I asked Mama, the manager of the Korean restaurant, if she was comfortable being the star of a documentary. She was really hesitant at first, but her actions didn't exactly match her words.
At first, she wasn't sure what angle I was going for, which is fair. I had been going to the restaurant for quite some time and I always enjoyed her company. It had become a regular place for me and my girlfriend, plus I had a really good friend living near by.
I told her I would be making a character piece, and I was interested in Mama because of her relationship to the neighborhood, particularly the youth. For example, everyone calls her Mama (and nobody seems to know her real name) and I've seen people come in and hand her gifts and ask for her help.
When I asked her if she wouldn't mind being filmed, I had a camera with me. She initially said no, but she wouldn't mind later. She did say something interesting.
It turns out she is not Korean, like I originally thought. She's Japanese and apparently before starting the restaurant, she used to hate Koreans and Korean food. That sounds like an interesting story.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Subjects.
I had actually three ideas for my documentary. One idea as I previously mentioned was working with the band. They were recording and it would have been interesting in capturing that, but their final show was actually at the same day as the exhibition for the documentaries, so that wouldn't have worked. Also, there wasn't really a new angle to go on with them. They're a band and they're great people, but I don't know what I would hope to capture, really. Finally, as someone who is well versed in audio engineering, I don't think I could sit by without intervening, which might have been good for audio reasons, but not really documentary reasons.
The other group I was interested in documenting is an anarchist punk sewing group. They are the other idea I had before, but didn't mention. They were an interesting group, but honestly I didn't know them that well, as I'd only met them a few time, and I didn't feel comfortable asking them if they wanted to be a part of my documentary. More than that is they were jut generally hard to get a hold of. I'm sure I could have made a better documentary with them if I knew them better and I was better with Japanese.
The idea I have chosen is about the owner of a restaurant in Koenji. I randomly found this Korean place in Koenji and the owner was really nice and friendly, making sure to talk to everyone who walks in. And in Koenji, some strange people walk in. Her relationship with the neighborhood, especially the young people of Koenji makes her an interesting subject. She is somewhere around 70 and is pretty much the unofficial mother of some of the local outcasts.
My goal is to create a documentary based on this woman and her interaction to the neighborhood.
The other group I was interested in documenting is an anarchist punk sewing group. They are the other idea I had before, but didn't mention. They were an interesting group, but honestly I didn't know them that well, as I'd only met them a few time, and I didn't feel comfortable asking them if they wanted to be a part of my documentary. More than that is they were jut generally hard to get a hold of. I'm sure I could have made a better documentary with them if I knew them better and I was better with Japanese.
The idea I have chosen is about the owner of a restaurant in Koenji. I randomly found this Korean place in Koenji and the owner was really nice and friendly, making sure to talk to everyone who walks in. And in Koenji, some strange people walk in. Her relationship with the neighborhood, especially the young people of Koenji makes her an interesting subject. She is somewhere around 70 and is pretty much the unofficial mother of some of the local outcasts.
My goal is to create a documentary based on this woman and her interaction to the neighborhood.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Public/private (10 pictures plus one bonus)
I arrived at a monjayaki restaurant for a late lunch or early dinner. The whole place was almost deserted for a while, but filled up pretty quickly. Certainly the restaurant was a public space.
But even though the restaurant was public, our table was quite private. The thought of anyone, including restaurant staff, coming in and cooking something on our plate or setting something down without it being ordered, would definitely be violating our personal private space.
Trains are also very public. Many people, myself included, use them every day and we can see others and be seen ourself, whether we like it or not.
However, much like this man, we can take a seat and turn it into a private place by actively tuning out the rest of the world and creating our own private non-spoken barriers. That seat, the space between him and the magazine, that is HIS space, and not to be violated by anyone else.
On the way to my local train station, I cross this intersection, as does many other people. It's not really special in any way, but it's just an open area that people walk in.
However, right down the street a little ways is a roped off area for a frog advertising a drug store. Since the first time I moved to this neighborhood, I wondered why the frog needed such a large area. I understand having a private space for a sign, so people won't damage it, but such a vast area on a crowded street is a bit odd. No matter why, the yellow chain indicates very clearly what area is part of the the frog's private space and what isn't.
There aren't very many places in Japan, or the world for that matter, that are more public than Shibuya crossing. As the busiest intersection in the world, Shibuya is clearly a public place in Tokyo.
Much like Shibuya, a person's apartment is small, cramped, and a lot of stuff is happening. But unlike Shibuya, it's a quiet place, under the control of one person, and due to it's size and location, is quite private.
Whenever I go to my favorite restaurant, I have my own bottle, but even though my name is written on it, anybody at the table is welcome. There is also a large bucket of ice, lemon slices, some lemon flavoring, and carbonated water for everyone who wants it.
But once it's in a glass, it is no longer the property of everyone. It's my drink in my glass. Even though the difference between public property (of those at the table) to private property (of just mine) is the container it's in, once the ingredients are mixed, it's mine.
Bonus picture:
This kiosk on a train station is in the process of closing. Once those steel shutters are closed, it is a very private world, not open to the public anymore. During working hours, it is a very public place, with many people stopping to grab a quick snack or drink, something to read, and useful emergency items. Yet, when it's closed, the space is not available for anyone. Even though it is still in the middle of a busy train platform, it is a private island. In this picture, it is in the middle of changing from a public space to private.
