Our Crowdfunding campaign for A Japanese Rock N Roll Ghost Story is now down to our last 9 days. Thanks so much to everyone who has helped so far. There’s still a little bit of time, and we need all the help we can get.
Here is the English information page: https://www.makuake.com/en/project/rock/
We’re back for this week’s Top 3 Videos! Our favorite new Indies artist’s videos for the week of Sept 18, 2015!
First up today at #3 is Fidlar. FIDLAR is a skate punk/garage punk band from Los Angeles, California. The band’s name is an acronym for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk.’ This is their latest single and it’s hot!
Next up is a new band called, The Jungle Giants. The Jungle Giants are an Australian four-piece band. Rolling Stone magazine gave their newest album, Speakerzoid, 4 out of 5 stars.
And this week’s #1 song is by a Japanese all-girl punk outfit who are definitely not strangers to our countdown as this is at least their 4th appearance in the Top 3! From Tokyo, Japan, here’s Su凸ko D凹koi (Su Ko D Koi – This translates into something like, “You’re stupid” or “You are useless” but not in a very aggressive manner…)
Finally, today’s freebie and it’s Barrence Whitfield & The Savages. These guys have been getting lots of airplay on my radio show and they call themselves a, “punk soul outfit.”
Hey! We’re making a “Japanese Rock N Roll Ghost Story” Movie. Please check out the trailer (with full English subtitles!) at the very top of this link: https://www.makuake.com/en/project/rock
ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
These Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
Well, the Gaijin Gourmet is now totally alpha-geek status! He’s really bringing you excitement today! He went to a Maid Cafe in Ikebukuro (Electric City in Tokyo) with some friends who were visiting from the USA the other day and now he’s lived to tell about it.
My friend from high school, whom I hadn’t seen in nearly 40 years, went up and got hitched and has now two handsome sons. I volunteered to take them around Tokyo for a day or two and see the things they need to see: museums, Tokyo Tower, art galleries, the parliament building, Shibuya and, of course, a Maid cafe.
We were in Akihabara and I was showing them around, when out into the sidewalk popped this cute girl dressed in a maid uniform and asked us to go inside of her Maid Cafe. There were 5 of us all together; my friend and his two sons and my friend’s wife (hereinafter referred to as, “Mom”) and me. Being a serious straight-forward God-fearing man, I was reluctant to go into this den of iniquity known as a Maid Cafe for I could imagine the disgusting ribaldry occurring with regularity within; yet my friend’s two sons couldn’t resist the Siren’s Call and insisted that we enter. It couldn’t be helped. I had to accompany them inside as I felt a fatherly responsibility (“Fatherly” as in “Catholic Father”) for this small group of misguided American males.
I said the Lord’s prayer for us all as we entered…
In spite of my tingling Spidey senses, I knew I had to go inside with them and protect them from the evils lurking within – plus none of them spoke Japanese so how would they know how to order a Coke from a condom?
We entered the Maid Cafe and were charged some ridiculous sum of money just for entering. I hear they call these monies “cover charge” in the west. I wouldn’t know; I’m a family man and my expeditions outside are relegated to the local church on Sunday’s or Denny’s or Bob’s Big Boy after that where they just serve healthy family meals at a reasonable price and no cover charge, thank you very much!
We entered the Maid Cafe and the first thing I thought was, “Wait a minute! This is just a coffee/hamburger shop that serves fast food and the girls are dressed like maids! What????” This seemed odd to me as, come to think of it, don’t the waitresses at Denny’s (or where ever) all have uniforms that look like maids anyway?
Oh? That’s it! Riiiiiight! The Maid Cafe waitresses are maids because they wear little hats! I get it!
At the next table were a husband and wife. I gathered they were French. I was surprised to see a foreign woman customer inside. We left mom outside… She went into a proper hamburger shop where the staff don’t wear little hats and there is no Table Charge.
The Maid Cafe was, well… Kind of strange. What’s the big attraction? I don’t know. Just your typical coffee/burger/bun shop (“Bun shop”? Bwa! Ha! Ha! Pun intended!) excepting, as I said, the girls are dressed like maids…
But there was one thing that was weird. We ordered 4 ice coffees. When our waitresses, er, Maid, brought them over to us she made the four of us do some incantation whereby we made heart shapes with our hands and said some chants and then waved at our coffees. She said we did that to make the coffee “more delicious.”
