| Title | 10 SEC. DRAMA: THE STOP LINE OF LOVE |
| Brand | JMS/TACTI |
| Product / Service | JMS |
| Category | A02. Script |
| Entrant | HAKUHODO KETTLE INC Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Idea Creation | HAKUHODO KETTLE INC Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Idea Creation 2 | HAKUHODO INC. Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Media Placement | HAKUHODO INC. Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Production | TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION Tokyo, JAPAN |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Kentaro Kimura | HAKUHODO Kettle | Executive Creative Director |
| Yusuke Kanda | HAKUHODO | Creative Director |
| Genta Ito | HAKUHODO Kettle | Creative Director |
| Yusuke Kanda | HAKUHODO | Scriptwriter |
| Masanobu Hino | HAKUHODO Kettle | Agency Producer |
| Yoshinori Sasahara | HAKUHODO Kettle | Agency Producer |
| Koji Joke | TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION | Producer |
| On Matsui | TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION | Producer |
| Daisuke Hirata | TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION | Director |
| Shingo Gima | DIAMOND SNAP | Cinematographer |
| Tomokazu Tsukioka | NEWS | Lighting |
| Saori Kiriyama | TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION | Production Manager |
| Yumiko Nagasaku | Free | Stylist |
| Ai Sugita | Free | Hair make |
| Futa Akashi | STUD | Editor |
| Shiki Adachi | Omnibus Japan | Sound Design Arrangement |
This film for JMS, a Japanese car accessories & maintenance shop, aims to highlight the shop’s wide selection of items through a series of 10-second drama-style commercials. The series aims to increase JMS’s awareness through the short 10-second soap opera revolving around a man and his lovers, embedding various products in the storyline for each episode. The story is about a middle-aged working man. He has been going on dates in his car with his subordinate, Sayo, but the story unfolds when encountering with his ex-wife, Michdiko, and another woman who he had met and feels fate. The series film encourages viewers to watch the next episode through the quick tempo of the progressing storyline and dramatic developments, which at the same time creates easier momentum to share.
Japanese loves romantic dramas, and the more seriousness the soap operas has, a tendency to acquire high audience rating within all programs. We focused on the connection between “cars” and “relationships,” and challenged ourselves to depict a story of “changing relationships caused by car maintenance” in the short 10-second timeframe. Instead of the dynamic changes in relationships preferred in foreign dramas, the series depicts sensitive changes to accommodate the Japanese audiences’ delicate sensibility, aiming to captivate audiences through hilarious, yet relatable circumstances.
Ep01 The sound of a man and woman laughing can be heard from a car parked in front of a small apartment. Inside the car, engaged in an office romance, is the company Boss and Sayo, a subordinate 15 years his younger, enjoying their time together. Just then, Sayo suddenly looks uncomfortable and turns to look at her Boss to ask a question. Sayo: Boss, why are you always so forgiving? The Boss, looking his age, answers. Boss: Because you’re adorable. With a bashful look, Sayo reveals a grilled calamari and asks another question. Sayo: Even if I start eating calamari right here? Without a trace of surprise the Boss replies confidently. Boss: Not a problem. Sayo, overflowing with sweetness, hugs her Boss. Sayo: I love you! Boss: Hey! As the pair embrace a picture graphic appears behind them with narration. VO: Eliminate odor at JMS! Ep02 Continuing from Ep01. Having exited the car, the Boss is seeing Sayo to her apartment in a lingering farewell. Boss: See you at work tomorrow… In an explosion of love Sayo suddenly clings to the Boss. Sayo: I don’t want to leave! The Boss gently soothes her. Boss: …Sayo As he senses someone's presence the Boss loses his cool and jumps violently. Boss: Michiko! From the darkness a housewife appears, illuminated in the beam of the headlights. Behind