production | ROBOT55

All posts in “production”

Key Hunter – Classic Japanese Sixties TV Show〜懐かしの60年代テレビ番組キーハンター

2015年2月20日 / No Comments

In searching for a type of music for a video production we are currently making, I turned to get inspiration from a 1960’s Japanese television detective series entitled “Key Hunter.” Key Hunter was a smash hit on Japanese TV between 1968 to 1973. I got lucky because I found a version with English subtitles!

Wikipedia says:

Key Hunter (キイハンター) was a prime-time Japanese television detective series. It aired on Saturday nights in the 9:00–9:56 p.m. time slot on the Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) network from April 6, 1968 to April 7, 1973. There were a total of 262 episodes, and it was one of the most popular action dramas in Japan at the time. The story involved “Key Hunter”, a special clandestine unit of the International Police, which endeavored to solve various crimes. “Key Hunter” was a unique TV show, which started out as a grand scale spy thriller never before seen in Japan. The episodes were individually themed on global crimes and political strife. The initial hardboiled theme later evolved to include intellectual elements involving action, and occasionally with comical elements as well. Tetsuro Tamba starred in the 1967 film “You Only Live Twic”e as Japanese Secret Service agent Tiger Tanaka, an ally of James Bond. This role greatly influenced his image in “Key Hunter”.

I really like the images and production in Key Hunter. I laughed out loud at the video at the very beginning where the guy is in bed kissing the girl and suddenly pulls out a gun and points it at someone; I love that style of Hollywood “Camp.”

This program is an inspiration to me because I really like how, in spite of a low budget (like all Japanese shows of the sixties) – and excepting the car crashing over the side of the mountain and exploding into flames – the director and production crew use good ideas and creativity to make a compelling story and an interesting image to watch. This is brilliant work!

The music is also fabulous.

I am especially interested in the sixties in Japan because that was when the first Tokyo Olympics was held and we have the 2020 Tokyo Olympics coming up. The sixties throughout the eighties in Japan were a Golden Time. I look to those days to bring art and inspiration to all our video productions in Tokyo.

Often times, when companies make promotion videos for their products or services, video production companies use library music or stock footage. This has a few problems as there can often be a rights issue and sometimes, even with a contract, the creator has an issue with use of their music or images. Trust me. I’ve seen it happen many times.

You don’t have that problem with a video production done at Robot55; and you never will. Why? We always create our own original music and images for use in all our videos so you never have to worry about getting a letter from a lawyer representing Getty Images or some company that represents an artist’s musical rights telling you to pay several thousand dollars.

And I’ve seen that happen, more than once to other companies, so we don’t do that at all. Everything we use; images, music, sound effects, narrations are original and done specifically for you. There’s never a worry about rights or a time limit on a production we make for you.

With a video production made by Robot55, you won’t have anyone like the folks in Key Hunter chasing you down for use of music or images; we create quality and we are always 100% original. Everything we create for you, becomes yours. It’s yours forever.

Let me repeat that: 100% yours to use. Forever.

Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Part 2〜ビジネス動画を自分で作ってみよう！その２〜

2015年2月18日 / No Comments

In yesterday’s post, I pointed out data that showed that 90% of people surveyed say that videos online helped them to decide on a purchase at a major retailer. That shows the power of video for increasing your business and making more money. Please refer to: 90% of All People Say a Video Helps To Decide a Purchase! (If that link doesn’t work, try this: www.robot55.jp/blog/90-of-all-people-say-a-video-helps-to-decide-a-purchase/)

But, that survey was done at a major retailer; big companies can afford expensive video productions. But what about the little guys? That’s where Robot55 comes in. And that’s also why we have started this weekly column: Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free!

And this is simple. We are going to help you each week correcting the most basic and common mistakes of homemade videos. So, in just a snap, you can make your business (or family videos) MUCH better by just keeping in mind every week’s simple 3 point lessons. These easy tips will greatly improve your video for business and all your home photos and videos of the kids and family too! So, let’s get started:

1) First off, the most common mistake that I see people doing everyday! When using a smart device or smart phone, make sure that the picture is always framed horizontally. Keep a steady hand. Do NOT leave a lot of “head space” in a picture or video.

