There’s been so very many Japanese Concept Cars through the years that have never made it into production. I think they are the coolest designs. Here are a few selcted videos from the fabulous and crazy, Science Fiction universe of Japanese concept cars. Since the 1950s, all Japanese car manufacturers have been testing and designing cars that, if you saw them on the road, you’d think that it was something out of a Hollywood movie! Some of these designs are out of this world and full of imagination!
I’ve searched the internet and found some short videos of a few of my favorites. So if you like Science Fiction, and you like cars! Then this is a short trip for you!
If you want to see more, I’ll try to find more next week and present them for you. If you just want to see still photos (not as fun as some of these videos, I think) then check out: Japanese Concept Cars (www.japanese-concept-cars.com/category/lexus-concept-cars/).
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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
Here’s this week’s episode of Stop-Motion Animations for April 11, 2015!
First up, is a guy named Lou Bunin. Lou Bunin was an American puppeteer, artist, and pioneer of stop-motion animation in the middle half of the twentieth century. He was a mural artist in Mexico City in 1926. There he created political- statement puppet shows using marionettes. Famed Italian photographer, model, actress, and revolutionary political activist Tina Modotti took many pictures of Bunin and his puppets and included them in her work, “The Hands of the Puppeteer.”
When he returned to the USA, Bunin created animated three-dimensional puppets to appear in the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. His 1943 political stop-motion satire, Bury the Axis, is also famous. Years later, Lou Bunin worked at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films where he created the stop-motion Prologue to the famed film, Ziegfeld Follies (MGM).
Later on, Bunin went on to create a feature length stop-motion animation film adaptation of Alice in Wonderland in 1949. The film starred Carol Marsh as a live-action Alice. It is quite well done. Walt Disney, though, prevented it from being widely released in the U.S., because Walt Disney feared it would compete with his 1951 animated version. To add insult to injury, the film was banned in Britain as Bunin’s Queen of Hearts was seen as unflattering to Queen Victoria. This film has been restored and shown at museums around the US, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. You can see the full feature length film here. Below is the trailer!
Next up is Arthur “Art” Clokey. You may not know the name, but if you ever watched American TV animations in the sixties, you know Art Clokey’s work. He is best known as the creator of the character Gumby in the well-known “The Adventures of Gumby.” When actor and comedian Eddie Murphy parodied Gumby in a skit on Saturday Night Live, the animation enjoyed a sort of revival. There was even a Gumby movie called, of course, “Gumby: The Movie.” Others who viewed Sunday morning animations know Clokey’s other extremely famous work, Davey and Goliath which was sponsored by the Lutheran Church in America.
Charles R. Bowers was a cartoonist as well as a slapstick comedian during the silent film and early “talkie” era in America.
Wikipedia says: “Charles R. Bowers was forgotten for decades and his name was absent from most histories of the Silent Era, although his work was enthusiastically reviewed by André Breton and a number of his contemporaries. As his surviving films have an inventiveness and surrealism which give them a freshness appealing to modern audiences, after his rediscovery his work has sometimes been placed in the “top tier” of silent film accomplishments (along with those of, for example, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd). In comic style, he probably modelled himself after both Harry Langdon and Buster Keaton and was known to the French as “Bricolo.”
This is very good and I think it is brilliant in concept!
Well that’s it for this week’s animations. I hope you enjoyed them! See you next week when we will probably try out some different types of animations! Stay Tuned!
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If you want to see more, click on one of the links below!
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. Contact us! contact@robot55.jp
A couple of weeks back I wrote a short handy list on how to make a viral video. It has a list of six tips to help you make a viral video (Including, but not limited to using dogs and cats). While utilizing these six tips won’t guarantee a viral sensation, it will increase your chances. If you are interested in that, take a look at: 6 Easy Tips For Making a Viral Video〜バイラル動画のための6つのポイント (robot55.jp/blog/6-easy-tips-for-making-a-viral-video/) Today, I like to show and interesting bit about a child’s piano video that, while not a massive internet sensation, is a “viral hit” so-to-speak in a very narrow and niche market: Moms with little kids just starting out on the piano (well, that’s my guess.)
