Retriever she accidentally finds one day. Named Socks because one of its front paws is white like it's wearing a sock, the dog faces various hardships alongside Akari over the next ten years. A family drama depicting Akari, her family, her boyfriend, and Socks. It is based on the anonymous short poem "The Ten Commandments of Dogs," which spread widely on the internet.