Introducing: Tracks & Fields’ Director Showcase series

by gentlepunk · November 20, 2018

Last month we were thrilled to unveil our new event series – DIRECTOR SHOWCASE – in Tokyo, Japan!

Director Showcase was conceived this year as an opportunity to celebrate the local creatives and film making communities who have a strong link to their local markets, and whose film work is deeply connected to music.

Director Showcase Vol. 1

Taking inspiration from a range of other events which are mostly geared towards drawing in visitors from abroad, we instead decided to develop a hosted showcase that functions as a central hub for regional companies, client and partners.

Our connection to Japan is long and well-documented. So we know this would be the perfect place to launch our new initiative.

Aoyami Hachi’s infamous red entrance

This first edition was something of a test case, our first task was to find the perfect location. After an exhaustive search, we eventually found the ideal spot: Aoyama Hachi.

This club with a DIY feel was once the regular haunt of globally feted DJ Ken Ishii, occupies a run-down, four-storey building on Roppongi Dori, and is kitted out with a yakitori bar, a DJ bar, a main dance area, and a lounge bar.

Standing rom only!

Our production teams worked within the confines of the unique space to create a dedicated screening room to project the five directors’ reel showcases and features, as well as multiple informal spaces for attendees to meet, mingle, network and share a drink.

For this very first edition of Director Showcase, the curated program featured six directors, split between both local Japanese and international artists, all heavyweights of filmmaking:

Takcom, the award-winning videographer who oversees television commercials, music videos, art installations, and live performances , 洞内広樹 of Dentsu Creative X, Hamlet director Ian Pons Jewel, Mao(東北新社), Cutters Studios’Tokyo-based editor and director Aki Mizutani and Parisian director James F. Coton of Bonaparte Films.

From the excellent range of filmmaking on show, audience favourites included a narrative film about Japanese biker gangs, and another with a suspenseful origin story, which involved a literal last minute change from shooting in Mexico to the heart of Tokyo!

We also had some lively and informative interviews and discussions with the the directors who attended, and we wired up the video link for those who joined us from afar.