Lowering the boom and popping the bubble
Posted on Thursday, 19 July 2007 at 11:06 am
Right now there’s a pointed discussion going on in the comments section of Jason Gray’s blog that, amongst other things, questions the value of studio press releases that give highly optimistic forecasts of a film’s final gross after only its opening weekend. Insubstantial fluff of that nature is particularly rampant in film journalism here, which often makes it difficult to find stories worth bothering to read, let alone write about for your edification. That’s why it’s often more enlightening to cut out the middle man and read the personal blogs of filmmakers such as Ichise Taka, the Hollywood-savvy independent producer behind the “Ringu” and “Juon” franchises. His latest entry doesn’t mince words in contextualising the recent successes of Japanese films at the domestic box office, as well as the so-called ‘production boom’:
Lately, when I’m being interviewed, I keep hearing about a “Japanese movie bubble”. The large number of productions would certainly suggest a bubble, but the poverty of the filmmaking environment hasn’t changed.
Even Japan’s best cinematographers can’t expect to earn more than 1.2 million yen a month. Which means that even if they were to work full-time over the course of a year, they’d still only make 14.4 million. Worse still, even if they work on a guaranteed hit (that is to say, a film made only to make money) produced by one of the TV networks, the going rate is only about 800,000. So even if they work all year, their annual income is less than 10 million yen!
I’d like to improve the pay scale across the board somehow, but getting investors onside isn’t easy. They just can’t shake off that miserly Japanese ethos of making films as cheaply as possible, in order to make as much money as possible. With that kind of thinking, dynamic Japanese films won’t ever emerge. On top of that, the television company employees who look at a proposed budget for a film and say “These crew pay rates are too high” are often on salaries exceeding 20 million. Just like Ueki Hitoshi used to sing, “The world’s all messed up”.
comment by don
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Improving film workers’ pay wouldn’t necessarily bring about better movies, but it might help to attract and maintain a greater pool of talent. Me for instance.
comment by logboy
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
japan must be horrifically expensive - 14m yen is about £55k, nearing several times the average british wage - but it’s relative, like i say, like anyone will tell you.
is the large number of productions, the bubble as you call it, based in the estimated figures or the actual figures in terms of quantity of productions? i’ve read tom mes mention official figures and actual figures vary, so an increase in official figures might not equate to anywhere near as much as the actual figures have been drifting around for some years…. seems odd, but likely. anyway, an increase isn’t automatically a bad thing, it depends if it’s sustainable, natural, or manipulated and artificial, doesn’t it? all industries go through cycles of ups and downs, peaks and troughs.
on the side, i actually find the relative poverty and lack of finance in japanese cinema to be a very productive side of how it all works - because there’s little money to be made in it, the ideas and the expression of them seems to be much more natural and exploratory in their nature. with bigger budgets, americanised concerns, comes less typically japanese product that aims too much for money and not for this wonderful cycle of regular employment and cultural output.
comment by Captain
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
I don’t find those numbers unusual in that the monthly pay for Japanese workers in all fields is very, very low compared to other industrialized countries.
I think it is much more complicated than simply looking at a monthly salary figure. A Japanese worker’s pay is not easy to understand when bonuses, housing allowances, and goofy perks are factored in. For example, at my office (Japanese construction firm) the guy sitting across from me was shocked that I thought 380 yen for an Ebisu beer at an izakaya was a good price (he knew of a place where they go for 100 yen). Yet meanwhile he has no qualms dropping 40,000 yen each Friday at a Kabukicho host club, the fee for which of course is paid by my company.
Now, I am not saying that Japanese cinematographers are on a par with those of other countries but I do think that by the same measure Japanese lawyers, accountants, etc. are “underpaid” too.
comment by don
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Some things in Japan still are horrifically expensive - DVDs for one - but the UK’s no slouch either, at least from a local perspective. There’s a news story currently doing the rounds about tourists and government employees complaining about the exorbitant cost of living there because of the pound’s strength.
I’m not sure whether there are more films being made these days, but it doesn’t seem unrealistic. There definitely seem to be more movies being made for and screened in the multiplexes thanks to the TV companies, and the V-cinema sector that provided a launching pad for filmmakers like Miike Takashi and Kurosawa Kiyoshi has mutated into a straight-to-DVD industry, where works are often given late night slots at indie cinemas or bonafide releases at pokey little digital projection mini theatres. That probably bumps up the overall release figure too.