The image on the left doesn’t fill up the screen. The top of the head is at the halfway point. This is generally bad unless you are going to put in titles above the head. The image on the right fills the screen. This is correct and, judging side by side, you can see for yourself how much better it looks. Get close to your subjects; fill the screen. Do not leave a lot of head space. For a tip, just watch the news on TV when they close up on the anchor person: they get very close. You need to do that for your videos.

2) Do not “pan” a lot (swing the camera around). It is always best to take shorter close ups (like still photos). If the camera is swinging around, it is difficult for the viewer to grasp the image. You can understand what’s going on because you are there shooting the video and you are the cameraman, but for people watching it, especially on a smart device or PC, it only causes headaches. Here watch this if you can. It’s a example of bad “panning” (swinging the camera around):

Your viewers won’t be able to see what you see and they’ll not be able to grasp the images well. Instead of this poor panning method, I’d strongly recommend three shots of the same thing without the pan. See?

I know you want your viewers to be able to see everything, but on a screen, especially a small one, it just doesn’t work out that way well. You are much better off finding the important points and getting up close to them so the viewer can better enjoy the experience. And, like in #1 above, get close. Fill the screen!

3) Here is another basic mistake that might even be the most common. Never take someones picture when they are standing with a big window behind them or the sun behind them; the sun or light must always be behind you the cameraman. Always have the sunlight or lights behind the camera and behind your back. Never have the light source or sun behind the subject of the picture. Here’s a simple example of two photos taken in the exact same spot. One has the light behind the subject; the other has the light behind the cameraman.

Oh my god! On the photo on the left I look terrible! But, well, we can’t fix my face. The lighting though is a wreck as it is behind the subject and facing the camera. This is no good at all. What to do? We switched standing positions. In the photo on the right the cameraman is now standing with the window behind his back! I look much better (but a tad bit hung over! Yikes!)

Well, folks, that’s it for today’s simple three point lesson. Keep in mind these three simple points and your home and business videos (and your family photos or vacation and those birthday parties, picnics and weddings) will all be much better!

Seriously, I went to university to learn this stuff and that cost lots of money and time wasted not doing homework. But, because dear reader (you) are so cool, here’s information you need for absolutely free.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to write directly to me and ask away!

email: contact@robot55.jp

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For more free tips:

Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Pt. 1 (www.robot55.jp/blog/video-tips-make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-pt-1/)
Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Part 2 (www.robot55.jp/blog/video-tips-make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-part-2/)
Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Part 3 – You Need a Map: How to Write a Script! (http://robot55.jp/blog/make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-part-3-you-need-a-map-how-to-write-a-script/)
Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Pt. 4(（www.robot55.jp/blog/video-tips-make-your-own-video-for-your-business-for-free-pt-4/)

Choosing a business partner is so very important!〜ビジネスパートナー選びは大切です

2015年2月16日 / No Comments

When you choose a business partner, it is the same as choosing a marriage partner; you have to choose carefully. And, once you do decide, you must accept that partner as is, good parts and bad, warts and all.

It takes much dedication to make marriage work, whether it is between a man and a woman or between business partners. Dedication requires respect. That means respect for yourself and respect for your partner; as well as respect for what you are doing.

To paraphrase what a friend once told me: “To find and make a partnership (or marriage) is good. Getting a divorce is okay. Having an affair is a mistake, but, polygamy is an absolute ‘No!'”

If you expect that your partner is going to stick with you through thick and thin, then you must realize that they will desire and expect the same from you. This takes complete and total dedication.

In today’s market, with jobs getting tougher and tougher to come by, your company and your partners deserve your total dedication. If you won’t dedicate yourself, there are plenty of others who will gladly take your place. Why should your partner accept a half a loaf of bread from you when someone else will provide a full loaf?

Respect your partner. Respect yourself. There is no substitute for total dedication.

We at Robot55 take our partners very seriously and strive to give them 100% satisfaction and dedication. We will not accept a “90%” satisfaction rate; 100% or bust! We aim to do every project with the goal of making something special and something that we all can be proud of no matter what.

Just like our company 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.”

I think it is this dedication to quality for video productions, whether they are in English, Japanese or other languages is, besides price, what sets us apart from the competition.

