Robot55 Blog

Sex Pistols, Clash, Gen X, Sheila Rock and Why We Sometimes Make Videos for Free!

2015年2月6日 / 1 Comment

Today’s thoughts…I call this:  Sex Pistols, Clash, Gen X, Sheila Rock and Why We Sometimes Make Videos for Free!

Sometimes, my friend Ken and I make promotional music videos for young bands for free – no charge.

Why do we sometimes make rock band videos for free? That’s actually an easy question to answer. Both Ken and I have had a good life provided to us by music. Of course there is much more that we need to accomplish in our short time on this earth, but, until now, music has treated us well. I think we should keep doing work to live and eat (of course) but we also need to do things to nourish our heart, soul and mind.

The reason why I say that we should keep doing these sorts of things in our short time on this planet is because three things that happened to me in 2014:

1) I almost died in September. I wrote about that here in Near Death at the Hospital, Last Month! – Back in Humor, This Month! www.modernmarketingjapan.blogspot.jp/2014/11/where-did-i-go-to-hospital.html

2) I met Sheila Rock the world famous photographer. Sheila took many iconic photos of the SexPistols, the Clash and Generation X (plus a bunch of others that I can’t recall this early in the morning) back in the heyday of London Punk. Sheila told me that, in her youth, she never got paid to take those photos of the Clash, Sex Pistols, etc….She said she did it for fun and because she thought the subjects were “interesting.”

Mike, Sheila Rock (famous photographer) and Kato Madoka at Agnes B event

Mike, Sheila Rock (famous photographer) and Kato Madoka at Agnes B event

I told Sheila that my friend (Ken Nishikawa) and I often I make videos for young bands and don’t ask for money. Some notable ones were Shonen Knife, the Neatbeats, Glen Matlock (original bassist for the Sex Pistols), Bobby’s Bar, Moja, and so many more I can’t recall those either! (You can see several of them at the top of this page) I showed her some of them in the short time we had.

She seemed impressed. She’s a nice lady and a wonderful person.

She was very enthusiastic about us making those videos to help those people. I also told her the bit about how music has given us a wonderful life and, if we can, we wanna pay back and help some young people. Young people, who, if we don’t help them, they will never get a chance of ever having a video of their performance made; no matter if they are genius and talented musicians; luck plays a big part in everyone’s life.

If, after I die, if someone says, “I was lucky to meet Mike Rogers” (or Ken, or Ayumi, or?) then I will be one more person happier.

Sheila really complimented and supported us with her words. She said, “When I took those photos way back when, I never realized what sort of legacy I was recording and the legacy I was leaving for myself. It took many years later, when we went back and looked and saw all these photos I had taken…. It is my statement and reason for life….. Tell your friend that I said to ‘keep it up.'”

3) I think we all must keep making something everyday if we can; something new, fresh, fun and also for posterity’s sake….

We all do what we do to live but I think we also should try do what we do for ourselves and our legacy; “Posterity’s Sake” is a good thing. Let’s live to make something that people will remember you by. Even if you never become famous for it, but just because it is good and is makes someone happy.

Do it for yourself and do it for your loved ones.

Mike Rogers (Photo by Sheila Rock)

Mike Rogers (Photo by Sheila Rock)

OK! There’s three things that Johnny Rotten and I have in common: 1) We are in a photo together at the top of this page; 2) We both have been in punk bands; 3) Both of us have had their photo taken by Sheila Rock…. Thanks Sheila! You are Tops!

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There’s an old saying about regrets:

“Your regrets in life aren’t what you did, but what you didn’t do when you had the chance.” – Anonymous

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MORE! Like our Robot55 Mission Statement:

“We make wonderful productions; for a profit if we can, at a loss if we must. But no matter what, we make wonderful productions.”

As for me, every time I go do a shoot or edit with our team and some of the world-class professionals we work with, I learn something. I learn something on how to become a better artist and craftsman and I learn something about myself.

If we all can remember this everyday of our lives, then I think it helps us to become better. I really do.

