The RAI's 'Meaning of Water' Photo Contest

I received an e-mail from my former student with the following information:

Something of interest to your vis anth students I'm sure...

Royal Anthropological Institute is having a photo contest on "The Meaning of Water".

The prize may not seem like much (25 pounds in Amazon giftcard form) but it's a published photo and open to undergrads!

For details click on the link below. Seems like there is a lot of water around here so therefore many opportunities for good water-related photos. Thanks, Richard!

http://www.discoveranthropology.org.uk/your-space/99-photos-.html

Selling back-to-school clothes to kids

School starts in April in Japan, so now all the major stores are beginning their back to school sales. But why use these mannequins? With their pale faces, odd expressions and postures, they are plain scary. Especially this one:


I have posted/pondered about the use of foreigner-looking mannequins in the past, but again, what is up with these pale faces?

And why foreigner-looking mannequins? I have heard one advertiser say that foreign models are used so that the Japanese customers can look at the clothes s/he is wearing more objectively. The advertiser states that there are a limited number of Japanese facial and body types, thus Japanese models might remind one of a friend or neighbor, which would distract for the clothes/products themselves.

Or maybe we can blame Colonel Sanders' presence in Japan? He certainly gets dressed up in a number of fashion styles. I think he is much more preferable to the pale faces above.

"Low-budget filmmaking workshop to be held in Tokyo by Stephen Cleary"

Announcement from Japan Today:

Stephen Cleary, one of the most experienced and respected story/script consultants and development experts in Europe will visit Japan in late February and teach a one-day workshop (in English) on the development of low-budget feature films.

Despite the excitement about low-budget production and new distribution channels, most low-budget films never get seen by audiences. Cleary will analyze some of the reasons for the failure of low budget projects, and some of the myths that surround the “new technology and new distribution paradigms” and suggest ways in which filmmakers can develop their stories to best position their films for festival success or commercial release. This is not a “recipe for success” approach, but a hard-headed industry-insider’s advice on how to best avoid failure.

Cleary was head of development at the UK Film Council. He then established ARISTA, a script and development workshop that was funded by MEDIA in Europe and which developed hundreds of European feature films. He was consultant for the METI-sponsored J-Pitch initiative, a development workshop to help Japanese producers make international co-productions. Currently, he works closely with National and Regional Film Agencies in Australia on projects, workshops and co-producing initiatives.

The workshop will be in English, and held at the Toho Gakuen Graduate School of Film Producing in Nishi-Shinjuku 5-chome (Oedo Line).

For: Producers, Writers and Directors
Time: 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Doors open at 10:10 a.m.)
Place: Graduate School of Film Producing
〒151-0071 東京都渋谷区本町3-40-6
山手通り・方南通り「清水橋」交差点角
都営地下鉄大江戸線「西新宿五丁目」駅 A2出口左手に徒歩3分

For filmmakers with projects in development (writers/directors/producers), Cleary will also offer consultation on specific projects. A full treatment (8–10 pages) or English script will need to be ready by Feb 20 at the latest. This story consultation involves a read of the material, and a two-hour intensive session on the story development. As these sessions are limited we have to prioritize them on a first come/first serve basis, and it may not be possible to accommodate every request. The consultation fee for projects is 50,000 Yen.
Individual consultation:

For: Producers, Writers and Directors
Date: Feb 22-26
Place: 100 Meter Films office
Fee: 50,000 yen

To book a place at the workshop on Feb 27 (8,000 yen) or to book an individual consultation, please contact Saki Watanabe at 100 Meter Films - saki@100meterfilms.com
100 Meter Films
Saneicho Mansion 201
Saneicho 4-12
Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 160-0008
Tel: 03-3358-3411
Fax: 03-3358-3459
Email saki@100meterfilms.com

New Spring 2010 Semester Student Blogs - Check Them Out!

Tsuyunoten Shrine (露天神社), Umeda, Osaka.

A new semester is already in its third week, so you know what that means: new student visual anthropology photo journal blogs. Students have already enthusiastically posted on their initial impressions of their new setting here in Japan and are now busy researching and photographing for their next posts about their Japanese neighborhoods (with inspiration from Ted Bestor's film, Neighborhood Tokyo). Please scroll down to access their blogs. Come often and leave comments. There are a lot of great photos to see and helpful information to read. But your comments and feedback will make our blogging exercise even more successful. We are all about collaboration, open dialogue and of course good visual anthropology. よろしく！