'Thank You Mom' and Cinematography in commercials

[Paramvir]

I recently came across this comemrcial for P&G called 'Thank You Mom'. Its shot by Frederick Elmes, a Cinematographer I immensely admire. Fred Elmes has shot over 40 feature films in Hollywood, some of which an average movie goer must have seen (we being film junkies have seen many more) : 'Blue Velvet', 'Hulk', 'Coffee and Cigarettes' etc.

What really gripped me was the Cinematography of this commercial. Its Cinematic. Most Indian commercials look overlit, with a lot of unjustifiable sources. As Nestor Almendros (another of my favourite Cinematographers) would have said "Its too electric". These 'overlit', 'electric' commercials don't have the magic of cinema. See this commercial for yourself. There is a cinematic magic to it, which can only be given by the great talent and experience of someone who sees moving images as some kind of magical story telling:

Music by Shirley Bassey. Direction by Dante Ariola.

[youtube]yo0ejBHp8UI[/youtube]

[Saumya]

beautifulcommecial! thanks for the share. and I agree with you, indian TVCs look so plastic and unreal... at least a vast majority of them.