We need your help to make this project a success!
Ishinomaki is a town in northeastern Japan that was devastated by the March 11, 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami. Over 3,000 souls were lost on this day. The below text is from our Crowdfunding campaign on the Japanese platform Campfire.
About this Project
Let me introduce my project partner, Jeffrey Jousan, who came up with the idea for this project (On the left in the photo). Jeffrey was born in New Jersey U.S.A.. Jeffrey was working in audio and video production, but March 11, 2011, his life, like the lives of so many other people, was drastically changed. He regular visited the Tohoku area and spent a lot of time in Ishinomaki doing many things he had never done before: volunteer activities, raising support money, delivering supplies to the recovery area, news broadcasting and numerous interviews with the disaster survivors.
Eight months after the disaster, Jeffrey produced his first documentary film, Then and Now, in Ishinomaki. In the last 6 years Jeffrey has wept, hugged, laughed, played and gotten back on his feet, together with the people of Ishinomaki. He doesn't live here, yet, but in many ways he has become a citizen of Ishinomaki.
We are looking for people who want to help us turn this vision into a reality, for people who believe in the power of art and people who want to try out an experiment in our town. Thank you for your support.
"Let's start a filmmaking school in Ishinomaki and create a culture of creation."
Ishinomaki was hit very hard by the disaster. Innate human power rose up out of despair. If you don't have something, share. if you need something, make it yourself. Furniture, shops, places to live, after the Tsunami, the town was one big Do It Yourself project. New places, work, an open space for everyone, regardless of age... it was a town that made you imagine an interesting future.
Lately, the older buildings have started to disappear and they are being replaced by more and more big, new buildings. There are fewer and fewer chances for people to get together spontaneously. We keep saying "It's kind of lonely here". It feels like something really important, silently slipped away.
The reality is that the new connections we made after the Tsunami built happy memories and a passionate connection. Is there a way to sustain the passionate atmosphere in {the new} Ishinomaki? That's when we thought, "Why can't we create the art we need to be happy by ourselves!" Not just making art, but a place that connects the people of the town through art.
Talking about Art
Our first step to a "culture of creation" is a Documentary Filmmaking Course.
Movies have images, sound, stories, people, language... many different kinds of creation. When you think about making movies, maybe the first thing you think is "I can't do that". That's why we want to make movies in Ishinomaki.
The objective of the course is to make a short 5 minute film. We will provide everything you need: Cameras, microphones, lights, software, computers and the skills you need produce your film with guidance from professional filmmakers.
A place where you can focus on what you want to create
Participants can be anyone who is interested in movies, sound, journalism or filmmaking. We have invited professionals from various fields to be instructors, they will teach everything from the basics to high-level techniques. In this 14 day intensive course, participants will learn about finding a story, interviewing, how to use the equipment and how to produce compelling high-quality video.
Participants will create teams of 3-4 people and each person will take on a different role, interviewer, camera operator, sound recordist, producer... "I don't understand", "I can't do it alone", won't be an issue, participants will be able to express what moves them in a supportive and free environment.
Ishinomaki Rolling Stone Film Festival
The focus of this course is for each team to complete their own original film. At the end of the course, we will show the films at the Ishinomaki Rolling Stone Film Festival, which features Short Form Documentaries and Music Videos.
There will be food and drinks prepared by local restaurants and it will be an excellent opportunity for participants and guests to connect.
The reason why we chose the art of film for this project is that it's something that people of all ages can enjoy. Also, Ishinomaki
used to have more than 10 movies theaters. When people visited the port of Ishinomaki, they would go see a movie. We would like to try to bring some of that excitement back to the streets of
Ishinomaki.
Budget and Schedule
We will use the funds we receive to rent seminar rooms and halls, rent and purchase equipment, pay staff and instructors and waive tuition fees for students. We will also use it for planning and running the film festival. In addition to financial support, we heartily welcome donations and loans of equipment as well as volunteers!
◎Budget
・Production Equipment x 5 (for 5 teams) Cameras, Lenses, Lights, Microphones , Recorder, Computer, Software - 1,500,000 yen
・Instructor and staff - 16 days - 1,100,000 yen
・Guest Instructor (includes transportation, food, hotel, honorarium) - 750,000 yen
・Course Materials Development - 250,000 yen
・Classroom and hall rental 15 days - 200,000 yen
・Film Festival preparation and running costs - 500,000 yen
・Rewards (DVD production, packaging, materials, shipping) 350,000 yen
Total Budget - 4,650,000 yen (about 41,000 USD)
◎Schedule
July 1, 2017 - Filmmaking course begins（Every Saturday and Sunday in July and everyday for the last week of July - 14 days）
July 29, 2017 Ishinomaki Rolling Stone Film Festival and Party!
On Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as weekday evenings during the last week of July, we will be holding evening seminars open to the public with presentations by guest instructors and film screenings.
Daytime classes will focus on the nuts and bolts of film production while the evening seminars will focus more on the concepts and philosophy of film production taught by working professionals (directors, producers, cameramen, sound recordists...) from Japan and abroad. After the seminars course participants, instructors and guests will have a chance to get know each other and discuss the seminar at an informal gathering.
Some examples of evening seminars will be "How to realize your ideas", "How do I do something I can't do alone", "Art for communication"...