From what I understand, the current ‘boom’ or ‘bubble’ as defined by the media generally relates to the exceptional performance of Japanese films at the box office last year, rather than the increase in production that Ichise referred to.
You could make the argument that the lack of financial support for filmmakers has a positive aspect, in that only truly passionate and dedicated cinemaphiles are attracted to the industry. I’d say that’s at least partly true based on the personalities I’ve had a chance to meet, but I’ve also been told that it has an unsavoury flipside: it’s also attracted not a few unscrupulous producers who place unreasonable restrictions on cast and crew at best, and at worst, run off with all the cash. The few prominent directors I’ve met have all had at least one horror story about getting shafted by money men.
Please don’t assume that big-budget commercial productions here have “Americanised concerns” and are “less typically Japanese”; on the contrary, the power structures and profit models involved are just as ‘quintessentially’ Japanese as those of a low-budget indie, for better or worse. I alluded to these structures in my recent critique of the Japan Times editorial.
As for whether Japanese film crews are underpaid or not, remember that the figures Ichise mentioned were the maximum fees for a top cinematographer. It’s a hell of a long way to the bottom where the assistant directors and runners dwell, and there can be considerable disparities between specialisations and productions. Captain is right in saying that incomes are very low across a wide array of professions here, especially for technical staff in the mass media, but Ichise’s main point was that the haves (investors and TV networks) are keeping the have-nots (filmmakers) down in the interests of maximising profits, meaning that the crew members who comprise the film industry aren’t actually reaping the benefits of the box-office bubble.
By the way Captain, does your male boss really frequent host clubs? Is this Kabukicho 2-chome we’re talking about? ;)
comment by logboy
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
…i always forget, as i think many do, that japan produces more of a variety and range of films that vary dramatically in budget. it’s true, but i do also fear that a boom suggests shifting overall concerns and not necessarily the introduction of americanised concerns.
there’s got to be an element of small countries inherently being more expensive to run - yes, this is what’s called ‘rip-off britain’, but what you say about bargain hunting is also true in that you easily find the same people who moan about the expense spending little time and consideration on how they spend their money but a lifetime paying for it (literally…) instead of getting things the other way around. still, DVDs here, typically £15 average price, can sometimes become a lot cheaper as new releases, the formats age has brought the general price down, and the nature of ‘latest and greatest’ also sees regular sales. still, i buy from america, where even equivalent releases by the same company are frequenly exactly half the price - artsmagic stuff for example - and there’s nowhere near the choice and diveristy supported by the UK as is managed by a larger country like japan (twice the population) or america (several or more times the population)…
comment by jasong
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
It’s a “production boom” because the high number of local films (417 releases in 2006, highest since ‘71) means that there is more money around. It’s an atmosphere of high activity, but with many underachieving films, of course. More mid-level hits than ever though — Y3b is the new Y1b, at least it was last year. Some view it as a “glut”. I believe 35mm pink films are included in the totals, but don’t think one-off digital projection releases etc. are. It’s a good question.
Just for perspective, a producer such as Fuji TV’s Kameyama Chihiro isn’t personally making millions off of his hits (Bayside franchise, Umizaru etc.). He’s a salaried worker, which is how he describes himself.
Ichise is a unique case — he’s dealing directly with Hollywood, probably participating in “points” and all sorts of goodies that film world people here have never heard of.
comment by Aceface
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Somehow coincidentally,I was reading some other blog mentioning about Wakamatsu Koji owning a villa in Miyagi pref.Shocking.
Have either Don or Jason been there?
I do believe low budget can be productive and directors can still make good movies and by doing so,they can get a credit for it.Which can be a ladder for their future financial success,But what will happen to the livelihood of the staffs and actors?一将成りて万骨枯る、だ。
comment by don
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Japanese consumers (and non-Japanese like me who want Japanese subtitles for their significant others) really do get thoroughly shafted on DVD prices, especially anime and TV shows. The retail price for the fifth season of 24 is 25,000 yen. Miki Satoshi’s “Jiko Keisatsu”? 20,000 yen. And people still buy them. Fortunately, most foreign TV series available for rental are on single-layer discs…
Thanks Jason for clarifying Ichise’s production bubble statement. Odd that pink films are included but short-lived digital releases aren’t. Presumably that means we’d have a much bigger boom on our hands if they were.
Kameyama may not be making gobs of dosh off his cinematic successes, but even as a salaryman he must be on a pretty tidy stipend at Fuji, surely? Ichise obviously isn’t short of a few bob himself, but despite his exceptional perspective his candid comments about where the Japanese industry needs to change the most seem well-founded. I know he’s not the only filmmaker saying those kind of things, but I don’t see too many others doing so on their blogs (or even bothering to have blogs in the first place).
