Kego Park

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Twitt

One of my main goals for 2012 is to learn audio.  I’ve picked up a copy of Jay Rose’s highly recommended book on audio, and have also begun to try to learn how to use Soundtrack Pro, which Apple recently End Of Lifed.

A couple of weekends ago, I took my 60D, Rode Video Mic Pro, and Zoom H1 down to Kego Park.  My goal was to have a run at trying to make a video with audio before I begin my studies.  Here are a couple of things I learned:

1.  The Zoom H1 gets better sound then my Rode Video Mic Pro, but only if it is really close.

2.  Our brains do a great job filtering out sound and allowing us to only hear what we want.  When I was at the park filming, I felt like it was only me and whichever musician I was recording in the whole park.  It wasn’t until I listened to the recording later that I was shocked to hear all the other sounds drowning out the music.

3.  Use a slate.  They look cool and they serve a very important purpose when using an external audio source.

4.  Soundtrack Pro is  a pretty cool program.  It will be a while before I really learn it, but I like what I see so far.  It’s a shame Apple killed it, but that’s what happens I guess.

All in all, this was a really fun video to make, and I enjoyed meeting the musicians.  I need to really start studying my 日本語 so I can get to know my video subjects better.  I think it might make a cool short documentary to tell some of these musicians’ stories.

 

Please leave a comment!!

 

 

 

Dognapped!! A Short Film by A Camera in Japan

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Twitt

The story behind “Dognapped!”:

I teach English at a high school in Fukuoka, Japan.

Myself and another teacher wanted to do a scavenger for our school’s English club.  Eli, the other English teacher at my school, came up with the idea to do a short video of Dog getting kidnapped.  We showed the kids the video and they loved it.

We then sent the kids on a school wide scavenger hunt to find the kidnapped dog.  We gave the winning team candy and let them name the dog.  They decided the dog was a she, and her name was “Candy.”

The video was shot and edited in one day.  It was a blast to make, and I’m very lucky to have the best job in the world.

 

Gear:

Shot with my 60D, edited with Final Cut Pro 7.

Apple Store, Fukuoka Japan

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Twitt

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Take Me Home, Country Roads. The Japanese Heavy Metal Version (seriously)

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Twitt

If it wasn’t for John Denver, no one in Japan would have ever even heard of my home state, West Virginia.  When people ask me where I am from, and I say “West Virginia,” everyone from young kids to old ladies  will break out in song (Kon-to-ree Roodusu)

  The song became popular after it was featured in the Anime “Whisper of the Heart”

From Wikipedia

In the film, Shizuku creates translations of the song “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (originally co-written and recorded by John Denver) into Japanese for her school’s chorus club. She also writes her own humorous Japanese version of the song, called “Concrete Road”, about her hometown in western Tokyo. The songs were actually translated by producer Toshio Suzuki‘s daughter, Mamiko, with Hayao Miyazaki writing supplemental lyrics. These songs play a role at various points in the story. A recording of “Take Me Home, Country Roads”, performed by Olivia Newton-John, plays during the film’s opening sequence, as does Yoko Honna’s version at the end.

Whisper of the Heart

Whisper of the Heart

Now the song gets the heavy metal treatment on a new compilation of songs from Studio Ghibli, the Japanese visionaries also responsible for Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Kiki’s Delivery Service. 

The original still holds up well after 40 years.

 

Thanks to Eli for letting me know about this.

A Camera in Japan

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Twitt

Hello interwebs!  This will be a website focusing on photography, videography, and Japan.  I will try to update semi-regularly with photos and video.  I don’t have a very concrete idea of what the purpose of the site will be, I mainly just wanted to learn how to use WordPress to make a site.  Feel free to join me on Twitter and subscribe to my RSS.

Thanks!