Welcome to Japan.
Universities teach makeup skills to job-seeking young women › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Weekend Shooting
So, I went and followed my subject around and shot some footage for the documentary. Thankfully the weather was beautiful, and I was able to get a little bit of that golden tone I wanted for the broll. I also looked through some photos of the grandfather and took some home. I will try to scan later this week. Some of the photos are great, I guess I had never held an actual photo in my hand that was over 80 years old. It's a strange feeling. Much stronger than digital. Those things have a life of their own.
Almost done with translation of the interview. Should have the last part finished by Tuesday then I can start working on piecing his history together. Will mostly use photos to put that together.
How long is this supposed to be again. Jesus, I have over 4 hours of footage
Almost done with translation of the interview. Should have the last part finished by Tuesday then I can start working on piecing his history together. Will mostly use photos to put that together.
How long is this supposed to be again. Jesus, I have over 4 hours of footage
Monday, June 21, 2010
Documentary Elements and shot list
So here's the elements I think I will need to complete the project.
1. Audio Diary of Naoko - personal audio recording that will function as the inner monologue to drive the motivation for the story forward
2. Interview with Mother- used primarly for exposition of grandfathers life experience.
3. Mother/Daughter Interview - To show the interaction between the two discussing grandfather and their own relationship.
4. Photographs and Archival footage - to illustrate grandfathers life.
5. Broll- Naoko and her mother together and Naoko by herself in her quite moments.
1. Audio Diary of Naoko - personal audio recording that will function as the inner monologue to drive the motivation for the story forward
2. Interview with Mother- used primarly for exposition of grandfathers life experience.
3. Mother/Daughter Interview - To show the interaction between the two discussing grandfather and their own relationship.
4. Photographs and Archival footage - to illustrate grandfathers life.
5. Broll- Naoko and her mother together and Naoko by herself in her quite moments.
Blood and stitches.
After banging my head on the wall most of the day I think I've finally come with a way to make some sense of my documentary. I guess most of my frustration was borne out of seeing the footage I had shot this weekend and realizing there were some critical mistakes or just plain bad stuff. The sad part is I felt really good on the day of shooting. I felt like I got a lot of good stuff and was growing as a film-maker. Instead, I just realized my impatience gets the better of me behind the lens. I was trying to catch many different shots of the same things happening but everything happens so fast, so what I end up with is each shot only being 3-5 seconds which really isn't enough to work in editing. I tried stitching some of it together today in Final Cut but it just isn't working.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Documentary Proposal: Grandfather
I tried and tried to look at ideas for my final project. My favorite idea and the favorite of my professors is just not materializing. The contact I had for the documentary isn't responding to my emails. Perhaps the thought of being filmed in his every day life intimidated him? I don't know. The other concept was looking into the African guys that work Roppongi and try to get guys in clubs. But I had remembered the difficulties another friend of mine had encountered when trying to film on the streets of Roppongi. I'd rather be able to focus on the documentary than getting kicked out of every location and dealing with police. I had enough of that last semester when trying to shoot narrative fiction in Tokyo. So, the story I've decided on is to go back and retrace the life of my girlfriends grandfather. I suspect he had a great impact on who she is today and I'd like to do an oral history of his life and discover how he helped shape who she is.
PROPOSAL
WORKING TITLE: Nao no ji ji
Director: Thomas Vanderhyde
Format: HDV
Camera: Canon XH-A1
WORKING HYPOTHESIS:
a. In life I believe that our families shape who we are and instill values and points of view about the world that we carry forward into our adult personalities.
b. My film will show this in action by exploring the every day life of Naoko and how it relates to what her grandfather taught her.
c. My film's main conflict is the modern life of Naoko vs. the life of her grandfather.
d. The POV character will be Naoko and her mother.
e. I expect my film's structure to be determined by the chronological order of the grandfathers life.
f. The subject and POV suggest a style that is nostalgic and intimate family portait of three generations of Japanese life.
g. Ultimately I want the audience to feel a sense of introspection about how their own family shaped who they are.
2. TOPIC AND EXPOSITION:
a. My film subject is the life of Naoko's grandfather.
b. Exposition would include a brief introduction to the family.
3. Action sequences.
Primary action sequences might include recreations of events remembered from his life.
- walking with granddaughter
- visits when she was sick
- activities together
- his last days
4. Main characters.
- Deceased grandfather
- Naoko Katsuura
- Yoshiko Katsuura
- Yoshiko's sister
5. Conflict
Who he was vs. how he is remembered.