Aceface, I have not had the pleasure of visiting Wakamatsu’s villa (never met him), although I don’t know why it’s so shocking as he was born in Miyagi. I’m only cursorily familiar with his background though, so it could just be my ignorance. There was a guy that both Jason and I know who if I’m not mistaken got quite chummy with Wakamatsu, so he might have been there, but I doubt he reads this blog.
Nice quote. Something like “Behind the glorious exploits of a single general lie the numerous bodies of fallen soldiers”, right? I’d go with something like “Behind every poor director, there’s a rich producer”.
comment by jasong
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Have you read Ichise’s book 「ハリウッドで勝て」? I want to pick it up.
I’m 90% sure I saw Wakamatsu riding his mamachari in Shinjuku yesterday, but I could be wrong (I think his latest film’s jimusho is nearby). He’s collection dosh on his website.
comment by don
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
I haven’t got around to reading that yet. The Hollywood angle didn’t interest me so much initially, but apparently it’s mostly about the Japanese industry after all.
Wakamatsu had a funny cameo in the Director’s Guild’s “Eiga Kantoku te Nan da!”, which I finally got around to watching last weekend. His ‘Babe Ruth’ was one of the best things about “Green Mind, Metal Bats” too. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never seen any of his films though (that I can remember).
comment by Aceface
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
I’ve read some of his stuff he wrote attacking”personal possessions” and revolutionary activities he commited in the 70’s, and ofcourse there were many protagonist in his movies having resentment against rich bourgeois.So I thought a villa didn’t fits his world….
You guys must know the idea of kumi組 in filmmaking which is the legacy from the studio days,right?Oshima had his own kumi.Miike has his own kumi…
There was a big debate on nature of Japanese capitalism back in early Showa,and one of the basic problems revealed as the backwardness of Japanese economy was the legacy of feudalism within the social structure such as small scale land lords in the agriculture sector,Oyakata親方(boss of the guild)in craftsmen guilds and Amimoto網元(Fisherman’s leader)in fishery.
The point is these bosses not only exploits workers economically but also blocked the creation of labor markets and unions thus controls the lives of those who are under their leaderships and halted social and technical progress with in the industries.
Somehow,I feel the same about Kumi system in the film world.Because back in the golden ages of the studio,your employment status was always secured and there were always chance for promotions.You could be transferred to one kumi from another.But after the system collapsed that was not happening.Kumi had changed into independent productions and Independent company. They are usually financially unstable.
Your possible carrer and financial promotion is very limited.You can always quit the job.But that could harm your reputation and makes it difficult to get another job in the industry where human relation is everything.So in many cases they just change their jobs which is out of film world.
For these reasons Kumi could be one of the reasons why many technical craftmanship within the movie making were never inherited from studio generation of the past and lowering the production qualities.
Perhaps I shouldn’t be blaming independent film makers who owns production companies alone(those whom to be blamed are capitalists!).But I read about Wakamatsu was using his staffs not only for filmmaking but also for some political turf war with rivaling radical sects(under 100 % of their agreement of course). Perhaps he was actually not a revolutionary but a post-war new breed of oyakata.
When I first read about his villa,this phrase from George Orwell came up to my mind.”some are more equals than the others”.But then again,I never knew Wakamatsu was from Miyagi and all this could be my illusion…..
comment by logboy
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
a kumi is the cause of regular repetition of cast and staff within a directors body of work? i like the result of it, from a familiarity perspective of a director feeling comfortable with those around him, but if this is right it’s also got it’s downsides?
comment by joaquin
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Koji Wakamatsu does not longer own a villa in Miyage prefecture. During a talk to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his “Cinema Skhole”, Wakamatsu said that, unable to pay for the bills, he made use it for the the shooting of his latest film “JITSUROKU RENGOSEKIGUN ASAMA SANSO E NO DOTEI” and destroyed it.
comment by Aceface
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
Thanks Joaquin.
My trust upon the cine-revolutionary has now restored!
comment by jasong
posted on Thursday, July 19 2007 at 11:06 am
I need some air…
Interesting, and speaks directly to what we talked about in the podcast about directors (let alone other crew) not earning much scratch.
But as we all know, plenty of incredibly dynamic films were made in the 60s by contracted filmmakers who weren’t exactly living large either. Different set of circumstances, of course.