The core of creation is "crafting with heart." Arata Iura × Kotaro Abe

Planning, casting, filming, editing... advertisements are created by connecting the efforts of many people to reach completion.

What mindset drives them from start to finish? What dramas unfold along the way?

Driven by a desire to understand the deeper meaning behind advertisements, copywriter Kotaro Abe interviews performers and creators at Dentsu Inc. Casting & Entertainment's serialized project " Advertising Tasuki."

Continuing from last time, we present a conversation with actor Arata Iura.

Trusting the creator's vision and letting them take the lead

Abe: Shin, you launched the sustainable cosmetics brand 'Kruhi'. When trying to convey the appeal of your own products, does your experience appearing in advertisements come into play?

Iura: I've directed several promotional videos now, and that experience has definitely been useful. Specifically, while advertising fundamentally shows the product, I've intentionally directed some pieces with the aim of deliberately not showing the product.

Abe: That's a bold approach.

Iura: Sometimes I become the client myself, and in those cases, I decide to freely pursue what I want to do. So, I start by considering the team. For example, if I think, "What would happen if this photographer friend, who usually works with still cameras, shot video using their sense?" I immediately offer them the job. Similarly, with musician friends, I might say, "I want to entrust you with the final music, so I'd like you to be involved from the start as part of the recording team for the commercial shoot." Most people agree right away.

Abe: So you trust the creator's sense and give them free rein.

Iura: Exactly. When I was a kid, I remember seeing a commercial where the product name didn't appear until the very end. Finally, the company name showed up, and I thought, "Oh, so this was an ad for that product..." I was completely drawn into the visuals. I love that kind of feeling. Since commercials are everywhere in daily life, deliberately not showing the product in the direction can actually make it more memorable.

Abe: It's a deliberate choice in presentation and storytelling.

Iura: Exactly. I think keeping viewers immersed in the work's world, without pulling them back to reality, helps it stick in their memory. Of course, this isn't always the right approach. Some products thrive precisely because they follow the tried-and-true path.

Abe: Like a food company's commercial showing a family eating together.

Iura: Exactly, exactly. That classic approach. There are aspects that come across better with those expected scenes. It's about understanding that, then deliberately throwing a curveball.

Crafting requires "making with your heart"

Abe: Hearing you articulate your creative mindset this time has been incredibly stimulating. Is this something you've developed through constant self-reflection?

Iura: More than constant questioning, it's the result of trial and error. If you asked me if I could have said the same thing 20 years ago, the answer would be no. I've made many mistakes and genuinely think hard to avoid repeating them. But humans are unfinished, and change isn't easy—I still make mistakes (laughs). Still, I think my ideas have become somewhat more coherent because I never gave up.

Abe: Is there anything you consciously focus on when creating things?

Iura: "Creating with heart." Whether or not that heart is present fundamentally changes how things are perceived. For me, "creating with heart" is the very core of craftsmanship.

Abe: What does "making with your heart" mean specifically?

Iura: What I've learned from years of making things is that creation absolutely requires heart. Take commercials, for example. It might be hard for people who were strangers moments ago to suddenly connect emotionally. But if they genuinely like the product being advertised, that's where the heart connects. If the lighting technician has actually used the product, how they place the lights changes. I truly believe that when every person on set has some kind of feeling for the product, the resulting footage becomes imbued with heart.

Abe: I also believe that putting your heart into something imbues it with love and passion. In advertising work, if you approach it with love like you do, Mr. Iura, I feel something truly takes root there.

Iura: Products are mass-produced in factories, so they're fundamentally the same. But when the creators genuinely love the product, it's completely different. It's like the product itself shines. That's what I've learned on film sets and other creative production environments.

Abe: Does that affection for the product really come across?

Iura: It does. If, as an actor, I created something without enough feeling for the product, I'd probably feel guilty toward myself. Of course, with advertising, sometimes you only truly engage with a product after receiving the commission. In those cases, I strive to deeply understand and grow to like the product. Appearing in an ad after that process means I'm being true to myself. In that sense, the most important thing for me when approaching advertising is "the time spent connecting with the product." Sure, I could just put on a smile and act on the day of the shoot, but I don't want to do that. That's why I believe creativity requires heart!

Actors can channel the collective passion of the entire production team into the product.

Abe: When you create an ad, Mr. Iura, what do you focus on?

Iura: I start by considering the team. Explaining the shoot's intent to my colleagues is a given, but first, I have everyone actually use the product.

Abe: You mean having them use 'Kruhi'?

Iura: Exactly. After they actually use it, I want them to feel the difference compared to other shampoos and experience its effects firsthand. By getting them to know the product and even grow to like it before shooting, the sense of unity is completely different!

Abe: I see why you're so particular about the cast from the start.

Iura: The cast is crucial. They're the partners you create things with.

Abe: Within the team, do you have thoughts about the role of the "actor"?

Iura: I think actors on a commercial set have a role in connecting everyone. Ultimately, the shoot converges on the actors, so if they're disengaged, it falls apart. With that awareness, actors can gather everyone's energy and direct it toward the product. I believe that's the role actors play.

Abe: I definitely get that feeling—how the set becomes unified when the performers engage with those around them. As a director or producer, having someone like you with that mindset must be incredibly valuable.

Iura: You might wonder why I feel so strongly about it, but if we're going to do it, I want to make a good commercial. It was tough, but it was fun—it would be wonderful if the set became a place where people could laugh and talk about it like that.

Growing to like the product as the shoot approaches

Abe: When you receive an advertising offer, is there a particular approach you'd be happy to see?

Iura: Hmm... The approach I appreciate most is being taken to the production factory to meet the people who make the product. Visiting the factory floor can be tough time-wise, but seeing where the product is made directly makes a huge difference. Who are the people making it? What are their motivations? Learning that makes me feel more attached to the product myself and increases my desire to convey its story.

Abe: So for you, Mr. Iura, the process and time spent growing to like the product leading up to the shoot are essential, even though the actual commercial filming itself only takes a day or two.

Iura: That's right. Ideally, factory visits would be scheduled right from the planning stage. But I think many actors besides me would appreciate that too.

Abe: Really? I had no idea so many people felt that way. I'm sure the people working on the production floor would be delighted too. If you don't mind, could you tell me what kind of advertising genres you're interested in for the future?

Iura: I'm drawn to fields where the genre isn't yet firmly established. My natural cosmetics brand 'Kruhi' is a perfect example. I have no intention of dismissing conventional cosmetics; I simply want to broaden the range of choices by offering new proposals. Getting involved with products in genres that haven't yet solidified is incredibly stimulating!

Abe: It was great to hear about your passion, Mr. Iura. Thank you for your time today.

Dentsu Casting & Entertainment is a Dentsu Group company specializing in talent casting for advertising, film, and events, including influencers, cultural figures, and celebrities.
 

Photographer: Naoya Fujikawa Writer: Sho Sasaki

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