Naoko's modern life vs. Family history
Possible stories of his past that other characters are unaware of.
6. Social Significance
Every generation before us paves the way for opportunities they did not have. They shape who we are as people. We carry the memory of loved ones we have lost forward into our future, taking what they gave to us and passing it down.
7. Motivation
I'm in love with Naoko. She's my girlfriend and best friend. I've noticed that tears well up in her eyes when she tells stories of her grandfather. I often wish I could have met him. It's obvious they had a very close bond. I want to know who he was and pay respect to a man that helped shape such a wonderful young woman.
8. Audience
a. My intended audience is people that have an interest in Japanese culture.
b. I can expect the audience to know the feeling of losing a family member but not to know particulars of Japanese familial relationships.
c. I assume positive prejudices are the grandfather/daughter relationship, and negative ones might be associated with war time Japan.
d. Countervailing facts, ideas and feelings that my audience needs to experience are the experiences of a Japanese soldiers side of WWII.
9. Interviews
Naoko Katsuura, 20, F, grandaughter of subject, explore the relationship with grandfather, and first hand recollections.
Yoshiko Katsuura, 55, F, daughter of subject, first hand accounts of his life as a father and stories he would tell.
Yoshiko's sister....?
10. Style
a. A horizontal story structure that chronologically follows the life of the grandfather while simultaneously using b-roll to thematically explore it's effect on Naoko and her mother.
b. Point of view of Naoko and her mother. Everyday life, walk and talk, sit downs should not look too staged.
c. Narration: Still undecided. Have thought about including my own voice but afraid this might be too heavy handed.
d. Lighting: Intimate, would like to use natural outdoor light for some shots that achieve a nostalgic, vintage glow.
e. visual and other rhythms: This may depend on soundtrack and or motif's that arrive through interviews. (i.e. "He laughed a lot!" Intercut with staccato shots of Naoko and her mother laughing)
f. Parallel story using Yoshiko talking about her father's effect on her daughters life while using footage of Naoko in applicable situations.
g. intended juxtoposition: See F. Could also use contradictory footage for humor or ironic tension.
11. Tone
-Intimate curiosity, Investigation, Revelation, Tension, Resolution, Sadness, Acceptance, Resolve, Intimate Knowledge and Love.
12. Structure.
a. progression of time will could be bookended by archival photographs.
b. Story will be told via interviews with subjects children and grandchildren.
c. Elements used to tell story will be turning points in life, (marriage, WWII, children, etc...)
d. Important information will emerge via interviews and first hand accounts of photographs.
e. Climatic sequence will be the passing of the grandfather as told by the daughter and grandaughter.
f. Falling action after the climax will be the reflection of impact he had on their lives and what he might think of his grandaughter today.
13. Final scene
Could be a return to opening sequence of Naoko in the late afternoon summer light.
Talking about how she will never forget her grandfather and he will always be with her. "Sometimes we lose the people we love, but they never leave us."
PROPOSAL
WORKING TITLE: Nao no ji ji
Director: Thomas Vanderhyde
Format: HDV
Camera: Canon XH-A1
WORKING HYPOTHESIS:
a. In life I believe that our families shape who we are and instill values and points of view about the world that we carry forward into our adult personalities.
b. My film will show this in action by exploring the every day life of Naoko and how it relates to what her grandfather taught her.
c. My film's main conflict is the modern life of Naoko vs. the life of her grandfather.
d. The POV character will be Naoko and her mother.
e. I expect my film's structure to be determined by the chronological order of the grandfathers life.
f. The subject and POV suggest a style that is nostalgic and intimate family portait of three generations of Japanese life.
g. Ultimately I want the audience to feel a sense of introspection about how their own family shaped who they are.
2. TOPIC AND EXPOSITION:
a. My film subject is the life of Naoko's grandfather.
b. Exposition would include a brief introduction to the family.
3. Action sequences.
Primary action sequences might include recreations of events remembered from his life.
- walking with granddaughter
- visits when she was sick
- activities together
- his last days
4. Main characters.
- Deceased grandfather
- Naoko Katsuura
- Yoshiko Katsuura
- Yoshiko's sister
5. Conflict
Who he was vs. how he is remembered.
Naoko's modern life vs. Family history
Possible stories of his past that other characters are unaware of.