But even though the restaurant was public, our table was quite private. The thought of anyone, including restaurant staff, coming in and cooking something on our plate or setting something down without it being ordered, would definitely be violating our personal private space.
Trains are also very public. Many people, myself included, use them every day and we can see others and be seen ourself, whether we like it or not.
However, much like this man, we can take a seat and turn it into a private place by actively tuning out the rest of the world and creating our own private non-spoken barriers. That seat, the space between him and the magazine, that is HIS space, and not to be violated by anyone else.
On the way to my local train station, I cross this intersection, as does many other people. It's not really special in any way, but it's just an open area that people walk in.
However, right down the street a little ways is a roped off area for a frog advertising a drug store. Since the first time I moved to this neighborhood, I wondered why the frog needed such a large area. I understand having a private space for a sign, so people won't damage it, but such a vast area on a crowded street is a bit odd. No matter why, the yellow chain indicates very clearly what area is part of the the frog's private space and what isn't.
There aren't very many places in Japan, or the world for that matter, that are more public than Shibuya crossing. As the busiest intersection in the world, Shibuya is clearly a public place in Tokyo.
Much like Shibuya, a person's apartment is small, cramped, and a lot of stuff is happening. But unlike Shibuya, it's a quiet place, under the control of one person, and due to it's size and location, is quite private.
Whenever I go to my favorite restaurant, I have my own bottle, but even though my name is written on it, anybody at the table is welcome. There is also a large bucket of ice, lemon slices, some lemon flavoring, and carbonated water for everyone who wants it.
But once it's in a glass, it is no longer the property of everyone. It's my drink in my glass. Even though the difference between public property (of those at the table) to private property (of just mine) is the container it's in, once the ingredients are mixed, it's mine.
Bonus picture:
This kiosk on a train station is in the process of closing. Once those steel shutters are closed, it is a very private world, not open to the public anymore. During working hours, it is a very public place, with many people stopping to grab a quick snack or drink, something to read, and useful emergency items. Yet, when it's closed, the space is not available for anyone. Even though it is still in the middle of a busy train platform, it is a private island. In this picture, it is in the middle of changing from a public space to private.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Audio interview.
I just finished editing an interview of Nicole Despres, the assistant manager of the OSS office here at Temple University Japan. It was co-edited by fellow classmate Tomoka.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Two ideas.
I have two ideas for documentaries for this class. One I don't want to discuss until I have permission from those who I would be focusing on. The other one I also don't have permission yet, but I don't expect it will be a problem.
Over the summer I did a documentary on a band. While I was quite satisfied with this, there's a lot missing. I would like to do a more in-depth interview, show them practicing or recording, and just get a bit more involved. I have a camera with me now and I intend on going to one of their shows tonight.
Hopefully, I can get started on that and/or my other idea. It might be fun to do 2 different documentaries, but I'm not sure I'll have time for that.
Over the summer I did a documentary on a band. While I was quite satisfied with this, there's a lot missing. I would like to do a more in-depth interview, show them practicing or recording, and just get a bit more involved. I have a camera with me now and I intend on going to one of their shows tonight.
Hopefully, I can get started on that and/or my other idea. It might be fun to do 2 different documentaries, but I'm not sure I'll have time for that.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Frontline/World "News War: War of Ideas"
On Monday in class, we screened a documentary titled Frontline/World "News War: War of Ideas" It was a piece from PBS about news in the Middle East. It was considered an expository documentary where the filmmaker and main protagonist went around to different news agencies throughout the world showing how different agencies treated news and events in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.
I did not feel like the documentary took a hard slant favoring one outlet over the other, but more or less said that they were all biased and they all knew it. Due to who was making the documentary, there was a pro-America slant, but I don't think it really painted anybody as the bad guy.
The style of "Expository" mode worked well in this aspect. It was very journalistic and almost like a diary of events. In something like this, expository is useful for uncovering facts and discussing ideas. This piece did not lend itself to an artistic style based on the subject matter, so Expository was fine.
The part that surprised me the most is that the US Government has their own Arabic language TV channel. That alone was a little surprising, just because it was new information, but the shock is it is based in Virginia. I wonder the value in having the central headquarters in the United States while the target audience is in the Middle East. I can understand a branch near Washington DC, but the headquarters is a bit odd. I also wonder why this channel isn't available in America, as it is funded by tax payer's money.
I did not feel like the documentary took a hard slant favoring one outlet over the other, but more or less said that they were all biased and they all knew it. Due to who was making the documentary, there was a pro-America slant, but I don't think it really painted anybody as the bad guy.
The style of "Expository" mode worked well in this aspect. It was very journalistic and almost like a diary of events. In something like this, expository is useful for uncovering facts and discussing ideas. This piece did not lend itself to an artistic style based on the subject matter, so Expository was fine.
The part that surprised me the most is that the US Government has their own Arabic language TV channel. That alone was a little surprising, just because it was new information, but the shock is it is based in Virginia. I wonder the value in having the central headquarters in the United States while the target audience is in the Middle East. I can understand a branch near Washington DC, but the headquarters is a bit odd. I also wonder why this channel isn't available in America, as it is funded by tax payer's money.
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