Shit! Is THAT how you make instant coffee more delicious? Hell, here all this time I thought the secret to great instant coffee was those little packets of reconstituted petro-chemicals that taste like cream and those sugar substitute cyclamates (that cause cancer) but sure smoothen the taste out for a great cup of instant coffee!
Huh? I wasted money on all that chemical shit when a simple magical spell was sufficient? Who’d a thunk it?
Count this as a lesson learned in life!
Anyway, I think after a few minutes of sitting around the Maid cafe and wondering when something was “going to happen” that didn’t, everyone in our party basically came to the same conclusion; “What’s the big deal?” and decided to leave. Of course, though, we needed evidence that we had been to a Maid Cafe so that we can prove to our friends back home that we are the highest of the high ranking alpha-geeks because, well simply put, we were in Japan! And well, fricking OF COURSE, because come on, this is Japan! JAPAN! — the weirdest, most zany, most bizarre corner in the entire world –Who wouldn’t want to be here? And who wouldn’t want to be in a Maid Cafe all the time?
Well … you might not, actually… Because the Maid Cafe was kind of boring… And expensive too… And even when you wanted to take a photo with your “Maid” it costs ¥500 (about $5 USD) per maid, per photo!
That being said, we took one photo with the cutest maid there.
She made us pose in these dumb positions, just like when she brought us our coffee… That’s, (left to right) Jacob, Matt, their dad (NAME REDACTED), and me, the Gaijin Gourmet.
Why did she make us pose in dumb positions? Well, why not? This is Japan and this was a Maid Cafe. Don’t question the ways of my people!
The photo was definitely worth $5! The coffee, was, well… “Magical.”
Thanks to my friends Jacob, Matt, ‘Dad,’ and ‘Mom’ as well as Michael McThrow for the inspiration!
——————
Notes:This is so obvious that it doesn’t even need to be said, but you’d be surprised at how many guys think they can find a wife at a Hostess Bar or Maid Cafe… Listen guys, these girls are doing a job. The really high class ones are professionals. You won’t ever get a “real wife” ever at a hostess bar, or maid club, or Soapland or whatever they call it…. You can get a “pretend wife” or “girlfriend” or even “fiance” (or pretend whatever you want to call it) for a few hours as long as you have the money in your pocket – or credit card – to pay for it. You’d be surprised at how many times – even Japanese guys – have told me they met a girl they really like, who “understands” them…. And that girl just so happens to be working as a hostess…. Of course she understands! She’s getting paid $50 an hour to understand you dumb-ass! When you stop paying, she won’t give you the time of day!
At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
Once again time for the Top 3 Videos… The Top 3 Indies artists videos sent straight to you from Tokyo, Japan! We have some hot rock n roll for you today!
First up today is a band heartily recommended by my friend Bee Bee Clarke. Bee Bee has his ear to the wall in the Tokyo music scene and knows his stuff. He writes, “Texaco Leatherman … take what’s expected and fuck it silly before the audience.” Yeah. These guys are scary, like the Cramps!
At #2 today is a band that’s been getting lots of airplay on the radio show, The Atom Age. Their webpage says, “The Atom Age find their inspiration from the dust covered collections of unhinged 60’s punk and R&B, whose crazed energy was once misconceived as a better fit for your trashcan than for your turntable.”
At this week’s #1 is Los Angeles Indie rockers, Blonde Summer. Rodney on the Roq has been playing them a lot, so what’s good enough for Rodney is usually good enough for me!
Quick question: When was the last time you heard of Kyushu?
“What is a Kyushu?” is an entirely acceptable response.
Kyushu is Japan’s southernmost large island. Its largest city is Fukuoka. There seems to be something going on down there as we have been playing a lot of bands from that area. Namely, last week we had Titty Twister, and this week we have a band that I think is fucking awesome, The Routes! The Routes are down in Kyushu but they’ve been getting lots of airplay and attention in Europe and on my Sunday show. If you liked the Pebbles or Nuggets album series, you are gonna dig this!
Hey! We’re making a “Japanese Rock N Roll Ghost Story” Movie. Please check out the trailer (with full English subtitles!) at the very top of this link: https://www.makuake.com/en/project/rock
ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
These Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ザ・外人グルメ, Gaijin Gourmet, budget dining Tokyo, ビデオ編集格安、ビデオ撮影格安、動画制作東京、格安ビデオ制作, 格安, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 格安, ビジネスビデオ制作, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, Gaijin Gourmet, Delicious places to eat in Tokyo, Cheap places to eat in Tokyo, Healthy, cheap, inexpensive food, Tokyo dining, budget dining Tokyo, delicious, budget
Next up is an all-female punk trio from Northampton, Mass. They just released their EP on August 21 and have been getting LOTS of airplay on my radio show (“WTF?” Please come ‘Like’ our FB page!)
