All posts in “professional”

Aerial Videos by Drone for Unbelievably Low Price！- ラジコン空撮を格安価格で！

2015年2月25日 / No Comments

The words to describe video taken from a helicopter are usually, “Fantastic! Epic! Amazing!” That’s what people will say when they see a video taken from air of your business or organization. Having aerial footage taken from a helicopter is a fantastic way to make your video have that “Hollywood Spectacular!” feeling.

It looks great and people also know that it is expensive to make… Or is it?

If you have a business that revolves around a large area of real estate, such as apartments, homes, a school, church, temple, farm, camping, fishing, skiing, horse back riding, and recreation or a river or mountain. Then there is nothing like a video shot from the air to give the viewer an idea of the excitement, expanse and breathtaking view and beauty of what you offer.

But, of course, most small businesses cannot afford a few thousand dollars a day to charter a helicopter and cameraman. And companies today that offer drone services in Japan are quite expensive: I’ve checked and the cheapest I’ve heard about was ¥400,000 per day (which isn’t that bad, really.) The top companies charge ¥1,000,000 per day (about $10,000 USD)

One of the reasons why drones might be so expensive to rent is that there are few seasoned operators; and usage of drones is becoming more and more restricted as they get to become more and pore popular for professionals and enthusiasts alike. One can longer just fly a drone around the neighborhood; people will definitely call the police. Why? A drone is a flying computer and can take photos and videos. This is an invasion of privacy.

This is another reason why aerial video taken by drone is so expensive.

Interestingly, as the use of drones becomes more and more commonplace, some companies have banned the use of them. A major Japanese advertising agency has banned drones for any and all shoots because during a shoot for a major sporting event, the operator of a drone lost control and the drone actually crashed. OK, well a crash is bad, but this is even worse; the drone crashed into one of the events athletes during the event

Oh, I’ll bet that hurt. And I bet that cost the company a lot of money!

So usage of drones requires common sense and expertise and professionalism as well as following the rules and the law (make sure neighbors know what’s up and don’t get bent our of shape when they see a “UFO” buzzing around.)

We are capable of providing aerial footage by drone (and our pilot is experienced and fully insured) for about 1/4 ~ 1/8th what the competition is charging. Our basic one-hour set up and shoot (about 12 minutes of aerial footage – which is way more than your video will need) runs about ¥40,000 ~ ¥100,000 (depending on circumstances).

There’s no company in Japan today that even come close to beating our price for aerial video by drone.

Please contact us and let’s get started on discussion on making the video for your business that makes everyone who sees it say, “Fantastic! Epic! Amazing!”

Email Mike or Ken: contact@robot55.jp

New Facebook Video Function GREAT for Businesses! And it’s Free!〜Facebookのビデオ機能がビジネス活用に秀逸

2015年2月23日 / No Comments

If your business doesn’t have a Facebook page, then you need to make one today. Why? It’s free for one. And a Facebook page for your business is a great way to promote your business, service, product or organization.

Did I already mention that it is free?

Nothing can beat free in my book when it comes to promotion!

All you need to do is to take 2 ~ 5 minutes a day to update your Facebook page and to connect with your customers and potential customers. That’s not too much, is it? Especially if you are a small business; just spend a few minutes everyday to promote your business instead of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on buying promotion?

It’s your business, service, product or organization; your call. As for me, I’ll take free anyday. By the way, I gathered nearly 6,250 “Likes” on my program Facebook page in a year. If you make the effort, you’ll be rewarded. (Please come “Like” that Facebook Page. It’s for my radio show! https://www.facebook.com/WhattheFunday76.1?ref=hl)

It’s that simple.

There’s more! Facebook now has a brand new function that allows your video to play automatically if someone visits your page. The visitor doesn’t need to click anything! The video just starts playing if you embed the video directly into your Facebook page instead of just adding a link to a Youtube video.

I think this function is confusing to people if you have a bunch of videos on your Facebook page. But, say, if you only have one, it’s perfect! I highly recommend it!

We made a video production for a young couple who run a yakitori named “Flat” near my house. It was great fun making their promotion video, and Flat is the best Yakitori restaurant around!

In the case of Flat, there is only one video on their page – the one we made – so it is extremely eye-catching and effective. Here’s a screen capture of their top page on FB… (Go see the actual page on FB here: https://www.facebook.com/yakitori.flat)

facebook screen capture

And, if you just scroll down a touch, you’ll see the video embedded in their FB page. It’s like a TV commercial at the top of their page! AND if you click the “Keep on Top” Tab, the video will stay at the top of the page forever! Just what you want!

Yakitori video screen captureTo see the actual video, and not just a screen capture, go to the “Flat Yakitori” Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/yakitori.flat

This video at the top of their Facebook page makes the page, “Come Alive!” It brings in more customers as people can see inside the restaurant and know what kind of people the owners and workers are. It is nearly perfect!

On a side note, I was watching the video earlier today and then I thought, “Someday, maybe 10 or 15 or 20 years from now, they’ll look back on this video and have fond memories of a great business and how the video WE MADE helped them to do a good business and make money; as well as wonderful memories.

Make your own Facebook page and make your own video to promote your shop, restaurant, organization, service or product.