Please contact us and let’s discuss making your video production in Tokyo. Email: contact@robot55.jp

Is Your “Noren” Too Low? Izakaya? Chain New Youtube Video

2015年2月11日 / No Comments

In Japan, a Noren is the cloth sheet that hangs at the front of any establishment that shows that they are open for business. A customer must usually lift the Noren to enter any shop.

If a “Noren is too low,” then it is said that it becomes difficult for new customers to enter because they cannot see the inside of the shop. So, a Noren that is “Too Low” is bad for business. People want to be able to see inside your shop to see the look and atmosphere and staff. If they cannot, many people will hesitate to enter.

But, when you stop to think about it, if a customer is already at your shop’s entrance to where they can just lift up the Noren to look in, then you already have them at your shop’s front door and that’s half the battle of just getting them inside and becoming a customer.

But how about people who are far away or standing at the station waiting for friends and looking for a suitable place to dine or shop? Well, that’s where a video on Youtube and then embedded into your webpage or Facebook page or other Social Media can help you to get new customers and to help them to find you and enter your shop! With Youtube video, people can see inside your shop, meet you and see what kind of a place you are running, and then they can feel comfortable entering for the very first time.

You know what the old saying is? “Familiarity breeds content.” If people know what the inside of your place looks like and who you and the staff are, it makes it MUCH easier for them to enter.

There’s an interesting bar and eating establishment near Fuchu station named Chain. The restaurant specializes in a friendly and warm atmosphere and various dishes featuring quality beef and other cuts of choice meat braised or pan fried. I tried several of the dishes and they were quite delicious.

Chain is run by a husband and wife team of Masamichi and Takeo Suzuki.

Chain doesn’t have their own webpage, but they decided to make a video for Youtube and place it on their Facebook page as well as on other social media sites. So we took the Robot55 team out to Chain and made the video for them and their customers as well as potential new customers.

Here is the video. I think with this, you can see what sort of place Chain is and the kind of people running it as well as get an idea about the food and drink menu.

With a video like this on your website or Facebook page or blog, new and first time customers can get a glimpse of what’s inside.

It makes it every easy for folks to lift the Noren at your shop and come on in. And that is good for your business!

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Izakaya? Chain

１８３－００４５東京都府中市美好町３－２－２－２０１号

3-2-2-201 Miyoshi-Cho, Fuchu City, Tokyo.

Hours: Mon – Sun:5:00 pm – 12:00 am

Tele: 042－207－2941

Map: http://yahoo.jp/fkvWZ9

The Tokyo Olympics – 1964 News Reels

2015年2月10日 / No Comments

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are coming. I was searching for information on the subject when I stumbled upon some old video of newsreel footage that show the scenes and I thought you might like to go with me on a blast to the past.

These two are Universal News newsreels (Yes, Universal used to do the news also!) Probably a common denominator between these videos of 1964 and the 2020 Olympics will be that the USA is probably one of the top two medal winners. I expect that China, and not the Soviet Union, will be the ones to beat in 2020.

This first one is entitled, “The Olympics – U.S. Widens Tokyo Lead from Oct. 19, 1964. Here’s the description: “(1) brief shot of Harold Wilson of Britain (2) Tokyo Olympics as Hirohito watches; Sharon Studer wins 3rd medal in butterfly swim race; platform diving won by Leslie Bush; track events include 100 meter spring won by Hayes – slow motion of finish; women’s 100 meter (partial newsreel).”

By the way, did you know that Japan came in third in medals in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics? Wow! What’s happened since then? It’s anybody’s guess, but Japan has been an also-ran in the Olympics in the last few decades.

Here’s a medal chart:

Wikipedia has all the details:

The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan from October 10 to 24, 1964. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan’s invasion of China, before ultimately being canceled because of World War II. The 1964 Summer Games were the first Olympics held in Asia, and the first time South Africa was barred from taking part due to its apartheid system in sports. (South Africa was, however, allowed to compete at the 1964 Summer Paralympics, also held in Tokyo, where it made its Paralympic Games debut.)

