Mr+Positive & AMAN: This is seduction

Mr+Positive has earned a valuable asset, the trust of global luxury hotel chain, Aman. The production company has just produced its third commercial film for Aman.

Mr + Positive’s previous commercial film, Musashi, for Aman Tokyo’s Sushi restaurant, was a finalist in last year’s Ciclope Asia awards.

Connor Gilhooly was the director on all three projects. The new film weaves together the emotional and physical appeal of Aman Tokyo, to trigger responses of awe, indulgence and excitement with its use of slow-motion scenes and extreme close-ups.

“The director’s creative concept for Aman Tokyo was to show both the luxurious serenity and aesthetic beauty so characteristic of the Aman hotel brand, as well as highlight Tokyo’s unique duality of respected traditions and ultra-modernity, of finding peaceful calm in one of the busiest cities of the world. Gilhooly chose scenes of the urban landscape interwoven with the hotel’s own architectural shapes & lines. Through his use of light and shadow, a playful lens using blurred images and crisp lines interchangeably, Gilhooly created a beautiful cinematographic work,” noted Peter Grasse, executive producer, Mr+Positive.

“Mr+Positive has poured both love and enthusiasm into the projects,” he added. “This third instalment of a Mr+Positive-produced commercial for Aman is a reward. Building an excellent team is crucial for a Positive+ production, so we chose to fly in a trusted & talented DoP, Chris Watkins, from New Zealand who brought with him high-end quality gear to add the extra oomph to the visual aesthetics. It was so worth it.”

Sound was managed by Mr+Positive’s post-production partner, Cutting Edge Japan, its sound design sound completing Gilhhooly’s layered aesthetics of colour, light and shadow.

Locations were chosen to bring out the best of Tokyo. “Of course, the inside of the luxurious Aman Tokyo hotel featured prominently with its elegant architecture and soft tones. The views of the city from there were breathtaking both by day and night, from sunrise to sunset. We acquired permissions to film inside the now famous Team Lab Borderless where celebrities from around the world, including the Kardashians and Will Smith, have enjoyed the magic of lights and colours,” Grasse noted. “Almost topping this is our filming inside a sumo dōjō, the sumo training stables. They’re not only difficult to access but it’s also a massive honour to film sumo pros as they train in this traditional sport so revered in Japan.”

“In many ways, the production of Aman Tokyo spoke volumes to the importance of building a team of creatives, enthusiasts and entrepreneurial-minded people with each fulfilling their role. Vision, positivity and agility. As producers, it’s about bringing extra value at every turn. As creatives, it’s about creating beautiful visuals and fusing all the senses into one coherent piece,” Grasse concluded.