"Oliver's Dog (Gosh!!) This Yarrow" Season 2 Director Joe Odagiri What kind of direction is possible only because he is an actor? [Director's Interview Vol.246]

The drama “Oliver na Inu, (Gosh!!) Kono Yarrow” (*hereinafter referred to as “Oliver na Inu”) was broadcast on NHK in 2021. I think many people were shocked not only by the content, but also by the talent of Joe Odagiri, who wrote, directed, edited, and starred in the film. At first glance, this work seems to have been created in a free-spirited way, easily transcending the conventional theories of drama, but what we saw during the interview at the previous broadcast was the honest and honest side of Odagiri who struggles with "manufacturing." Ta.

The momentum continues even in season 2, which aired this time. How did Joe Odagiri create this drama that doesn't fit into existing frameworks? I spoke to him.

Index

• I want to be honest with the people who look at me closely.
• Making complicity fun
• An all-star cast that was inevitable
• Directions that are only possible as actors
• Shooting method based on editing
• Continuing manufacturing

I want to be honest with the people who look at me closely.

Q: It was interesting to hear a lot about editing and other things in Season 1. Thank you for your continued support this time.

Odagiri: I don't get asked about editing very often during interviews, so I remember that. It was very interesting.

Q: Thank you. CINEMORE's parent organization is a commercial production company called Taiyo Kikaku, so I'm curious about technical matters and often ask questions about them.

Odagiri: Actually, I worked with Taiyo Kikaku when I was young. When I first started working as an actor, I just wanted to go on set, so I asked an acquaintance to let me work on set as the lowest-ranking member of the production department. That was the site of Taiyo Kikaku.

Q: Is it true?

Odagiri: Yes. I was a member of the production department who went to the set first thing in the morning, cleaned it up, cleaned it again after filming, and was the last one to leave. As a staff member, I had a valuable experience.

Q: I was surprised that Mr. Odagiri was at our production site, but I was also surprised that he worked in the production department. At that time, I already had some behind-the-scenes experience... Now let's move on to the main topic and my first question. At the end of season 1, there was a hint of a sequel, but were the scripts for the 6 episodes, including season 2, written from the beginning?

Odagiri: When I first started writing the script, I estimated that it would only take about six episodes, but during season 1, I was told that there would be three episodes this time. I was told that whether there would be a sequel would depend on the reactions of the viewers, so I wrote three episodes and only made a few changes to the script for the fourth. After that, the response to the broadcast was very positive, and the sequel was decided around mid-November (*Season 1 will be broadcast from September to October 2021). After that, I wrote an additional script in about a month and a half.

Q: One and a half months is too early.

Odagiri: I really didn't have time, so I wrote it desperately.

Q: I heard that you spent a lot of time writing the script for Season 1.

Odagiri: That was the case last time. This time, it was like summer vacation homework, and I had a set deadline, so I felt like I had to write it anyway, like the force of a firefighter.

Drama 10 “Oliver Inu, (Gosh!!) This Yarrow” Season 2 Copyright NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.

Q: This time as well, it seems like you're doing whatever you want to challenge yourself, but what I think is amazing is that you're really pushing the story forward. How was objectivity ensured in this regard?

Odagiri: Of course I think about the flow of the story, but the main premise is that ``Oliver's Dog'' is not just a police drama. To put it bluntly, the story is secondary, or rather, I don't place much importance on it. I started writing this as a way to take a breather during the coronavirus pandemic, so my stance is to say, ``If you want to see the story, please watch other police dramas.'' So even though the story has a certain flow, I place importance on how to shake up the dialogue within it and how to place the absurdity. Rather than solving noble mysteries, my goal is to find where and how many trivial and off-the-wall things I can place.

Q: Are you worried that if you go off the beaten track and take a detour, it will become difficult to understand?

Odagiri: Yes. That's where I trust the viewers. Some people are watching this drama while watching it, while others are watching it closely. I want to be honest with those who look at me closely. I think there are a lot of things that happen that people who are watching the show can't keep up with, but people who are watching closely can understand it. That's how I balance it. Sometimes I trust that and take a big step forward.

Q: When writing the script, will you be the only one working on it? Or do you proceed while consulting with the producer?

Odagiri: I only talk to the producer team about the story. So once that's decided, all I have to do is write down the details. He leaves big things to me, so I can do whatever I want. There are times when I have someone read what I have written and consult with the producer about things like schedule and budget, but other than that I have a lot of freedom in what I do.

Also, for example, even if there is an expression that I want to avoid and I can't find an alternative, I just say, ``Well, I guess I'll just add some peas.'' As an organization like NHK, there may be various problems, but the producer team is shouldering the responsibility behind the scenes, and there is a positive atmosphere in which everyone is working together to make things better.

Q: Are there times when you need advice?

Odagiri: Yes, there is. There are times when I want something more to write about in the story. At that time, in addition to the producer team, I ask a reliable scriptwriter to come on board as the brain and consult with me.

Q: How about editing? Is there ever a time when you want to connect and need some advice?

Odagiri: We may not have consulted much about editing. I tend to do things based on my own feelings. I may have said this last time, but to be extreme, I think one scene/one cut is the best. However, if this is not possible due to length issues, I may discuss technical matters with the editor, such as at least letting it go for a long time up to this point and cutting back from there. . However, the way the images are connected is also part of the production, so I basically try to trust my own instincts.

Making complicity fun