At the end of April this year, I spent a week on location in Girona, Costa Brava, filming this summers Estrella Damm beer commercial. Picked up in Barcelona and driven the hours journey to Girona, I met my fellow cast, around 20 other models/actors/musicians and a magician, and we were thrown straight into filming. The commercial was directed by Julio Medem, a Spanish writer and film director.
Julio is a fantastic director and it was a real treat for me to work with someone who is near the top of his industry in Spain. All my filming took place at a beautiful house situated in the hills just outside the city. I was the only native english speaker on the whole of the set. Don't get me wrong, there were many cast and crew who had a fantastic grasp of the English language, something I am eternally grateful for, but It was a largely Spanish group (shock there huh?) with a few other nationalities dotted here and there. The modelling industry is a true melting pot of cultures, backgrounds and heritages. I have met people from all over the world, conversing through body language and gesticulation as much as I have used words! Unfortunately I can't embed the commercial onto the page but I have of course provided a link below.
If you watch the video its quite plain to see that we had a lot of fun making this commercial. (understatement!) Dancing around the house, dips in the pool, group dining on Paella, magic tricks and of course culminating in a party to finish the night. The song playing through out is called Fantástico and is performed and written by Love of Lesbian, the band you see on the stage at the end.
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Screenshots from Estrella Damm 2013
So I turned up on set on what must have been the fifth day of seven, fresh faced and ready to tackle the day. upon arrival i was taken to one side and asked if I was happy to perform a nude scene. In my short career I have never been placed with this dilemma, certainly not on a set as big as this, with the proposition of having 10 crew members and 2 cameras recording me walking in my buff. I wasn't meant for this role originally. The boy they had cast was unable to do it due to having a large tattoo on his arm. Well his loss, was my gain. I have to be honest, I jumped at the opportunity. I don't think of myself as an exhibitionist or anything like that, for me, it seemed a chance to step up and get another experience under my belt.
Filming for this commercial is the most fun Ive had on a job. I made some great friends and have so many amazing memories from that week. It was a serious adrenaline buzz working in that environment everyday, no matter how long those days were. It was with sadness that the week came to its conclusion, however, there was one last surprise to come.
My housemate in Barcelona, is from Mallorca, one of the beautiful Belaeric Islands of the East coast of Spain. When home one weekend in June he got a shock to see my face staring back at him from metro station advertisements and billboards on the side of the motorways! There had been a photographer on set for the whole week of filming and Estrella Damm had chosen a photo that had me in it for their campaign. I had not been told. (Shocked Weasel!) In September I went with my housemate to his home in Mallorca and got to see the advertising with my own two eyes. Truly took my breathe away.
Iria Esteller and myself, Estrella Damm 2013
There you have it, my favourite job.
What a week!
Peace x
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