Led by the creative agency The Monkeys and shot on an 8mm film camera, this commercial beautifully captures the heartfelt reunion between a mother in Australia and her son based in Japan, after four years of separation due to the pandemic.

In our role as Set Designers, our task was to craft an authentic and relatable environment while carefully aligning with the director’s storytelling vision. Understanding the main character’s personality was vital in curating and portraying his human essence, reflecting his experiences and emotions through the physical sets.

We aimed to depict distinct lifestyles for a foreigner in Japan, carefully contrasting the scenes in Australia and Japan. By meticulously selecting textures, items, and colors for the Japanese scenes, we effectively highlighted the differences in life between the two countries and maintained a balanced narrative.

Our setups ranged from outdoor scenes at an old Japanese Soba restaurant to intimate indoor shots in a single apartment room and a stylish cocktail bar with a panoramic view of the Tokyo skyline. Timed perfectly for Mother’s Day, this 60-second ad premiered on May 14th, airing across TV, cinema, video, and outdoor channels until the end of June in Australia.