Working on location in Japan

At the end of last year (2018) I was asked to do an on location shooting for a TV programme that is made in and airs in Japan, but is also broadcast in 150 other countries around the world. Yikes! I had some hesitation about doing it at first, but decided that ultimately I would be glad I did, so I signed the dotted line.

In the strictest sense, I had a very small bit of experience working "on location" thanks to City-cost. While on a Green Tea Tour in Shizuoka, compliments of City-Cost and the Chamber of Tea Association of Shizuoka prefecture, we were filmed by a local TV station for a segment on a news programme. But asides from that, and accidentally appearing on national news here once (a whole other long story), I have not had much actual real intentional filming experience either in Japan or anywhere else in the world for that matter.

I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I had met with the director in advance of the shooting. He rang me with some advice before the filming and the office team were in touch regularly with further instructions. Before setting off the morning of the filming I knew where to go, what time to be there and that we'd be filming outdoors. I also knew that there would be an interpreter on set should I need her, which I did; numerous times.  I also knew, much to my disappointment, that unlike what I had envisioned at the first mention of being on TV, is that they would not be doing my hair or make-up! 

I won't lie; I was nervous that morning on the journey there. But once I got there I was fine. I had an hour before filming started. The interpreter went through the rough plan of the day and the rest of the waiting time we just chatted until the sound guy came to rig me up with a mic. 

Overall it was a very interesting and rewarding experience. It is a hard slog though and I have huge respect for people in the industry after my short experience with it. I went on to do another on location shooting and some filming in studio too, but they are stories for another post! If you are asked to do some on location filming in Japan - I'd say go ahead and "break a leg"!