I also believe in the Law of Attraction and know that if we keep our eye on it, then we will find those who will support us financially and spiritually.

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We’d like to let folks know who we are and what we do at Robot55. (That’s actually pronounced, “Robot Go Go” as “55” in Japanese can be pronounced as “Go Go.”)

Our Mission Statement says:

“We make wonderful video productions, at a profit if we can; at a loss if we must. But, no matter what, we make wonderful video productions.”

If we are not going to make something with all of our selves and our hearts aren’t it in, we don’t want to do it. Let’s live life to the fullest.

If you are an independent band about to come to Tokyo, won’t you contact us? Depending on our schedule and the type of music you do, maybe we can make some art together!

Endo Toshikatsu Exhibition at the Akiyama Gallery

2015年2月5日 / No Comments

Yesterday, Feb 4, 2015, after a day of editing video for the “Japanese Rock & Roll Ghost Story” movie, we decided to get outside and stretch the legs and the mind. A bit down the road and just across the street is a quaint little gallery that we always pass by named Akiyama Gallery. You can find Akiyama Gallery here: http://akiyama-g.com/

As we walked by I noticed a name of the front plaque. It said, artist “Endo Toshikatsu” (遠藤利克) and I thought, “Hey! I know this artist! In fact, I was just looking at his name card yesterday.”

toshikazu endo

It’s true! By sheer coincidence, I saw this name card and, because of the Kanji and the fact that this is an artist, I guess we must have met somewhere before. I am always looking for great places to use as sets for artist interviews, or great backdrops for video shoots or TV shows. And, I always try to find coincidence in my life and use it to my advantage, so, we decided to enter the gallery.

Entering the gallery was like entering another world; it was like entering another universe; not a heavenly or peaceful one like you’d see in the movies; it was a world of heaviness and, well, fear. There, in the middle of this large, empty white space, was a giant burnt out hull of what seems to be a giant bath or a washbasin. It reeked of the smell of tar. What kind of monstrosity was this? Is this the art exhibit?

We walked in and I signed my named on the guest list at the door. Soon, we were greeted by the lovely and most gracious Ms. Akiyama Tazuko  (秋山田津子）who gave us a short guided tour of the work of art that sat in the middle of the room. It was a giant burnt out wash basin. It looked as if it were the wash basin of colossal gods of tens of hundreds of thousand years ago, burnt out and now lifeless; the death of an ancient civilization in front of our eyes.

I peered over the edge of the work and into the pit at the bottom.

“What is that oil smell?”” It permeated everything in the room. It reeked like the smell of a construction crew laying asphalt on a road or an oil drilling site.

“It is tar.” Ms. Akiyama cooly answered.

I stood back. The sight and smell encapsulating my entire body and mind. It reminded me of the Tar Pits of La Brea where animals and plant life of the Pleistocene Garden of the Ice Age find they are preserved forever in the pits of tar.

As I stood there trying to take it all in and digest what I was seeing, it hit me, “This is scary,” I said. And I meant it.

This work of art made me feel a sense of fear. Of fear of what? I do not know. Death, perhaps? But I definitely felt fear. Perhaps it was the kind of fear that the saber toothed tigers felt when they were trapped in the tar pits of La Brea; struggling to get out. But the more they struggle, the deeper they sink… Or perhaps it was a fear that I had stumbled into another world; a world of the gods where I was not wanted nor welcomed. It was a place where those much greater than I had dwelt; and they were all dead. What does that mean for me if the immortal ones have long since died and their lives burned away? Was the a picture of our collective future?

We watched for a while. Watching what, I do not fully understand… and then we were off.

That was 24 hours ago; I can still smell that art display and imagine that, next time I smell tar or asphalt, the memory will come rushing back to me; even if I don’t want it to; like some pre-historic animal trapped in tar and sinking fast.

