Scion commercial starring James Franco (2015)
The B-Western faded from the cultural landscape decades ago, taking with it the Iverson Movie Ranch's most reliable source of revenue. But in the past few years, a new breed of Hollywood production — the car commercial — has begun to make itself at home in the same rocky gulches of northwest Chatsworth, Calif.
James Franco in the 2016 Scion iA
Franco is seen elsewhere in the ad driving a different model, the Scion iA, in which he navigates a more urban environment while wearing a tux. We're given the impression that the iA nurtures the actor's civilized side while the iM is his choice when he needs to color outside the lines.
Above is a video of the Scion spot. The ad is brand new — Iverson researcher Cliff Roberts sent word after spotting it on TV a few days ago, and Scion just posted the above version on its YouTube site Sept. 14.
The same location, photographed on a recent visit — after the tree removal
The location for this shoot is the same spot where we recently discovered that a large tree had been removed. The ad was shot just a month ago — I heard they were filming in Garden of the Gods on Aug. 15. That was after the tree came down, and probably as soon as the 2016 Scions were available for the shoot.
From this angle we can make out the stump that remained after the tree was cut down. In the Scion ad, the view of the stump is blocked by the car. For more about the removal of the tree, please check out this recent post.
The rocks in the background of the Scion shoot can be matched up against the current setting. Nothing unusual there, but what is unusual about the ad is it's such a recent shoot that even the sagebrush matches.
The dry brush area and the sagebrush plants highlighted here are the same ones seen in the Scion commercial. I'd say the Scion ad is just about the "freshest" Iverson shoot I have ever seen in a production.
I took this photo on a visit to the site just yesterday — on Sept. 16. To me, this looks like about where Franco stands in the Scion ad, amid the familiar sagebrush and dry clump.
Here I've designated three of the sagebrush plants "A," "B" and "C," to make them easy to match up with the shot from the Scion ad.
The same plants are identified in the ad, again marked "A," "B" and "C."
The match is less than conclusive, in part because the artist's easel blocks the view of Plant C in the Scion ad. But I believe these are the same plants, as they appeared on Sept. 16.
Components of the old camera mount
You may have noticed the metal track, said to be part of an old camera mount apparatus once used to film shots of the Iverson Gorge. The rig's center mount, resembling a piece of pipe sticking out of the ground, can also be seen.
This closeup provides a better look at the camera mount's center "pipe," along with an additional piece of track that remains in place from the front of the camera rig.
The actual live plants are still found at the site, and are a nice match for the Scion ad. Incidentally, that's Judy Garland Rock that the plants are hiding behind.
In the real world, the same tiny cluster of rocks can be seen immediately adjacent to the end of the metal track. The proximity of the rocks and the track underscores that the foliage was used to cover up the track.
Another car company that has filmed at Iverson in recent years is Subaru. I originally had a video here showing an ad for the 2015 Subaru Legacy, which included a shot of the Hangover Rock area, east of Nyoka Cliff. But Subaru has since decided to make the video private, so we're left to imagine it. Bad Subaru!
6 comments:
That was fast, nice job.
Great! Very funny, thorough and detailed (as always) and a wonderful conflation of past and present.
Well done spotting the details in the views in this TV ad. It's interesting to see Easy Chair, Bench, Tower, and Sphinx rocks; the old filming camera mounts on the overlook; and Nyoka Cliff.
Your photos clearly shows houses at the base of Stoney Point. The Scion ad has brushed them out. It also appears another fake plant has hidden a rooftop somewhat closer, just above the ”A" in your shot.
You're right, Anonymous — nice spotting.
Most of the "unwanted" stuff in the background is traffic on Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and there are also a number of buildings that they got rid of. James Franco blocks out a big chunk of buildings, and the painting blocks out another batch in the background. Some of the added foliage in the Scion ad is probably also there to hide the traffic and buildings. And they appear to have used special effects to eliminate the rest of the traffic and some of the buildings below Topanga. It's especially noticeable between the "A" and the "B" in the Scion ad shot.
Thanks for commenting!
-SN
Interesting. The one time I went out to the Paramount Ranch (where Medicine Woman was filmed) there was a crew filming a car commercial. Having been on film crews myself, I knew how to stay out of their way. ~~Kurt
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