My buddy, Ken, and I have been making videos and TV programs for a long time. Making a viral video is an elusive goal. I’d love to be able to make a video with 10 million views. Heck, we’re very happy when some of the unknown bands that we made videos for surpass 20,000 views. We’ve also made some videos with some pretty well known musicians, and yet, in the music department, we’ve yet to come close to what I’d call a “Viral Video.” You know, my idea of a Viral Video is something like Psy’s “Gangnam Style” which, as of the moment of this writing, has nearly 2.3 billion views. If you can stand to watch it again, click here: Psy – Gangnam Style (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0)
OK, well, maybe shooting for a few billion is asking a lot (but what’s a few billion between friends?)
It all depends on what your goal is for your video. In the 6 Easy Tips For Making a Viral Video〜バイラル動画のための6つのポイント it talks about quality production and professionalism… But there is something else that can make a video viral and I like to call it “Magic.”
What is this “Magic”? Take a look at this video of this little boy playing the piano. It was uploaded by his mom for purely posterity’s sake. I know all about this video. The intention of the mom in taking this video was only for posterity’s sake; she told me that she didn’t expect the video to ever get anymore than a dozen views or so. They made the video on an iPhone, one take. They did no promotion; no blogging, no Facebook, no nothing.
And yet, this video has over 18,000 views as of the writing of this blog post! How did that happen? I know MANY bands who would be so happy if their videos ever got 5,000 views! But a little kid playing Tchaikovsky at the piano shot with an iPhone and they are getting near 20,000 views???
How did that happen?
This video, for some reason, must be getting watched by other moms with sons or daughters who are practicing the piano. So the word spreads. The only word I have for it is “Magic.”
Actually, I know the whole story about this boy as I am proud to say that he is my son. Yet, I have to admit that I am amazed that a few of his videos have surpassed 15,000 views. I am amazed because I often make videos with artists and I do promote the videos, yet sometimes they just don’t “take off.”
I know for a fact my wife didn’t promote any of our son’s videos, yet he can hit over 18,000 views! Wow!
Here’s a great one I made for him and his mom, called Chopin Impromptu No. 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7YWTH90Kwk
So, see? the Chopin Impromptu has very few views but it is professionally made. The iPhone one? It’s magic! (And a head slapper for me!) Chuckle!
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
It’s time for this week’s Top 3 New Artist Videos for the week of April 7, 2015. This week I want to showcase what we think are some the best girl bands around and share their videos with you. Some of these videos are from last year, but this countdown is only a few weeks old, so I have some catching up to do. I play these artists and these songs on my regular weekly FM radio show, “What the Funday” on InterFM that is broadcast in Tokyo and Nagoya (and all over Japan on the Radiko.jp network. You can listen to that (if you are in Japan) here: http://radiko.jp/).
So let’s get to today’s Top 3.
The first music video is from a Berlin-based Girl Group called Half Girl. I can’t find much information on this group but they are great! I love this track. Half Girl are Julie Miess (Britta), Vera goiter (Luise Pop), Anna-Leena Lutz (The Laughter) and Gwendoline Tägert (Mondo Fumatore) are composed Half Girl. From what I can guess they are considered Berlin’s All Girl supergroup. You will dig this tune and crack up.
Next up is a great band from London, England and this is their second time on our charts. They released their debut album “Out of View” on 28 January 2013, which went in at number 8 in the UK Indie Breakers Chart, and number 2 in the UK Record Store Chart.
And finally, last but not least and at #1 is The Fabulous Miss Wendy! The Fabulous Miss Wendy is a rock/punk/grunge band formed in Los Angeles. I was told by the late Kim Fowley that the Fabulous Miss Wendy is the next big rock female superstar and he compared her to iconic female musicians like Joan Jett. According to “Revolver Magazine,” The Fabulous Miss Wendy is “the sexiest rock star ever”! She started playing at the age of ten and was inspired by punk acts like the Misfits, The Dead Kennedys, and The Ramones. In High School, her classmates voted her “most likely to be a rock star”! Hee, hee, hee…. Is that cool or what?
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 ¥80,000 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
Ricky Martin (about 10-years-old), in blue shirt at front. Mike Rogers, left, white shirt.
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“Upside inside out,
She’s livin’ la vida loca,
She’ll push and pull you down,
Livin’ la vida loca”
– Ricky Martin (Lyrics from ‘Livin’ Da Vida Loca.’