Endo Toshikazu art

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The Endo Toshikatsu exhibit runs from Feb. 2, 2015 ~ Feb. 28 from 12:00 ~ 19:00. Admission is free. Definitely bring a camera!　遠藤利克　２０１５年２月２２日（月）〜　２月２８日（土）１２：００〜１９：００ Closed Sundays and holidays

Akiyama Gallery is at: 3-7-6 Sendagaya, Shibuya Ku, Tokyo. 〒151-0051 E-mail information: info@akiyama-g.com (Akiyama Gallery is closest to Kita-Sando station on the Fukutoshin Line).

Edit the Movie? A “Rock N Roll Ghost Story”!

2015年2月4日 / 1 Comment

Yes. Today is the big day! The day of the first edit session for that movie or video project you’ve been thinking about.

We are doing that too for our “Rock N Roll Ghost Story” movie today too.

shoot 012615Shooting session at Shibuya Milky Way Jan. 26, 2015. Bottom right, clockwise: Ken Nishikawa, Enrico Ciccu, Bogie, Dori, Danny (The 50回転ズ）Tatsuji Nobuhara (The Privates), Taro Furukawa (famous DeeJay), Tomomi Hiraiwa (actress) and Mike Rogers (playing dead guy).

 

The entire video production team got together two times in Tokyo. The first day was Jan. 23, in Komazawa in Setagaya-Ku in Tokyo; the second shoot was Jan. 26th in Tokyo’s famous Shibuya area.

The Robot55 team had everything together to make a perfect shoot; lighting, professional video team, director, professional actors and, of course, a screenplay.

The screenplay is a sort of “map.” We have to have a screenplay; don’t know where you are going to without a map, right?

I plan on posting some early edits here for your pleasure!

Stay tuned!

7万円で家宝をゲット！孫の代まで自慢出来るお子様の演奏・パフォーマンス・ビデオを制作しませんか？

2015年2月3日 / No Comments

うちの息子は子供ピアノコンクールで大変いい成績を残しており、受賞も何度かしています。とても自慢の息子ですが、大きな夢を叶える迄の道のりはまだまだ長く、これからだと思います。とはいえピアノ教師である妻と努力を重ねて既に叶えた夢も幾つかありますし、父親である私と一緒に努力して実現した夢だってあるのです。例えば一生残るプロ品質のYouTubeビデオ – そんな素敵なものを欲しがらない子供なんているでしょうか？

Continue Reading…

A Family Heirloom for ¥70,000? Create Your Child’s Performance Video That You Will be Proud of Forever!

2015年2月3日 / No Comments

My son has done pretty well at children’s piano competitions in Japan. He has even won a few awards! We are very proud of him. He still has a long way to go to achieve his dream, but there are a few dreams that he has already achieved; mostly by hard practice and dedication on the piano with his mom and teachers but there is also a few that he made with dad! I mean to say, what child doesn’t dream of having a professional quality video on Youtube to show and share for the rest of their lives?

I have made several videos over the years for my son as he has gotten older and it was through the production of these videos as well as the creation on the Robot55 concept, we have been able to come up with a way to make a video just like the one below for ¥70,000 ~ ¥80,000 complete (Ask about our cash discount special!) Normally, at most video production companies, things like this would run well past ¥150,000 or more. We can do it for 1/2 that price.

How do we create a family heriloom? And NO! I’m not talking about a video made by dad; I am talking about a professionally shot and edited video that is as good as anything you’ll see on regular TV! (Dad, we love you, and your videos are fun, but we are talking about the value of professional work!) In this particular case, the family rented a grand piano for practice for two hours before a big competition (¥5000 an hour to play a Steinway at Shidome – If you need more info, email us!) We arrived to video tape one under 4 minute song. Two cameras; one good performance by the child and a few others for extra shots. A quick edit and…. Wallah! A professional quality video that will make your child feel like a professional and it will be a family heirloom that will be treasured for years to come.

And, we had the final edit completed within 24 hours!

They are only children for a short time. Capture the moment.

Write to us at Robot55 and let’s talk about making one of yours and your child’s dreams come true!

