Planner for 2013

I like buying new planner.

I like to fantasize about what will happen in my near future, and sometimes I look back my planner to recall what happen in my life. My life is not so special, but still I surprise that many things happen in my life. And for the next year, I'm going to buy a planner that I've been wondering to buy or nor for a few years.

It is "Hobonichi Techo." (Techo means "planner" in Japanese.)
The main feature is that this planner uses one page for a day, and put quotes on the daily pages.

Most people in the U.S. use planner just to keep up with their appointments and deadlines. However, in Japan, many people decorate their planners for fun.

This planner is going to be on sale tomorrow, September 1st.
They have English version from this year. If you are interested in, check it out :)
Hobonichi Planner
All about Hobonichi Planner

Film in L.A.? Or Somewhere Else?

I believed Los Angeles is where all the American on-screen entertainments belong until I came to the U.S. Yet recently more TV dramas are filmed in New York and other cities. And this fall, only two dramas will be filmed in LA. What is going on?

Only Two Network Dramas will Film in LA This Fall

Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmL.A. explains this situation has a lot to do with tax incentives, on Backstage.com. When the production are done in other states, they can save money on tax and put that into production values. This is appealing especially for pilots. And pilot location usually became the series location, according to Sokoloski.

California just determined to extend the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program to 2017.
Cali. Film & TV Credit Extension Bill Passes Senate Vote
However, the California's tax exemption is $100 million a year while New York offers $420 millions. And moreover, New York recently tripled the state's tax credit on post-production to 30 percent. California does not offer anything like this. Therefore, it is expected that more and more TV series and movies will be filmed in outside of Los Angeles.


Then what will be predicted in entertainment marketing point of view?

Well, first of all, cities can promote themselves for filming location. If a city could assure the production team that they can offer affordable filming and lodging location, there sure will be some who like to for a while for their production. Especially for those of who has a big group of cast and crew or need huge location for the set, filming in outside of Los Angeles area could save tons of money. And even for the local community, the money they can receive from the production is very attractive.

And one the dramas/films use the local architecture and sight in their production, that city possibly be a popular tourist destination. This could last for a while once the production hits success. It would create jobs in the local community and possibilities, and from entertainment perspective, we can promote the production and community at the same time.

If this story become real, what Los Angeles can or should do? Moving the production to somewhere else means decrease the business in L.A. This city no longer can sit on their history and tradition. Let's see how the situation will change in next five years.

Information Design for Magazines and Atitude for Editors

Hello!
I found an summarized article that I really like to keep it for myself and share, but unfortunately it's  only in Japanese. This is about how Japanese magazines editors design the information on their magazines.

雑誌編集者達の情報デザイン術

I love magazines. I pretty much read any kind of magazines if I had it handy, yet of course there are some interesting one and not-so-much one. (I don't just mean that the topics are not my type.) Then where does that difference come from? The answer probably would be the editors.

From editors' point of views, they write articles and constitute those to attract readers interest in order to sell magazines. They publish what readers want to know to increase circulation. Most probably how they pick topics decide their destinies.

 Editors' sense is important also for those who will be on magazines. Magazines are just like catalogs. Whether it's people or products, readers get today's news and fashion from magazines and they consider buying. Although it is said today is the period when magazines aren't selling well, you cannot underestimate the influence. If wrong information get into magazines, it's difficult to avoid negative images.

I was interviewed several times for newspaper, but some put comments under my name that I never said. Nobody would confirm nameless person's comment. Yet since my name (and photos sometimes) is with those comments, people would assume I made those comments. It made me fully realized the difficulty to deliver my true message in the right way.

When I stand the side to report, how to send accurate information sincerely and interestingly; it would be my eternal theme and something I should never forget.


基本的にどんな雑誌でもあれば読む、という乱読者の私ですが、面白い雑誌とそうでないものがあるのは確か。（趣味かどうかではなく。）
では、その違いはどこから出てくるのか。それはやはり編集者さん達のセンスなんでしょうね。


編集者の立場から見れば、雑誌を売る為に読者の興味、関心を引くよう記事を書き、雑誌を構成しているのでしょう。発行部数を伸ばす為には読者が知りたいことを載せる。その内容を取捨選択するセンスこそが雑誌の明暗を分けるのでは。

また、その雑誌に載る側としても編集者さん達のセンスが信じられるものかどうかは重要。雑誌はいわばカタログのようなもの。人であれ商品であれ、読者は雑誌からそのときの流行を知り、購入を検討する。最近は雑誌が売れない時代だとは言え、その影響力は侮れない。もし誤った情報が雑誌に載れば、マイナスイメージを避けることは難しい。

 私も昔、取材を受けコメントを新聞に載せて頂いたことがあるのですが、私が言った覚えもないことが書かれてしまったことが多々ありました。名もない人間のコメントの了承なんていちいち取ってもらえません。それでも自分の名前や写真が一緒に載せられている以上、私がした発言だと世間からは捉えられます。自分の想いを正しく伝える難しさを痛感しました。

自分が発表する側に立った時、いかに正しい情報を真摯に、しかし面白く伝えられるか。私にとっては永遠の課題であり、また忘れてはいけないことだと思っています。

Favorite photos

Taking photo and editing became super easy, but making it a good one is not.
For the last few years, I almost never took photos actively since my friends always took it for me.
Yet these days, I'm trying to learn those skills, at least for the basic level.


It's not only to demonstrate my style, but more like I'm investigating how to "present" photos.
And thus, I really want to learn what types of graphics (images/colors/sizes) and location attract people's eye.


So, here are some of my favorites.

I'll keep posting more photos.
Please feel free to comment for advice or suggestion.
I'd like to learn from anyone :)

Where you find me

Hello!
I changed a few things on my blog and now am setting a fresh start :)


To begin with, I'd like to share some news about where you can see&hear me.

1. Marukai (one of the major Japanese grocery store) commercial
    From September, I'm doing the voice over for marukai commercial. (You can see it on TV Japan, etc.)
    I'm also hoping to share it here sometime soon.

2. Proactiv commercial (infomercial) and print in Japan
    This only airs in Japan, but I'll try to share it here.
    The day that will be on air is estimated to be sometime in the end of September or beginning of October.
    More details to come!

3. The Angel Academy at The Next Stage Theatre in Hollywood
    This is where you can see me performing on stage!
    We have 5 more weeks to go.
    The shows are on every Wednesday, and it'll starts 9:30PM in August and 8PM in September.
    The address of The Next Stage Theatre is 1523 N. La Brea Ave. Hollywood, CA 90028.
    Ticket is $20 and please pay at the door.
    Your laugh and maybe tear support us! Please come join!

   




More and more news to come! I cannot wait to share with you!
Please follow this blog and twitter (@RachelYuduki) :D