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The other day, I posted that article about Jack White of the White Stripes. It got a fantastic reaction! Thanks so much. If you want to read that story (when you read it, you’ll also see that it is, indeed, a true story) then click here: The White Stripes Jack White and Me (A True Story) – (robot55.jp/blog/jack-white-and-me-a-true-story/）There’s also photo of me with Jack and Meg White of the White Stripes and that was well before they ever became famous.
Actually, folks, may I brag? I have tons of photos like that with me and the rich and famous. I went looking through a bunch of them and saw a few names that I’d like to drop: Yoko Ono, Paul Weller, Arnold Schwarneggar, former US President George Bush… But which story would impress you, dear reader the most today?
Well, the hint came from an alert reader and friend Jimbo who wrote: “Wow, Placebo, Linkin Park, and Elvis Costello are all very impressive, but I doubt many people can claim to have a photo with Menudo. That is a gem. :)”
So, today I am going to show you proof of me with Menudo and Ricky Martin when he was a 10-year-old boy.
No kidding.
First off, “Who is Menudo?” You ask? Here’s what Wikipedia says: “Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was was one of the biggest Latin boy bands in history. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era. The band was a starting point for superstars like Ricky Martin and Draco Rosa, who were members around the mid 1980s during their youth.”
Actually, they were so popular they toured Japan in 1985. I was there.
Here’s the official release story for the mass media after I left Menudo:
Mike Rogers, was the sixth, most handsome and eldest member of Menudo. He wrote all the hit songs and played all the instruments. He also was director of choreography for all the stage shows. During Menudo’s Japan tour, things came to a head when the other five members complained that Mike was getting all the action with the hot and sexy Japanese babes (who were just dying to meet him) while the other Menudo members couldn’t run around with girls because they still hadn’t reached puberty and all had to be in bed by 8:00 pm.
During their Japan tour, Mike was having so much fun with sex-starved Japanese girls that he said “Goodbye” to Menudo and quit the group.
It was a mistake that Mike Rogers would always regret. If Mike had stayed, it would have been him, and not Ricky Martin would would be living in massive homes in the Caribbean, yachting on his yacht and flying around the world in his own private jet.
But he left, and the rest is, as they say history….
Mike would be quoted as saying later: “Sure, I regret it. But I just couldn’t live with myself having all that money and all those women trying to get into my pants all the time!… So I decided to take a $7.42 an hour job teaching English to Japanese businessmen.”
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Well, OK…. the above is a bit of a stretch… That’s not exactly how it happened. What really happened was I was a regular on a kid’s show named “Ohayo Studio” on TV Tokyo in the mid eighties and Menudo came on my show. After the show ended, I asked if I could take my photo with them so I could claim, years later, that I was the eldest member of the group…
See? I have always been a guy who planned ahead! (But the fake story is much more fun, isn’t it?)
Chuckle!
Have a great weekend!
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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
Hey! We’re back for this week’s Top 3 Countdown. Welcome!
But first up, some incredibly sad news from local news sources…
The entire nation of Japan was in total and complete shock today when on live national TV last night, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was devoured by a giant carnivorous man-eating plant that somehow wound up in NHK news studios by accident. The plant was originally destined for the Botanical Garden Ueno Zoo, but through a mix up with deliveries, the extremely dangerous massive Amazonian Man-Eating Plant was delivered to the news studio where Abe was scheduled for a speech, while a bouquet of pretty flowers went to the zoo.
While millions of shocked viewers looked on, the plant first criticized the suit Abe was wearing, then grabbed the prime minister and swallowed him whole head first. Staff at the news team tried to save the prime minister by shouting at the plant to eat former prime minister and current finance minister Taro Aso instead. Unfortunately, their efforts were too little, too late.
It is expected that the announcement of funeral proceedings will be announced to a nation in mourning later today. Abe will be sorely missed.
(Thanks to Frazier Smith for the update and inspiration in these difficult times.)
Now! Onto the Top 3!!!! Yippee!
Today at #3 is a band from Manchester, England called “The Watchmakers.”