Michiko, standing with a hint of a smile and a slightly crazed look, a picture graphic appears with narration. VO: Crystal clear headlights! JMS! Ep03 The Boss and Sayo sitting in a car in the afternoon rain are talking. There is an unusual lingering tension between them. Boss: That was my ex. We still haven’t settled yet… Sayo, in order to change the mood, answers him. Sayo: It’s OK. Trying to calm things down, the Boss replies. Boss: It’s just the two of us today… Relaxing back in his seat, the Boss senses Michiko's presence as she pours rain on them both to interrupt them. The Boss yelps. Boss: Michiko! The water from Michiko is repelled from the windscreen. A picture graphic appears with narration. VO: Water repellant windshield coating! JMS! Ep04 At a skating rink a beautiful girl wearing ear muffs is unable to control her slide. Beauty: Somebody stop me! Please! By chance, it is the Boss who manages to catch her. Beauty: I’m so sorry. Beauty: It’s so hard to stop. The Boss is overcome by her beauty. Boss: Just like falling in love. Sayo, who came there on a date with her Boss, sees the spectacle and drops 2 cups of coffee on the floor. As the Boss and Beauty gaze at each other the product graphic appears with narration. VO: Stop your car with studless tires! JMS! Ep05 The Boss and the Beauty are in a car stopped on a road at night talking. They both look serious. With the engine off, the internal light and stereo are switched on. The Beauty uncontrollably confesses her feelings. Beauty: I’ve really fallen in love with you. Thinking of Sayo, the Boss answers calmly. Boss: There’s someone I care about. The Beauty falls further in love with the Boss unable to betray a lover. Beauty: I love that kind of honesty too! Suddenly the battery dies and the light and stereo cut out, leaving them in total darkness. The Beauty is scared and turns to the Boss for protection. Feeling her touch, the Boss loses control and hugs her back, confessing his love. Boss: I love you too. As the they embrace in darkness, a picture graphic appears in the background with narration. VO: Test your battery at JMS! Ep06 During their break at work, the Boss and Sayo are engaged in a serious discussion as they drive along, all shot from a drive recorder's perspective. Boss: Sayo, we need to break up. Sayo falls apart at breaking up with the Boss. Sayo: Why so suddenly! The Boss, trying hard to persuade her, replies in a firm tone. Boss: I’m in love with someone else. Sayo loses control at this sudden split Sayo: No, I’m not breaking up! Boss: Please! Sayo: Nooo! You can’t leave me! Just then, Michiko appears in the drive recorder trying to re-direct traffic. The Boss shouts. Boss: Michikooooo! As the Boss jumps and Sayo cries, the product graphic appears with narration. VO: Buy dashcams at JMS! Ep07 One weekend afternoon in winter, the Boss is spraying de-icer on the frozen windscreen of his car in an apartment carpark. Humming to himself, he is looking content. Turning suddenly to look up at a room in the apartment building, he sees the Beauty on the verandah waving at him. Turning back to the car, the de-icer has melted a section of windscreen revealing Sayo sitting inside. The Boss screams. Boss: Sayo! In the passenger seat he sees Michiko sitting alongside her. Boss: Michiko… Overlapping the startled Boss and Sayo and Michiko with their slightly crazed smiles is a product graphic and narration. VO: Buy de-icers at JMS! Ep08 In a car stopped by the side of a road at night, the Boss and Beauty are engaged in a serious talk. Boss: It’s really over with Sayo. The Beauty, uncomfortable at talk of Sayo, asks the Boss. Beauty: Can I really believe in you? The Boss answers reassuringly. Boss: Yes. At the light of a passing train, the Boss senses someone outside the car and looks totally startled. Boss: Sayo… In the light of the train, Sayo is dancing bewitchingly. Her seductive dance appears very beautiful. The Beauty sounds the horn loudly to shoo Sayo away and screams. Beauty: Go away! The Boss is captivated by Sayo's beautiful dance. Boss: Beautiful… As Sayo dances while the horn sounds a product graphic appears with narration. VO: Car horns, at JMS! Ep09 On the company