This week’s #1 come’s from Cindy Kona who introduces us to this hot act named Palaye Royale. Palaye Royale is an unsigned fashion-art rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. (Unsigned??? You kidding me?)
Finally, today’s freebie is, once again, Japan’s own, The Plashments!
FREEBIE! The Plashments “R.J.E Blues” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogg30DN5lVw
That’s it for this week. See you next week!
———-
Hey! We’re making a “Japanese Rock N Roll Ghost Story” Movie. Please check out the trailer (with full English subtitles!) at the very top of this link: https://www.makuake.com/en/project/rock
ARTISTS! SEND ME YOUR NEW VIDEOS! I WANT TO HELP PROMOTE YOU!
Also these Top 3 Video posts are sometimes getting tens of thousands of hits per week. Need proof? Do a Google Search for “Top 3 Videos” or “Top New Artists Videos” and you’ll see Robot55 on page one! blowing away MTV, Billboard Magazine, Billboard, Niconico Douga and all the rest.
I started a Crowdfunding campaign in Japan on June 25, 2015. It is still going on. The campaign ends on Sept. 26, 2015. These are notes on my thoughts on what’s going on with this. I hope, if you are thinking about Crowdfunding, you can read this and, perhaps, learn a few things and it will benefit your efforts.
When I started this project, I decided to try to get funding from some big companies. It’s impossible to make a professional quality movie without a lot of money so, over a span of about 2 1/2 months from March 2015 to Late May 2015, I went to several big music companies. The reaction from the presidents of companies I met was very warm and positive. Everyone knows that, since the Tokyo Olympics are coming to Japan in 2020, there is a golden opportunity to show the world the spirit of real Japanese Rock and Roll and not the J-Pop girls and boy bands that all the major labels try in vain to promote overseas. Three of the major companies offered me a lot of money. But there was a catch; the artists I started this project with – my team – would be replaced by pop artists.
I can’t do that. For one, the Neatbeats, the Privates and the 50 Kaitenz are my favorite Japanese rock bands. For two, they are my friends and my team (and one does not betray their friends and team!), and; third, this is a rock and roll movie. I think that the spirit, the music and the love of rock and roll that these bands encompass, can be extremely popular overseas.
I really do believe that. I believe in these bands.
Finally, the last reason, I am an old punk rocker at heart and I have come to the conclusion that, in my life, I will never achieve major, mainstream success. This was a sad realization for me, but it is true. When my old and dear friend, Taro Furukawa said this to me, it was like an arrow through my heart, but I also knew that, deep down in my heart, he is right and it is true.
So, I decided to not accept money from big companies and do this movie as an indie movie. Is it impossible? Sometimes I think so, but I must continue and push forward no matter what. But, during this time, Nobuhara san from the Privates said something to me that was really wonderful. He said, “We don’t need lots of money. We just need a punk spirit!” That was like a light going off in my head!
So I decided to go get a Crowdfunding partner. I went to Cyber Agent and met the president of Crowdfunding for that company. I presented the idea for the movie to him and he and his staff loved it. So we started the campaign on June 25, 2015. I wanted to do a 4 or 6 week campaign; it was at the advice of the Crowdfunding company to make the campaign three months (which is way too long!)
Also, as a producer, it is my duty to make the best movie we can possibly make; I went out and got other professional people to help me. Everyone is doing this project as a volunteer and I am most grateful to everyone. Yet, it is my duty to make this the biggest happening and most successful movie that I can possibly make.
That also means I have a duty to try to get as much money as possible and to pay all my people and team.
About the money and the volunteers; thanks so much. I am trying to make this a hit movie (as much as possible) and to make it into a profitable movie. That means, that even if you volunteered to help us, if we make money, then I must make every effort to at least pay you for your time or, at least, train fare!
So, please understand why I am so “pushy” on Facebook, email and Twitter. I don’t want to push so hard, but it is my duty to all the bands and volunteers and everyone who is helping us. A successful movie, like any project, is made by preparation. This effort (and Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is a part of that effort. Like I said, I don’t want to bother everyone constantly, but it is my duty and everyone deserves my best effort.
I’m sorry if you think, “Mike is so persistent!” But I also hope you understand why and know that I don’t want to be so… It is a part of the job and my duty, to our bands, friends and volunteer, as a movie producer.