 

NOTE TO PARENTS: After going through competitions and being a professional in TV and radio for over three decades, I can personally attest to the value of a real on-camera practice session…. And, no, I don’t mean dad with the family video cam; the kids won’t feel nervous in front of  dad like they would in front of professional video cameramen, lighting and sound people; this sort of practice (and then the subsequent viewing of the finished video by the parents and child) is invaluable for furthering the child’s skill and professionalism.

After all, aren’t they all dreaming of becoming professionals?

 

ビンテージ映像機材（笑）

2015年2月2日 / No Comments

低価格の映像の制作をしていると本当に色々な事態に遭遇します。

先日はどうしても必要なビデオ素材がmini-DVテープでしかなくて、2000年代前半活躍した往年の名器、もとい名機である業界定番小型キャメラ、パナソニックのDVX-100を借りてきて、今年で齢十歳となるマイiBook G4でくだんの貴重な動画をキャプチャー！

はい、これiBookです。決して写真が縦に伸びてるMacBookではないですよ（笑）。

2015年現在のノートパソコンの買い替えサイクルが約３年くらいと云われておりますから、それを人間の平均寿命に置き換えて考えますと、この子は137歳まで生きたと伝えられる孝安天皇をも上回る推定250歳以上！

しかしこの子は未だバリバリ現役で古い機材からの動画素材キャプチャーやスキャン（これも現行の機種は全く対応していない古い機材なので….（汗））、更にはDJするときも大活躍！

ただクラブに持っていくと対バンのDJの方々に良くも悪くも驚愕されます（笑）。

このような舞台裏のJimi〜な努力の結果が多分４月には皆さまにお見せできるかと思いますのでお楽しみに❤️

Video Shoot at a Shot Bar Named Albatross and a Izakaya named Chain

2015年2月2日 / No Comments

Last week we went to Shinjuku to shoot a wonderfully decorated bar named Albatross. Albatross is basically a shot bar and is one of the most interesting drinking places I have ever seen. It is in Omoide Yokocho just 2 minutes walk from Shinjuku station and it has a wild interior!

Ken shot the video and did a superb job of editing. This place is tiny, Ken uses his video production skills and creativity to make it look like a  huge museum. The place does kind of look like a museum, but it is quite cozy inside. Check it out!

Using the same model for Albatross, yesterday, we went all the way out to Fuchu and shoot a video for a restaurant/ bar named Chain. Chain is a nice, spacious establishment with great drinks and delicious food. Chain specializes in meat dishes such a braised steak, chicken and pork as well as a wide array of side dishes. I will post that video as soon as it is ready too!

We had a good time at the video shoot and I drank too much. I think I must owe Ken some money for drinks!

 

Need a Professional Narrator But Can’t Afford One? Not Anymore!

2015年2月1日 / No Comments

Every Sunday morning, I wake up at around 4 am and then head to InterFM. InterFM is one of Tokyo’s Top 5 FM radio stations broadcasting to over 35 million homes in the greater Tokyo Metropolitan area. It also broadcasts to 8 million people in the Nagoya area and, nationwide on Radiko (Internet radio).

Our narrators have all worked regularly at InterFM or Love FM

Our narrators have all worked regularly at InterFM or Love FM

Everyday, we hear professional narrators on the radio and TV… It is easy to pick out a seasoned professional from an amateur… You never hear amateurs on TV or radio (unless they are being interviewed). But you do hear lots of amateurs on Youtube videos.

Robot55 prides itself on having a stable of true professional announcers who have worked (and are working) regularly at many of Japan’s top TV and radio stations… And guess what? In English or Japanese, we have the best of both worlds. And our starting price for hiring a seasoned pro, is only ¥25,000. How can we do this? Well, because we are industry insiders and know lots of great professionals who are looking for work…. We also use high technology so that they can record professionally in the convenience of our own home.

We don’t need to search for freelancers or other amateurs, we know lots of seasoned professionals; we only hire people we have worked with and can trust to do a great job! Check out our narrators here: http://robot55.jp/

You can hire a professional and add that special touch to any and all of your videos for work and promotion. We even do Digital Signage and all areas of production. Send us an email and we’ll get started for you!