I filmed a Japanese TV commercial today with Shunsuke Nakamura , Japanese Internationalist , Free Kick Specialist , Celtic Superstar.
A couple of weeks ago I got an excited call from my brother telling me he was filming an advert with Nakamura , he was so excited , a short while later I got a call from my father asking me if i fancied being part of the advert , they were filming an advert at Airdrie Football Stadium , where my father is manager and he needed 10 football player extras , at first I said i would go along and get a few photos but i didn't want to be in the advert. after some persuasion I realised opportunities like this don't come along very often and i should go for it.
well , we turned up today at 8am , we had a quick bite then we got stripped , turned out because my brother was same height , weight and left footed , just like Nakamura , he was chosen to play Naka's body double for the shoot.
so off he went , into the changing room with the ' Nakamura 10 ' shirt , he was filmed getting ready , pulling his socks up , tying his laces , pulling on the shirt etc
next he was filmed running up out the tunnel .
meanwhile all the other ' extras ' were bored sitting in the changing room when the call came to go out to the park.
after a 10 minute kickabout the director decided i ' looked like a defender ' , what that says about my first touch i don't know!
so Stephen had to run at me and i had to appear to make a challenge , which obviously ' Nakamura ' evaded.
so we shot this over and over until they were happy.
anyway , later on when Naka arrived he went through the same routine Stephen had done earlier.
when he eventually came out to the park I had been told i was to be defender number 1 against him.
as a Celtic fan who bought a number 25 named shirt when he signed for the club this was an honour for me.
so we practised a few scenarios , where Naka basically skinned me , then the producers decided it would be a good idea if I was to be more '' dynamic '' and slide tackle Mr Nakamura.
" oh no , i was thinking '' , ' one wrong move Gerry and he'll miss the Old Firm '' the other lads were winding me up
" you'll be in the Daily Record tomorrow if you catch him ! '' so i was apprehensive to say to the least.
but i went for it and we did take after take , in between i burned my leg from all the slide tackling and had to see the nurse.
Naka took the time to come over and ask how i was which was kind considering he doesn't speak English and is very much introvert.
anyway we finished this take , then done another angle , then we shot a scene where Naka was lifting the cup and all the
Teammates ' were celebrating with him , and finally the directors said " that's a rap " to everyones relief at 10 pm.
as we were making our way to the changing rooms , a producer came to me and said '' this is a present from Nakamura to you '' and gave me his training jacket he had been wearing all day between takes.
i was delighted and even got my photo took with him and got him to sign it.
i'm still on cloud 9 and can't really believe what a day i had.
suffice to say i went to the pub afterwards to brag to all my mates and show them the photo's and thats why i'm here bragging to all of you but just wanted to share what an exxcellent experience i had today.
ps sorry about the novel lol
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