Backseatmafia says: “The band have been on a steep upward curve, after their self-produced demos ‘Before Questions Became’ and ‘Waves’ garnered the band the attention of press and gained them airplay from John Kennedy at XFM, and via BBC Manchester Introducing. They’ve headlined two sold out Psychedelic Happenings in Manchester and have supported the likes of The Pretty Things, Jacco Gardner, Dark Bells and Exit Calm, and in February played a BBC Showcase at which 6music declared them ‘Ones to Watch’.”
#2) Next up is another new band to look out for; the Mirror Trap.
Noise Cannon wrote this about The Mirror Trap and their recent tour with Placebo: “Vocalist Gary Panther Moore glides from side to side as he produces stern vocals that highlight his talent. The energetic band on stage seem to be strangers to the crowd, however, their dynamic performance pays off as the audience cheer with admiration. Clearly shown live, The Mirror Trap have taken a great influence from Suede, Queens Of The Stone Age, and Placebo themselves. They lure you in with great hooks and concrete rhythms using their Scottish charm – they share a few risque stories, which instantly sets off laughter to a now cheery crowd.”
The Great Cynics are a Uk band that has been called a “big guitar pop punk band.” They have big, bright pop hooks, and the resulting music is tremendously good.
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If you want to be in a music video, and you are in Tokyo, we are shooting a video for a hot new girl’s band on Friday, April 3, 2015 in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo at a live house called “Mosaic.” Here’s information on that: Want to Be in a Star in a Rock Video? You Can! The New Su凸ko D凹koi Video! （robot55.jp/blog/want-to-be-in-a-star-in-a-rock-video-you-can-the-new-su 凸ko-d凹koi-video/） （Su凸ko D凹koi – すっとこどっこいの音楽ビデオもその日に撮影します！「ブス」のpvに出演しましょう！全員集合！
See you back here in a week from now with more cool new music!
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 ¥80,000 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
Thanks to everyone for the kind messages about yesterday’s post about hiring the handicapped to become a part of our team. (If link doesn’t work, copy and paste this into your browser: http://robot55.jp/blog/looking-to-hire-the-handicapped-for-video-editing-at-home/). We will keep on trying and keep on going forward. With your support, I know we can do this.
Thanks so much.
In the spirit of opening our hearts and trying to make this a better place to live, as well as a “thank you!” present for all our well-wishers, today I’d like to show you three very touching videos from Thailand. Is this an attempt at pulling at dear reader’s soft heart strings? Why, yes it is. It is also because I am a big softy and these things make me cry too. (Heck, I cried in the Disney cartoon Dumbo!) Today’s short videos are very well done and make my water works flow also! I think you’ll like them a lot! I do.
Why does Thailand have so many heart ripping videos today? Maybe it’s because Thailand was such a desperately poor country (still is in many ways) for so many centuries. Things have gotten better, but westerners cannot imagine the poverty in nations like Thailand (or India) that still exist today… Maybe these heart-wrenching videos come about due to Thailand’s Buddhist history. I am not sure.
The first video is about a blind boy who saves a baby bird. This movie speaks for itself. Watch this and see if this doesn’t jerk your heartsrings….
I love how they got a real actor with a sight disorder to play the part. Genius. Well done!
The next video is a video that is perfect for Japan and addresses the social problem of bullying. This one, too, needs little explanation…. The note the little boy receives at the start of the video says, “Loser!”
The note the little boy receives at the end of the video says, “Teach me!” Watch it!
Brilliant!
Finally, this is the best of the bunch. Actually, I find this video production to be quite excellent and I am happy to see how this was adapted… No! Is this an ancient story? Or is this a modern story? I am leaning to believing that this is an ancient Buddhist story.
Here is an English adaptation that I found:
“One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”
He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation.
When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.
He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.
Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words: “Paid in full with one glass of milk. Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.”
So I am sure, now, this is an ancient story. Now that you know the story, you don’t need to know the language. The video adaptation is superb:
It’s a wonderful day. Thank you for sharing your time with us today.
Please give your loved ones a hug. Cherish all that you have. Kindness to others will be repaid to you in good karma…
As the final video says, “Giving is the best communication.”
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We are Robot55.
Our Mission Statement is:
“We make wonderful videos productions; for a profit if we can, at a loss if we must. But no matter what, we make wonderful video productions.”
Our Motto is:
“Let’s have fun!”
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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
