10 Promises to My Dog

PRODUCTION NOTE

An animal trainer with a string of movie successes

In any animal picture, there is a member of the crew that is arguably as important as the film director. That person is the animal trainer. Tadaomi Miya has amassed a spectacular resume in filmmaking as the animal “whisperer” for such landmark films as “Antarctica” (’83), “Hachi-ko” (’87) and more recently, “Quill” (’04) and “Helen the Baby Fox” (’06). In his role as advisor for selecting what kind of dog should play “Socks”, Miya went with the Golden Retriever, citing the breed’s perennial popularity and high intelligence as a perfect fit for a leading role.

A Fateful Encounter with a Beautiful Canine Actress

Because the movie’s story spans over ten years in time, dogs of various ages had to be selected, from two 2-week old puppies, one 4-month-old, one 8-month-old and one 8-year-old, for a total of five dogs. Because of the recent trend toward ownership of smaller dogs in Japan, dog breeders nationwide had to be contacted to find Golden Retrievers that would fit each profile. The extensive search took producers to dog training facilities across the country, until they came upon one female with a stunningly beautiful coat, expressively plaintive eyes and a great sense of composure. One look and trainer, Miya, knew he had his star. Director Motoki agreed, and preparations began for the dog’s launch to stardom at Miya’s animal petting and training facility in Wakkanai, Hokkaido. The 8-year-old “Socks” had been found.

Adorable Puppies Wreak Havoc in Filming

The most challenging part of the shoot came in the handling of the 4-month-old and 8-month-old puppies. One particularly difficult scene to shoot was to take place on a beach in Hakodate between the young Akari, played by Mayuko Fukuda, and a 4-month-old retriever. It was late April, right before cherry blossom season, but winter had yet to subside. Snow had fallen and temperatures had plummeted. The cast and crew were also supposed to shoot a summer beach scene that day, but they were hampered by a chilling wind that had everyone bundled up in thick coats and scarves. Fukuda, however, was to play the scene in a no-sleeve blouse. Meanwhile, all the puppies could think about was frolicking on the beach, and were essentially out of control. Cast and crew braved the elements and stuck around in the frigid weather until they got the shots they wanted. When the camera wasn’t rolling, Fukuda huddled over a heater, shaking like a leaf.

A Strong Oscar Candidate? And the Birth of a New Star?

The 8-year-old Socks delivered a memorable performance, due largely to the dog’s innate abilities and to a custom-designed training regimen by dog trainer, Miya. The movie, indeed, called for some very subtle and specific “tricks” – Socks taking a letter from Akari in her mouth and delivering it to Susum; Socks turning away and yawning when he sees Akari and Susumu embrace; and of course, Socks repeatedly winning the finger-pointing children’s game that features so strongly in the film. Miya worked with the dog extensively to ensure that the editing staff would have less to do in the cutting room, and many of the scenes required only one take. Whenever the retriever pulled off a performance that looked as if she had fully understood Motoki’s direction, the crew would erupt in applause.

Advanced animatronics step in to share the work load

The crew’s biggest priority was to ensure that the Golden Retrievers remained in good mental and physical health throughout the shoot. To ease the burden on the 8-year-old canine star, they shot one entire scene using animatronics – Socks’ last scene. Because the shoot was scheduled to last an entire day, they couldn’t ask the retriever to lie still in a fixed position for hours on end. So they turned to movie magic they had honed in such films as “Quill” and “Helen the Baby Fox.” The result was a level of sophistication and believability that had even the staff trying to guess which shots were “real” and which were “artificial.”

Hokkaido Adds Drama With a Beautiful Backdrop

Director Motoki and staff scoured Japan in search of a location that featured undulating hills and picturesque coastal villages. Once they arrived in Hakodate, however, the decision became unanimous. Filming began in a piano recital hall overlooking the city of Hakodate from atop one of its mountain peaks. For the cast and crew, it was an exhilaratingly scenic start. Moreover, the famous Asahiyama Zoo in Hokkaido’s northern Asahikawa City had been at the top of the location list from the early planning stages. After many negotiations, the production got its wish and filming took place, but always with highest consideration given to the resident animals and under the guidance of the zoo staff. As a result, the movie features some great polar bear, hippo and tiger footage as well

Four Seasons in Three Shoots

Seasonal believability features prominently in a film that is supposed to span ten years and cover a dog’s entire life. Therefore, an unconventional three-part shoot took place. The first came in November 2006, the second between April and May, 2007, and the third in July, 2007, ultimately enabling all four seasons to be convincingly captured. Perhaps the most memorable shoot was of a street lined with cherry trees in Hakodate. The start of the cherry blossom season grew hard to predict after a cold front deposited more snow over Hokkaido in late April. With the shoot scheduled to wrap up on May 5th, if the trees didn’t start blooming soon, the crew would have to return to Tokyo and recreate the shot on a set. When that fateful day arrived, however, the staff found themselves staring up at rows of cherry trees in full bloom. They marveled at the beauty, then released a collective sigh of relief. There was no longer any need to even think about computer graphics.