◎Documentary Filmmaking Course Tuition
98,000 yen a person (Students are free)
In Conclusion
Throughout time, art has played an important role in communicating truths and taboos. It is a place of laughter and tears, a place where your heart is freely moved. Why do we want to create this kind of space in Ishinomaki? It's because we feel that the people we meet are suppressing themselves. "If I say what I think, people will criticize me." "It feels like we're not supposed to enjoy ourselves." It's like a fusion of the old culture of the town and the atmosphere of a disaster area. There is a growing feeling that freedom of expression is not allowed here.
We want to create an atmosphere in this town that makes it ok to powerfully express yourself and enjoy life with all of your heart. We believe that the act of making your own work of art gives people this power. Some people may think that it's thoughtless to want to enjoy ourselves in a place where so many people have suffered. But, it's in the places that people have suffered that we need to create more and more places of hope and moving emotion.
Not to swallow your own voice and hold yourself back but to express yourself and create a culture where people can connect with each other. We want to see want is born from this town and watch it unfold together. This filmmaking course and film festival will be a space that will enable people to live out their own genuine powerful stories.
Sponsorship Rewards
3,000 Yen - Reserved Seats at Film Festival
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (2)
Your name on the web site as a Supporter
3,000 Yen - Reserved Seats at Special Seminar
Reserved Seats at Special Seminar of your choice (1)
(Reservations required）
Your name on the web site as a Supporter
3,000 Yen - DVD of Student's Films
Student Films DVD (1)
Your name on the web site as a Supporter
5,0000 Yen - DVD of Participant's Films and Hama no Obachan Furikake (Rice sprinkles made in Ogatsu, Ishinomaki by the Hama no Obachan (Aunt of the Seashore))
Student Films DVD (1)
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
Your name on the web site as a Supporter
10,000 Yen - Pay a member of our staff for a day
Your name in the film credits as Supporter
Your name on the web site as Supporter
Student Films DVD (1)
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
10,000 Yen - Pay for one day of a student's tuition
Your name on the web site as Supporting Producer
Student Films DVD (1)
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
10,000 Yen - Reserved Seats at Film Festival and Party
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (1)
Entrance ticket to Party (1名)
Student Films DVD (1)
Your name on the web site as a Supporter
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
30,000 Yen - Special Seminar DVD Set
Documentary Filmmaking Course and Special Seminar DVD Set(1)
Student Films DVD (1)
Your name in the film credits as Associate Producer
Your name on the web site as Associate Producer
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
100,000 yen - Documentary Filmmaking Course and Special Seminar DVD Set
Documentary Filmmaking Course and Special Seminar DVD Set(1)
Student Films DVD (1)
Your name in the film credits as Associate Producer
Your name on the web site as Associate Producer
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
100,000 Yen - Sponsor
Company name in all film credits as Sponsor
Your company's promotional video playback at the beginning and end of all events (up to 30 seconds)
Name, Logo, Home Page Link included in sponsor's poster the will be displayed at all locations
Include Name and Home Page Link in press release
Company name, information added to Sponsor page on website.
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (2)
Entrance ticket to Party (2)
Student Films DVD (5)
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
150,000 Yen - Pay a Student's Tuition
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (2)
Entrance ticket to Party (2)
Student Films DVD (5)
Your name in the film credits as Producer
Your name on the web site as Producer
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
150,000 Yen - Pay a staff member for the entire course
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (2)
Entrance ticket to Party (2)
Participant Films DVD (5)
Your name in the film credits as Producer
Your name on the web site as Producer
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
180,000 Yen - Documentary Filmmaking Course Ticket
This is a ticket for you, one of your family or friends to attend the course
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (2)
Entrance ticket to Party (2)
Participant Films DVD (10)
Hama no Obachan Furikake (1)
400,000 Yen - Gold Sponsor
Your company's name and logo in all film credits as Gold Sponsor
Your company's promotional video playback at the beginning and end of all events (up to 1 minute)
A medium sized poster of your company's choosing will be displayed at all locations.
Include your company's name, logo and home page link in press release as Gold Sponsor
Display your company's information in Gold Sponsor section of Sponsor page on website
Display company logo and link on all pages of web site
Display your company's Logo and link in all advertising, course reports, live broadcasts and other course and film festival related materials.
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (4)
VIP ticket to Wrap Party (1)
Entrance ticket to Wrap Party (3)
Make a short speech at Wrap Party
Student Films DVD (10)
500,000 Yen - Student Film Executive Producer
Your name in the film credits as Executive Producer
Your name on the web site as Executive Producer
Speech before the screening of the film at the film festival
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (10)
VIP ticket to Wrap Party (2)
Entrance tickets to Wrap Party (8)
Student Films DVD (10)
1,000,000 Yen - Platinum Sponsor
Your company's name and logo in all film credits as Platinum Sponsor
Your company's name and logo in all film credits as Platinum Sponsor
Your company's promotional video playback at the beginning and end of all events (up to 3 minutes)
A large sized poster of your company's choosing will be displayed at all locations
Include your company's name, logo, company discription and home page link in press release as Platinum Sponsor
Dedicated Platinum Sponsor page on website
Display large company logo and link on all pages of web site
Display your company's Logo and link in all advertising, course and event reports, live broadcasts and other course and film festival related materials.
Make a speech at the Film Festival and Wrap Party
Reserved Seats at Film Festival (10)
VIP tickets to Wrap Party (5)
Entrance tickets to Wrap Party (15)
Student Films DVD (20)