However, everything was set up like musical paper. In June this year, the shooting of Dying Can Wait continues in the London studios, where the landscapes of Cuba are reproduced. The scenes of the James Bond Girl, Ana de Armas, wearing the Chopard fine jewelry set are imminent. For months, the Hill Valley product placement agency founded by the Frenchman Éric Nebot, has been increasing exchanges with the two partners. For the first time, hard-working James Bond franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson have struck a deal with a jeweler - in fact, London brand David Morris already adorned some 007 accomplices in the 1970s, but few remember it. " The history of Chopard, an independent Swiss family home, has pleased the Broccoli clan ," explains Éric Nebot. And on the side of the jeweler who maintains old links with the cinema in particular via the Festival of Cannes, this collaboration sounded as obvious. "
The shooting plan has been timed and validated for months by everyone. The Hill Valley agency coordinates the logistics between the brand and the film crews. One Friday evening in June, Éric Nebot receives a call from the production team warning of last-minute changes: the sequences with the jewels, including some scenes of stunts, will be filmed the next night. In addition to the security guard recruited to guarantee this fine jewelry set consisting of a bracelet, a necklace and a pair of earrings, set with tens of carats of diamonds, it requires the presence of a specialist capable of repairing jewelry on site in the event of a problem. And this one must go on the set in a few hours… However, no member of Chopard is available on time, and the Hill Valley agency is not competent in the matter. The deal is about to collapse ... when Éric Nebot thinks of his sister and collaborator, Élodie Ichou, based in Paris who has a degree in gemology and some notions of jewelry. In the past, during her experiences at Tajan and Christie's, she had in the hands of many beautiful pieces with lots of stones. " My brother explains the situation to me and ends up saying to me: 'The next Eurostar leaves in an hour, I find a solution so that we bring your things to the station'. I jumped on a mototaxi towards Gare du Nord, leaving my husband and two children behind me. My train left at 8:58 pm, I was on the set at 11:40 pm, ”she recalls.
One of the posters of "Die can wait". James Bond
The sequel is for the young woman who finally spent a whole month on the set, confined with Chopard jewelry. From the first evening and despite the warm welcome, she was put to the test. “ While I'm still struggling to realize that I'm on the set for the next James Bond , the costume designer arrives with the guard. He holds the case in his hands. She is equipped with a stopwatch , she says. She wants to check how long it takes me to repair a clasp in case it breaks during a waterfall scene in order to wedge this room for maneuver in the planning. Indeed, every minute on the set of a 007 costs thousands of dollars. “I assess each piece by checking stones and clasps and strengthen one of them at the request of the costume designer. She then invites me to follow her to dress the actress, and gives me the instructions: 'You don't answer any questions. You never leave eye jewelry. You are the only one who has the right to touch it, with the guard. I then spend my days on the set, where the teams have reserved a small space for me behind the combo (the video return monitor, note ). I watch the sequences ready to intervene ... "
"A myth that has rocked generations"
The shooting is " pharaonic , a real hive ". Hundreds of people work tirelessly, all concentrated and enthusiastic, " aware of their chance to work on the filming of a myth that has rocked generations ". Each early morning - shots of the finery taking place mostly at night -, Élodie Ichou sends her report to Chopard. “ One day, after several scenes of stunts, my intuition pushes me to check Ana's wrist . The clasp is weakened. Above all, the bracelet must not give way so that the last scene is linked to the next. In the middle of the stage, directly on the actress' wrist, I consolidate the attachment of the jewel in fifteen seconds, under the gaze of dozens of technicians who urge me to finish as quickly as possible . ” Fifteen seconds, and eternal memories.
Eric Nebot and Elodie Ichou, at the Cannes Film Festival. IN