Anyway, about Crowdfunding, here are things I learned:
You can’t really depend on the Crowdfunding companies to do any promotion for you. You have to do it yourself.
The Crowdfunding companies all take about a 20% margin. Make sure that the company you choose includes credit card charges in that 20% margin.
Our project is an “International Project.” I recruited a famous producer to help me. He has won at Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival. He has also been nominated for an Academy Award. I brought him in to give us reputation overseas. Big Problem: The Crowdfunding company does not accept LOTS of foreign credit cards. Our campaign lost over ¥500,000 because of this problem. I think it will take a long time for Japanese Crowdfunding companies to arrange foreign credit cards.
The staff at the company I choose seem to be overworked. I can write them an email and sometimes do not get an answer from them for two or three days. That is not acceptable. This is the internet age; I expect an answer with a day. If it is an internet company (which the Crowdfunding company is) then I expect an answer within 2 hours.
Crowdfunding in Japan, as of today, is still a relatively new thing. Lots of people don’t understand it.
There is a Catch 22 in the Crowdfunding. I calculated that I needed ¥5 million yen to make this movie. I expect to get at least 1/2 that money (after paying the Crowdfunding company)… Where will I get the other money? I have to go back and talk to some big companies again…
When our campaign started, I spent at least 6 ~ 8 hours a day, everyday, seven days a week for over three weeks sending out direct Facebook messages, Twitter and direct emails to all my friends and connections (No BCC!). I think that’s why we hit our initial money target within the first 15 days. If you do Crowdfunding, then you had better be prepared to do this same effort. Everyone will get sick of hearing from you, but you have a duty to the other people who are helping you.
In early August, I saw a message on Twitter from girl that said, “On Facebook and Twitter, everything is ‘Mike.'” She wasn’t mad, but I took that as a message that people were getting sick of hearing about it. So I toned it down and basically did zero promotion during that month. Now that we are in our last few weeks, I have to start promoting again.
Even if it kills me, we’re going to make this movie and it is going to be one the great memories of our lives for 2015 ~2016.
Please forgive me for being so persistent. It is the bed I made, so now I must lay down it it. Thanks so much for your time and most kind consideration.
In life I think you have to have punk spirit and you have to be persistent as hell!
——————
———————-
At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ビ デオ編集格安、ビデオ撮影格安、動画制作東京、格安ビデオ制作, 格安, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 格安, ビジネスビデオ制作, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, A Japanese Rock n Roll Ghost Story, Japanese, Rock n Roll, Neatbeats, 50 Kaitenz, The Privates
We’ve written extensively about why your videos for Youtube or the Internet should be short, but more information is in that seals the decision: If you are making an advertising videos for your business, restaurant, service, club, whatever, and you want the maximum number of people to see it, then make your video length a 30 seconds maximum!
“According to research data by Visible Measures, the internet video audience measurement service: “20% of all your viewers will click away from a video in 10 seconds or fewer.”
That means, we must get the message out about what you or your business is about within the first 5 ~ 10 seconds. Think about it; how many times have you seen a video and then clicked away immediately? If people are going to click away, we might not be able to stop them (depends on their reason for clicking away), but we can at least let them know who/what you or your business is about.
The same data from Visible Measures shows that: “… by 30 seconds, you will lose about 1/3 of your viewers! 45% of all viewers will be gone by 1 minute…” Then it drops off a cliff. “You will lose 60% of your viewers by 2 minutes.”
But even this information is incomplete today. Twitter’s new video platform will not support any videos over 30 seconds! So, whether you agree with that or not, I guess that settles the debate; especially if you want people to re-tweet your video and for the video to go viral!
Case rests, your honor!
So if you want an effective video that will be seen by the widest audience of people on many Social Media Platforms and Youtube, then make it under 30 seconds.
At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
At Robot55 we make video productions for businesses and services and products, but we also pride ourselves on making videos for art and music. Our starting price is ¥70,000 and we are sure we can work out something that fits your budget. Oh, and we love making band videos too! Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
ザ・外人グルメ, Gaijin Gourmet, budget dining Tokyo, ビデオ編集格安、ビデオ撮影格安、動画制作東京、格安ビデオ制作, 格安, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, 格安, ビジネスビデオ制作, ロボット・ゴー・ゴー, Gaijin Gourmet, Delicious places to eat in Tokyo, Cheap places to eat in Tokyo, Healthy, cheap, inexpensive food, Tokyo dining, budget dining Tokyo, delicious, budget
