Column

1. Impressions of your online distribution

As it was originally a re-editing of the archives, the work itself was a fun process. But I guess it must have been hard work for the technical staff. The video before edited was made with an emphasis on the atmosphere, but for this version, we tried to make it easier to understand the concept. As I’m working in the performing arts field, I think the video content is just a supplementary role for me.  But this online distribution experience gave me the chance to be aware of the audiences around the world, who can’t come actual performance.

2. What did you struggle with and devise in preparing for online distribution?

The production called ENGI-MON is based on the traditional Japanese dance called “Bon Dance”. Naturally, many foreign audiences are not familiar with the specific meaning of Bon Dance. This time, we were pleased to have the cooperation of EU-Japan Fest Japan Committee.  For this opportunity, we tried to explain such a unique Japanese culture for foreign audiences. We added English subtitles in the video to explain the structure of the dance, concept, and what Bon Dance is all about. We spent a lot of time to discuss how much we should explain and whether we should explain too much or not by subtitles.

3. Utilization and Development of Online Live Streaming for Forthcoming Activities

There is a studio in Shizuoka that allows you to shoot at a relatively low cost while maintaining a social distance, so we will be making new work with contemporary circus artists. The angle of the camera may control the view of the audience. Depending on the way of thinking, it may be negative conditions. But this is a piece of work that takes advantage of this condition. Not “Only thing that we can do”, but “Only now we can do this”. We keep thinking a new way and want to share our works. The way we advertise is an issue that we need to think about further in the future.

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ENGI-MON goes to Czech Republic ~Dancer in early summer~

• Date: 8 June ~ 7 July 2020/ 15 June ~ 7 July 2020 
• Contents:
  We will release the video from ENGI-MON, which performed in Prague Quadrennial in 2019, as a special edition.
  In addition, we will release making-video of ENGI-MON, about the rehearsal and workshop with students and teachers from Charles University. They made ENGI-MON more special, by making scenography, choreographing original Bon dance, and performing together.
• Promotion tool: 
  Scale Laboratory Website（http://scalelabo.jp/）
  Twitter(@scalelaboratory), Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/scalelaboratory/), Instagram(@scalelaboratory)
• Distribution tool: YouTube, Vimeo
• Number of the audience: 361