6. Social Significance
Every generation before us paves the way for opportunities they did not have. They shape who we are as people. We carry the memory of loved ones we have lost forward into our future, taking what they gave to us and passing it down.
7. Motivation
I'm in love with Naoko. She's my girlfriend and best friend. I've noticed that tears well up in her eyes when she tells stories of her grandfather. I often wish I could have met him. It's obvious they had a very close bond. I want to know who he was and pay respect to a man that helped shape such a wonderful young woman.
8. Audience
a. My intended audience is people that have an interest in Japanese culture.
b. I can expect the audience to know the feeling of losing a family member but not to know particulars of Japanese familial relationships.
c. I assume positive prejudices are the grandfather/daughter relationship, and negative ones might be associated with war time Japan.
d. Countervailing facts, ideas and feelings that my audience needs to experience are the experiences of a Japanese soldiers side of WWII.
9. Interviews
Naoko Katsuura, 20, F, grandaughter of subject, explore the relationship with grandfather, and first hand recollections.
Yoshiko Katsuura, 55, F, daughter of subject, first hand accounts of his life as a father and stories he would tell.
Yoshiko's sister....?
10. Style
a. A horizontal story structure that chronologically follows the life of the grandfather while simultaneously using b-roll to thematically explore it's effect on Naoko and her mother.
b. Point of view of Naoko and her mother. Everyday life, walk and talk, sit downs should not look too staged.
c. Narration: Still undecided. Have thought about including my own voice but afraid this might be too heavy handed.
d. Lighting: Intimate, would like to use natural outdoor light for some shots that achieve a nostalgic, vintage glow.
e. visual and other rhythms: This may depend on soundtrack and or motif's that arrive through interviews. (i.e. "He laughed a lot!" Intercut with staccato shots of Naoko and her mother laughing)
f. Parallel story using Yoshiko talking about her father's effect on her daughters life while using footage of Naoko in applicable situations.
g. intended juxtoposition: See F. Could also use contradictory footage for humor or ironic tension.
11. Tone
-Intimate curiosity, Investigation, Revelation, Tension, Resolution, Sadness, Acceptance, Resolve, Intimate Knowledge and Love.
12. Structure.
a. progression of time will could be bookended by archival photographs.
b. Story will be told via interviews with subjects children and grandchildren.
c. Elements used to tell story will be turning points in life, (marriage, WWII, children, etc...)
d. Important information will emerge via interviews and first hand accounts of photographs.
e. Climatic sequence will be the passing of the grandfather as told by the daughter and grandaughter.
f. Falling action after the climax will be the reflection of impact he had on their lives and what he might think of his grandaughter today.
13. Final scene
Could be a return to opening sequence of Naoko in the late afternoon summer light.
Talking about how she will never forget her grandfather and he will always be with her. "Sometimes we lose the people we love, but they never leave us."
Sunday, May 30, 2010
My three day observation was spent at a local restaurant called Yakidon Tamaya. Mr. Nishida has owned the business for 40 years. His brother started it while he was in university and he would help out. Eventually he moved on to open his own branch in Meguro.
A typical day for them starts around 4pm when they unlock the doors and start setting up. Around 4:30 Mr Nishida and the employees sit down and enjoy a quick bowl of ramen before work. By 5, they open the doors and start inviting guest. In Japan, this usually consists of standing at the entrance and clapping your hands to gain attention while yelling "irashai masse"....
On weeknights there are usually a group of businessmen looking to grab a few beers and a bite to eat after work. Sometimes there are couples on dates as well. Saturday nights are only a little different. Usually, a few more dating couples and I noticed some women that probably have sales jobs out for a dinner and some small talk. Still it's the after work crowd that gravitates toward a small and friendly atmosphere like this.
The food itself is traditional Japanese food of horomone (intestines) and old staples like nikujaga (meat and potatoes) and yaki-onigiri (fried rice ball). But there was a strange spice I couldn't quite place in the food. It tasted like garam masala, normally used in Indian food. My girlfriend said it tasted like Taiwanese food. Then I began to look around and noticed that almost all of the part time workers seemed to be of non-Japanese descent. They looked and sounded a bit Chinese. Mr. Nishida had mentioned that it was difficult to find part time help these days, and as he ages he will need more of it. Perhaps it would be interesting to find out what his plans are for passing on his 40 years of work. Will it be up to foreign immigrants to run cozy traditional Japanese establishments...?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)