If you need help making the Facebook company page or if you need help or just advice on making a great video by yourself or you’d like to discuss the best quality and price in Tokyo, feel free to contact me, Mike (or in Japanese write to Ken) at Robot55. We are at your service!

Email: contact@robot55.jp

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*Oh, and please come “Like” our Robot55 Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/robot55video?ref=hl

*And, please give “Flat Yakitori” a “Like” too!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/yakitori.flat

 

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.

Contact us and let’s get started making your company, service or product video: contact@robot55.jp

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

Discount Video Production Services Have Arrived!〜格安動画制作サービスが始めました〜

2015年2月13日 / No Comments

Everyone is thinking everyday about the state of the economy and where the business opportunities lay. The Tokyo Olympics is coming to Japan in 2020 and that means there’s a massive opportunity for Japanese businesses, large and small, to capitalize of the media focus on Japan as well as the large influx of foreigners who will be heading here over the next 5 years. 

On that note, I came upon a small news article buried in the very back of a publication. It dropped my jaw. Read on.

Robot55 has been doing video production in Tokyo for Japanese companies that want to target the domestic market, as well as the influx of foreigners heading to Japan’s shores. Long ago, I did promotion, marketing and PR for mostly airlines and travel related industries. I have worked with Delta Airlines, Austrian Air, ANA, Lufthansa, helicopter companies as well as many major hotels and restaurants. Heck I have even made many videos for companies like Domino Pizza and did the voice over narrations on national TV commercials for Smirnoff Vodka, Success, Roomba Vacuum cleaners and many others so I think we at Robot55, have a pretty good grasp of the state of that business.

helicopterExcel Air Service offers helicopter rides around Tokyo for a very reasonable price. Highly recommended!

When it comes to airlines, many airlines are cutting routes, services and amenities to passengers. The so-called “premium carriers” seem to be the hardest hit and the mid-class carriers want to change their image to “premium carrier.”

I think there is a big difference between wanting to be a premium class carrier and actually being one. Changing a middle class carrier into a premium one takes much more than a note handed down from corporate; it takes a fundamental shift in corporate culture. Some, of which, by the way, will be impossible for most carriers to accomplish.

On that note, I also am puzzled at how people perceive the term “Kakuyasu” in Japan. “Kakuyasu” means “super discount.” Most people seem to have a bad image in their head about this word, but I think this is nonsense and I also think that perceptions are quickly changing.

While many may gruff and snort at the term Kakuyasu, the public is eating it up. One good example is the discount liquor store that even put the term “Kakuyasu” in its name: Kakuyasu. Kakuyasu is a discount liquor store that originally started out as a family shop in 1921 and was derided as low class when it first incorporated as a chain discount liquor store in 1982. Now they have 140 stores all over Japan and are #1 in liquor store sales… Kakuyasu even outsells 7-11 in liquor sales in Japan!

So, while, still to this day, some people will hold their noses at the term “Kakuyasu,” the public loves it and has turned this particular store into a smash success that has over $860 million dollars (USD) in annual sales. 

We at Robot55 are targeting companies that want to make videos for the domestic audience as well as the flood of foreigners coming to Japan in the next 5 years and we aim to do that at a price that blows away the competition. The internet search engines give more weight to webpages that are updated often and that includes videos. Why spend ¥300,000 for one video when we can make your entire annual video campaign, including 3 videos for that price? This video below was made for the incredibly reasonable price of ¥80,000. That includes the entire video production team, editing, music and 100% customer satisfaction.

Albatross: http://youtu.be/E5B41Jio1MI

Won’t you contact us and let us give you a quote? We will not be outsold! Send us an email and let’s get started! Email us at: contact@robot55.jp

contact@robot55.jp

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NOTE: So, while the economy tanks and the old school belittles discount services and products, those services continue to make serious in-roads into to public consciousness and then increase their profitability.   

This brings me back to the point of this article and what I set out to write about in the first place. It is an interesting little topic that seems to have slipped between the cracks of the major news outlets. Now, a Chinese Low Cost carrier (LCC) is offering flights from Japan to Chinese for ¥4000. That’s less than  the taxi fare is from my home to downtown Tokyo (and that is only about 20 minutes!)  

Chinese discount carrier Spring Airlines will offer a 4,000 yen one-way ticket between Shanghai and Ibaraki Airport, about 80 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, from September 15 to 29 on a total of 14 flights, it said Wednesday. The discount fare will apply to around 10 percent of the total 180 seats per flight, while fares for other seats are set at between 8,000 yen and 26,000 yen.

Spring Airlines launched chartered flights between the two destinations in July, and has recently received approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to offer the 4,000 yen ticket.

So, like I said, while some will look down upon and thumb their noses at discount services and products, the public seems to want all it can get…. It reminds me of the old quote about giving the public what they want; 

When massive crowds attended the 1957 funeral of L.B. Mayer, the head of MGM, a writer was quoted as saying: “Well, it only proves what they always say, ‘Give the people what they want, and they’ll come out for it.'”

The smart businessman will recognize this for what it is.

 

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:

Screen shot 2015-02-09 at 15.17.35

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

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:

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/)

 

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!