premises, the Boss and Sayo are on their break sitting in a car. The Boss openly confesses to Sayo. Boss: You’ve been on my mind since then… The Boss looks concerned as Sayo sniffs and appears to be crying. Boss: Are you crying? She appears to shed a tear and whimpers, trying to control her feelings. Sayo: I don't know why. It's so stupid. The Boss falls for Sayo in her sad state and hugs her tightly. Boss: I’m the stupid one. From the reverse angle where the Boss cannot see, Sayo is calmly wiping her nose with a tissue. VO: A/C filter replacement for allergies, at JMS! Ep10 Inside a car stopped alongside a park at night, the Boss tries to break up with the Beauty. Boss: Break up with me. Suppressing her feelings, the Beauty quizzes the Boss on his relationship with Sayo. Beauty: There’s something going on with Sayo, isn't there? With a look of impatience, the Boss foolishly lies. Boss: No, there's nothing going on. The Beauty's demeanor suddenly changes as she brandishes a photo as proof. The photo shows the Boss meeting secretly with Sayo. Beauty: I have proof! Beauty: Take a look. In order to show him the photo, the Beauty turns on the internal light. The Boss notices someone in the back seat and screams. Boss: Michiko! Sitting in the lit interior is Michiko with a camera. She has conspired with the Beauty to catch the Boss having an affair. As the two of them are illuminated, the product graphic appears with narration. VO: Brighter lights, at JMS! Ep11 As though the disaster of Ep10 was all a lie, the Beauty and Boss are getting along fine as they dine at the Beauty's house. The Beauty is feeding the Boss a croquet she has made. Beauty: Open wide. The Boss is enjoying it. Boss: Mmm. Smiling and filled with affection, the Beauty replies. Beauty: I used new oil to fry this. The camera angle changes to reveal Michiko standing unnoticed holding a can of engine oil. Beauty: Engine oil. The Boss wakes from his dream with a start! Boss: Michiko! They are at Sayo's house. Behind Sayo and the sweaty Boss the product graphic appears with narration. VO: Oil change, at JMS! Ep12 Standing out of the rain behind the office are Sayo and a young male colleague. Deep in thought, the man confesses his love for Sayo. Man: I’m in love with you, Sayo san. The man takes her by the hand. Sayo breaks from his grasp and backs away into the rain. Sayo: I… Sayo: I’m with my boss. The man steps into the rain too and hugs her firmly. Man: But I… Man: Love you more. The Boss, looking in the side mirror of his parked car, sees the two hugging in the rain. Overcome by jealousy, the Boss screams. Boss: Sayo…! Clearly seen in the side mirror free of the rain are Sayo and the man still hugging. VO: Rain repelling side mirrors, at JMS! Ep13 In the carpark of a shopping mall one weekend, Sayo and the young male colleague are walking along together. Man: Where do you want to go next? The Boss then appears. Controlling his anger, he calls out to them. Boss: What are you doing? Sayo is unable to hide her shock at the Boss seemingly finding her engaged in an affair. Sayo: Why…? The man panics as the Boss approaches. Man: You're kidding! The man and Sayo try to flee in their car. The Boss calls to Sayo with a crazy look in his eye. Boss: You’ve been very bad. Without a moment to lose, Sayo and the man panic as they try to enter the car only to find the doors won't open. Sayo: It won't open, open the door! The Boss steadily advances on the young man with his fist clenched. In a panic, the man repeatedly pushes the remote-control key, but the doors won't open. Boss: I took online karate, you know. With the couple still unable to open the doors the product graphic appears with narration. VO: Key fob battery replacement, at JMS! Ep14 Inside a car at night in heavy rain, the Boss and Michiko are talking quietly. Boss: Michiko, what do you think? The emotionally drained Boss is proposing a reconciliation with Michiko. However, just at the crucial moment, a harsh sound from the windscreen wipers cuts him off. Boss: Can you give me anoth… Michiko asks him to repeat it. Michiko: What? The two fall silent. Just then the wiper makes another harsh sound. VO: Wiper blade replacement, at JMS!