video documentaries and experimental video

Ono Seiko and Aaron Gerow onogerow
Thu Nov 5 21:34:06 EST 1998


>Advice on equipment I will need, addresses of distributors, independent
>groups of filmmakers, predicted
>costs, reading I could do to fill me in on experimental video in Japan,
>etc. etc. are all much needed.

The first place to get in touch with is Image Forum, the main institution 
dealing with experimental film and video in Japan.  They not only 
distribute works, they have their own festival (The Image Forum 
Festival--the main showcase for experimental works), their own filmmaking 
academy, and publish catalogs (their magazine, _Image Forum_, stopped 
publication a few years ago, but I heard it will be starting up again 
soon).  They usually charge for films, but they can negotiate.  Check out 
their website at www.imageforum.co.jp.  They can also help with foreign 
stuff.  Contact Nagashima Takashi or Ikeda Hiroyuki and mention my name.

Another group, though not as active these days, is the VIEW people.  You 
can either contact Mizuyoshi Akira at Mistral (O3-3479-7472) or Sasaki 
Ken at his izakeya Kino Kyuhei (042-577-5971).  These people are some of 
the movers behind _Fs_, a yearly and quite good publication on recent 
experimental work.  Also mention my name.

If you want inexpensive sources, it's always good to make contacts with 
the many universities that teach experimental film, such as Tama 
University of Art, Musashi University of Art, and Kyoto University of Art 
and Design.  Student work can sometimes be quite good.

I have heard there are people working out of Fukuoka (Ishii Sogo has a 
filmmakers seminar based there), so you might want to send out some 
feelers there.

As for publications, beyond _Fs_ and the publications Image Forum has put 
out, you might also want to contact the Yamagata International 
Documentary Film Festival.  Their catalogs on 1960s and 1970s Japanese 
documentary won't include video, but they will give you a background.  
The 1980s and Beyond catalog does include video documentary as does the 
Main catalog from the 1997 festival.  The phone number is 03-3266-9704.  
Talk to Ono Seiko (my wife).

For equipment, most of the people I know are still working in 8mm video, 
though a few are moving to digital.  Few can afford Beta or any of the 
high-range systems.  You should definitely be equipped to show 8mm video, 
though you can have them transfer to VHS if need be (at a loss of image 
quality).

Good luck,

Aaron Gerow




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