Hey All

Another full day of screenings leading into the weekend.

Future City Yokohama Program started the day with festival award-winning director Ben Suzuki coming out to all about his short “A Grain of Wheat.” This short was produced in collaboration with the production arm of our festival & the city of Yokohama. Ben told the audience that due to scheduling conflicts he couldn’t hold a script reading with his 2 leads but fortunately, well-known & veteran lead actor Akira Emoto had done his homework for his role as a baker at a failing bakery at the famed Motomachi district in Yokohama. The location used as the fictitious bakery is the popular bakery “Ichiki-pan” & we sold 2 types of their popular bread here & sold out within the day! Ben’s next project will be to direct a documentary about the craftsmen/artisans of the popular Ginza district. Thanks Ben for coming out & a wonderful short film.

Festival director Seigo Tono & director Ben Suzuki of ” A Grain of Wheat,” from Future City Yokohama Program.

Music Shorts & Video Competition Program 2 brought the same group of guests that I hosted in Futago-Tamagawa’s Itscom Hall last week. Director Shigeru Nagasaka brought a customized t-shirt for his film “Tokyo Upside Down” & I was happy to model it for him. (see pic)

Sometimes, an MC has to become a model. With director Shigeru Nagasaka & his custom made t-shirt for his 8-Bit short “Tokyo Upside Down.”

Our final program of the day CG Animation – 2.

This very popular program now in it’s 7th year was inaugurated in collaboration with Digital Hollywood, Tokyo’s premier CG & animation school.

The first short in the program “Ylion & Callysia” was directed by award-winning director Takashi Nakamura of “Akira” & “A Tree of Palme” fame. He was represented by 2nd director Mitsunori Murata, CG director Hiroyuki Murata & music supervisor Chad Cannon who came out from LA.

L to R: For “Ylion & Callysia”; CG director Hiroyuki Yoshida, music supervisor Chad Cannon, & 2nd director Mitsunori Murata.

A good day once again.

DJ John