Written by new-contact on Mar 18, 2011. Posted in Production News

Rubicon builds market square filming on location in Goa

Exotic drinks brand Rubicon has filmed a series of ad spots for the ICC Cricket World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The brand has sponsored coverage of the competition on Sky Sports. In the idents, locals play cricket in an Indian market square, watched by three commentators.

The production considered Jodhpur in Rajasthan in north-western India, Mumbai and Sri Lanka as filming locations. KAS Move Makers advocated Margao in south Goa to avoid inflated location fees and the costs of flying crew and equipment across the country from Mumbai.

Laura Stageman, with London-based advertising agency and production house The Minimart, said: “We were looking for a location that had enough space to create a market square and had beautiful, intricate buildings as its surround. We really wanted to highlight the beauty and colour that India has to offer and this square enabled us to do this with the beautiful church and trees in the background.”

We were looking for a location that had enough space to create a market square and had beautiful, intricate buildings as its surround. We really wanted to highlight the beauty and colour that India has to offer.

Aruna HarPrasad, Director of KAS Movie Makers, said: “We shot in South Goa in the middle of a square surrounded by old tiled Portuguese buildings with a busy road running along one side of it. This large square belongs to the church that is now used as a football field for school children. This location was proposed by KAS as it was large enough to turn into a traditional market square with a makeshift cricket field in the centre, dictated by the script.

“We chose this location [partly because it] was close enough to Mumbai for us to get our required equipment and crew by road at a reasonable rate.”

Because the square was owned by the church the production avoided having to pay official location fees. The radio station where the commentators sit was specially built in the square the night before filming – to a few complaints from local residents – and then the 250 extras and an elephant proved a challenge.

Aruna added: “The construction of the market with local workers who had never worked on a film and did not understand the concept of time was a nightmare. The 250 extras we had to herd like a shepherd without his sheep dog! Our seven-member Indian crew were spinning around like a top with very little sleep and meals on the run.”

Stageman added: “The filming equipment came from several companies from Mumbai - it was all pretty new and in great condition. Our DoP was particularly impressed! Give yourself plenty of time with visas and time to get clearing from the High Commission and the Ministry of External Affairs - I cannot stress this enough. India is fantastic. It’s a different way of working, sure, but truly a memorable experience.”

Credits:
Client: Rubicon
Agency/Production Company: The Minimart, London
Agency Producer: Laura Stageman
Production Service Company: KAS Movie Makers, New Delhi
Company Director: Aruna Har Prasad
Director of Photography: Antony Brown
Directors: Timothy Clyde, Edward Chilcott

Images courtesy of The Minimart and Aruna Har Prasad at KAS Movie Makers.