"Spielberg once said 'a good idea almost always starts off as a bad idea, that’s why it takes so long.'

"I
am drawn to filming road stories as the road can direct the viewer and
the implicit journey is an allegory of the journey of life; we are all
on our own road trip.

Sunset Boulevard does not split
landscapes with the majesty and grandeur of the deserts of the South
West, but it is up there for me as one of the most exciting stretches of
road in America. It is the heart of movie land and the massive
billboards on the strip in West Hollywood leave the driver in no doubt
that they are in the entertainment capital of the world.

"My
favourite filming location on the boulevard is looking west on the
border of West Hollywood and Hollywood.In part because I can give a nod
to one of the most famous hotels in the world without killing the
compositional balance and in part because the famous vertical billboard,
so often used by Marlboro in the old days, is in the heart of the
image.

"It is a special part of Americana and I am surprised
that American icons have not been filmed more often in this location.I
guess one reason is that it’s a very busy road and shutting it down for
filming is not easy.

"The idea of shooting here needed work
and refinement. We needed a lead, we needed to close the road down and
then we needed a creative idea around which to wrap everything.My choice
of lead was easy; Cindy Crawford is made for this shot. The closure of
the road restricted our window to a Sunday morning between sunrise and 8
am, which meant a 4.30 am wake up. But Cindy is the most punctual,
professional and willing of all the stars with whom we work.

"The
creative processing was the key. I decided that we could go back in
time to an era when Hollywood was free rolling, liberal and fun and all
the props would emphatically play to that moment in time. It was the
love and peace summer of 1975.

"Cindy’s team of stylist Nicole
Allowitz; hair stylist Pete Savic and make up star Sam Visser are one
hell of a crew and she looked absolutely fantastic. My job is easy with
her on board and as always, we had a blast. I wanted a mid 70s vibe and
Cindy’s team and my production team delivered.

"I am pleased
that one of the greatest films of all time - Jaws - takes care of the
Marlboro billboard. As its iconic director said 'good ideas take time.'"
- David Yarrow