The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic has taken away lives and jobs, damaged industries and enterprises, and exposed deeply ingrained inequalities in the way our societies are structured. 

Around mid-2020 there's a consensus growing, affirming that any return to normal, will be a different normal. IBM, like so many international blue-chip companies, scrambled to make assurances about the future. IBM's Covid-19 video campaign explains the choices we make right now will define our future, yet making decisions and acting with assurance has never been more challenging. Tricky. 

It was no surprise then, that filming in Tokyo - a week before the announcement of the state of emergency - would also prove challenging. Not only did we work in PPE, at a distance from our subjects (and from one another as crew), we had to cheat Tokyo to appear empty during Hanami (花見 - cherry blossom viewing) season - one of the busiest periods of the year!

As the director of the Tokyo Unit, I was very proud of the footage we managed to grab. Considering the global nature of the video, they couldn't have used all the Japan footage, but it was still rewarding to contribute to a meaningful narrative for a huge international audience.