Documentary on a small village in Japan

[fugenie]

I've have recently been promoting my short doc on three interesting characters I met in a village in Japan.

http://vimeo.com/24275451
http://www.facebook.com/yadorigidoc

I'm a British born Japanese, and have only lived in Japan for 2 years, so I feel a bit caught between being Japanese and Western. What I have felt though, is that Western media (and to some extent Japanese media) seems to concentrate exclusively on the sensational (or weird) side of Japan for ratings, and that has consequently led to a skewed impression of Japan in the West. For me, Japan is a country of extreme contradictions, and the culture/the people/ their motives, are much more complicated than is perceived in the media. I made this film because I thought that it showed a side of Japanese life that was a bit different and refreshing. I'm hoping there are people who will find it interesting.

It's my first ever film and I'm trying to get support for it. The full version is 30 mins long and will hopefully be making the rounds on the festival circuit. I'm also working on expanding the idea to feature more people, and create a more comprehensive view of village life in Japan- please "like" the facebook page if it floats your boat

[Hijinx]

I will add this to things I will definitely not watch.

[Hijinx]

Well, why say anything and why rush to be the first person to say it you moron?

CUZ yo mama wuda wanna it dat way.

[hennagaijin]

Nice job dude, well done.

(Ignore the negativity and rudeness here.)

[YokohamaTommy]

すばらしい。
...

[fugenie]

Well it's not going to be for everyone! Thanks for the nice comments though.

It was shot in Kanagawa on Canon Kissx4 DSLR. I will be updating the facebook page with more info on how it was made for what it's worth. Please check it out (unless of course you are going out of your way to not watch it, in which case you've already wasted too much of your time reading this - just go do something else already

[fugenie]

Oops, meant to change that!

Hopefully will be coming back to Japan, but it's all very complicated at the moment... I've entered it into one Japanese festival to date, but yet to hear whether I've got in.

[m_hope]

Wow, beautifully shot. I had no idea that even a DSLR was capable of recording that nice of video. I'll definitely promote this on Facebook!

[fugenie]

Thanks! Please keep checking FB for developements...

[wzwzwz]

This looks like a thoughtful documentary. I am impressed. Best of luck promoting/touring the film. Are you planning any future projects?

[wernst]

Looks fantastic. I have the same camera and am trying to shoot CM's this month. Any chance you could tell me which resolution/framerate you shot?

[kurogane]

From reading your description of the Fascinating and Uniquely Interesting Characters you filmed, I would say you are in danger of going a bit twee, and overcompensating by focussing on the freaks and goofs to be found in any village anywhere.

Having said that, it is perfectly understandable given your ethnic heritage, and a very nice balance to this recent shiitestorm of ofay How White Guys See Japan type works. A lot of my Jpn-Cdn friends are constantly anxious to impress upon me that Japan is not all Samurai Salarymen and Cherry Blossom Bosoms. I can dig that, presumptuous as it is.

When I get the proper time, I'll take a good look and let you know.

Oh, and by the way, I actually used to be a Village Studier.

BTW, if you actually live in a smaller village for any length of time, as I did, its just those sorts of dorfs that get really annoying really quickly.

Unless you are going for a quick slice of life style, it would behoove you to get a bit of balance by talking to The Normals. If they'll talk to you...............and that isn't always easy, especially now that you are identified with the marginals.

Where is the village, btw????


Oh, and photography is the first tool of Satan.

But that's just a party programmatic bit.

[wzwzwz]

it would behoove you to get a bit of balance by talking to The Normals. If they'll talk to you...............and that isn't always easy, especially now that you are identified with the marginals.

advice of an advanced Village Studier. Normals are like squirrels. just sit still long enough. eventually they will approach.

[kurogane]

advice of an advanced Village Studier. Normals are like squirrels. just sit still long enough. eventually they will approach.

I would temper that by noting that if the normal squirrels have already seen you being nose poked by the weirdo squirrels, there will be required a period of ritual sterilisation and a further demonstration of reflexive propitiation, accompanied by some visible auto-flaggelatory renuncition of past trespasses, before many of said will approach you and more importantly, that approach will require a rather well-delimited context and situation for said approach to occur.

After that, they'll be all over your nut stash like.............well, like squirrels.

Then again, most of this involves data and perspective from Gifu, which aside from sounding like a squirrel sneezing, is home to way too many congenitally defective squirrels for my nuts.


I wonder if it helps not to live in said village??

The rarity value might overpower the perceived need for aforementioned ritual sterilisation.

Are your Study Trips primarily photographic in nature???

That might help.

The natives do seem to love having their Spirit Bear stolen from them.

Maybe I should take along an empty camera next time as a prop.

[wzwzwz]

As long as the weirdo squirrels are widely perceived to have approached you first, bob's your uncle and the normals'll be bringing you to the nut stash in due time. No reflexive propitiation required. Just wide-eyed delight and a "gosh you'll never guess who I met today!"

A German tourist fvcking shot our village Spirit Bear in the late 1980s. Kermode bear. Ruhe in Frieden