Tokyo was chosen as the host city during the 55th IOC Session in West Germany, on May 26, 1959. These games were also the first to be telecast internationally without the need for tapes to be flown overseas as they were for the 1960 Olympics four years earlier. The games were telecast to the United States using Syncom 3, the firstgeostationary communication satellite, and from there to Europe using Relay 1. These were also the first Olympic Games to have color telecasts (partially). Certain events like the sumo wrestling and judo matches, sports huge in Japan, were tried out using Toshiba’s new color transmission system; but just for the domestic market, not for any international coverage. History surrounding the 1964 Olympics was chronicled in the 1965 documentary film Tokyo Olympiad, directed by Kon Ichikawa.

The second video is about the dawning of the Bullet Train. Check it!

I think there is one more thing though that might be common about the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics; There’s going to be lots of foreigners from around the world coming to Tokyo so Japanese businesses need to up their game and promote their businesses to these wealthy foreigners while they can!

Web video and local productions in various languages will be key to growing your business.

If you need anything concerning video production in Tokyo and video production in the English language, please ask us at Robot55.

Video Tips! Make Your Own Video For Your Business For Free! Pt. 1〜ビジネス動画を自分で作ってみよう！その１〜

2015年2月9日 / No Comments

Making a video to place on Youtube and Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and other cool Social Media is a great way to get the word out about your business. Lots of people are now searching for videos on Youtube when they look for a restaurant or coffee shop or other businesses that are in the local area.

Here is a video for a local hairstyling shop. In just 30 Seconds, you know the staff and the interior and atmosphere of this small, friendly hair styling salon:

Think about it: You are at the train station waiting for your friends to go, say, drink some beer and eat Yakitori. But you don’t know any good places around. The usual way is to search Tabelog or Gurunavi, and that’s OK, but static photos don’t show you what kind of place or the atmosphere as well as we want. The new way people are doing the search is on Youtube. Why? Because a Youtube video can show customers your place and the food or products/services and the atmosphere much better than any still photos can.

Here is the screen capture of a web page for a fabulous bar in Shinjuku named Albatross:

This is your typical web page today. It serves a purpose, but it doesn’t make people “want” to visit.

We went to Albatross the other day and shot the video for them that they need. Here is is. Compare this video with the webpage above and tell me which makes you want to go check the establishment out!

Watching the above video makes you want to visit Albatross. It looks like a very cool place to stop for a drink while visiting Tokyo. It’s very “Japanese”!

The plan for this video is to embed the video into the Albatross webpage above and to make the page “come alive.” A webpage shouldn’t just be a “digital poster,” it should offer the visitor a total multi-media experience that actually makes them want to visit for themselves. I will post the new page as soon as they embed the video. But I think you get my meaning here; the video makes the place “come alive” and shows you exactly what the interior is like and how warm and fun and what the staff are like; you needn’t be a stranger on your first visit!

Of course, the Albatross video above is made by the professionals at Robot55 and cost ¥80,000. It is classy and effective. If you use the video for, say, 5 years, that comes out to a price of only about ¥43 per day; there isn’t a cheaper, more effective way to increase your business today!

¥43 yen per day? Think about it!

But what about a guy who isn’t sure of spending the money and wants to make a video on their own just to “try it out”? Great! Good idea! We are here also to give you support. There are lots of people who we call “Youtubers” who are making their own videos and doing well at selling their product or service.

Here’s a funny one: Cooking With Dog!

Cooking With Dog is one of the better homemade productions, but, I think you can see it is an amateur production. I think it is good enough for what they want to accomplish. Perhaps if they were a restaurant, they’d want better quality (and not have dogs in the kitchen! Ahem…)

I figure they spent a few days shooting and putting this together. Which might not be good for you, especially if you are trying to run a business. But, all in all, still pretty good for an establishment that hasn’t the money for a proper professionally made video; no matter how cheap it is!. Heck this is of a lot better than nothing! Depending on your goals, any presence on Youtube is better than no presence at all.

There are many small things that can be done to “up your game” when making a video to help increase your business.

Here, on Robot55, we will start this new series on “Making a homemade video” that can help your business; starting today. It will include tons of tips and tricks we’ve learned from over 30 years experience in the video business and we are giving this advice away for absolutely free.

Next week, I will help you out with the most basic problems of these homemade videos: Composition of images and making your sound better.

Hope to see you next week!

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For more free tips on how to better make your business video for free:

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

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!

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