Saturday, November 8, 2008
ENGLISH
JETRO Event

－The First Ever Reality Show Competition Specifically Designed For Japanese Filmmakers－

Who will be the one to satisfy the Japanese Simon Cowell in this film competition?
It’s Free, It’s Exciting, Be a Part of a T.V. Show!

JETRO’s “Show Biz Japan! Sneak Peek” has teamed up with UTB’s (United Television Broadcasting System) “Picture Battle” to create the first ever reality competition show focusing on Japanese independent filmmakers. Seven Japanese independent filmmakers were selected to exhibit their short films in front of seven judges on November 8th, 2008. Join director Kazuyuki Izutsu (“Pacchigi”) and six other judges to see the film battle for yourself at the Egyptian Theatre on Saturday, November 8th, 2008 at 3:30PM (Door opens at 3:00p.m. First comes first served). Come be a part of the T.V. show! Channel 18 will broadcast the show and the winning film on January 1st, 2009.

*Due to limited parking spaces, please carpool and arrive early.

*Entrance is free.

Finalists

• Akira Haga “The moon on the sound”
• Hiroo Takaoka “Swingers' Club Sachi”
• Ken Ochiai “Express 831”
• Shohei Shiozaki “The Errand”
• Spicy Mac “Executive Decision”
• Tatsuya Hwong “I Have a Bakery. You are First Love.”
• Wataru Furuta “The Confession”

Judges

Kazuyuki Izutsu (Head Judge) / Director, Screenwriter and Film Critic
Biography:
Born in Nara, Japan on December 13th, 1952, Kazuyuki Izutsu is well known as an award-winning director, writer and a popular film critic. Besides his hit movie “Gaki Teikoku (1981)”, he received two Japanese Academy Award nominations in 2006 and won the Kinema Junpo Award for Best Director for his film, “Pacchigi!(2004)”. “Pacchigi!” has topped the 2005 Kinema Junpo magazine Best 10 critic poll, the oldest and most prestigious award of its kind in Japan. Since the mid-90s, he has also appeared on multiple Japanese television shows as a film critic. He has entertained and attracted a lot of viewers with his tough and provocative comments.
Projects:
“Gaki Teikoku (1981)”- Director
“Pacchigi! (2004)”-Director and Writer
“Boys Be Ambitious (1996)”-Director and Writer

Arata Matsushima / Producer, President of T&C Pictures, Inc.
Biography:
Arata Matsushima founded a production and film finance company, T&C Pictures based in Santa Monica, California in January 2007 and formed a partnership with Bill Borden & Barry Rosenbush, Emmy Award winning producers of Disney's smash hit "High School Musical 1,2, and 3". He began his career in film and television with TV Tokyo Corporation in Japan, serving as a producer, director and reporter. He then joined the Sony Corporation as VP of CEO Strategic Office and eventually became VP of International Production at Sony Pictures Television International based in Culver City, California.
Projects:
“The American Mall (2008)”-executive producer, produced with Bill Borden (creator of High School Musical) and co-produced with MTV
“American Pastime (2007)”- executive producer, produced with Barry Rosenbush (creator of High School Musical)
“Animals (2008)”-executive producer, the film starring Naveen Andrews (“Lost”) and Marc Blucas (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”)
Judge Website:
www.tandch.com

Chris Tashima / Film and Theatre Director, Actor, Founder of Cedar Grove Productions
Biography:
Chris Tashima is an actor and Academy Award winning and Emmy-nominated director. A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, he serves on the Nominating Committees for the Live Action and Animated Short Film Oscars, and the Animated Feature Academy Award. He has served as a juror at the Chilean International Short Film Festival, South by Southwest, and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. He has also judged at the Aurora Awards, the CINE Golden Eagle competition, and student works for the Student Academy Awards, DGA’s Student Film Award and UCLA’s Shorttakes Festival of Student Films. Chris is also the co-founder of Cedar Grove Productions, which was founded in 1996.
Projects:
“Visas and Virtue (1997)”- Academy Award winning short film
“Day of Independence (2003)”-Director, Emmy nominated PBS special
“Be Like Water (2008)”-Theatre Director, World Premiere September 11-October 12, 2008
Judge Website:
www.myspace.com/cedargroveonstage
Chris Tashima Interview Video:

Clayton Townsend / Producer, Itinerant Film Corp
Biography:
Clayton Townsend is a film producer with 30 years experience in the entertainment industry. He is one of the film industry’s most respected hands-on and creative producers, having shepherded numerous motion pictures in every genre from pre-production through post-production, and on locations around the world.
Projects:
“Knocked Up (2007)”-producer
“Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)”-executive producer
“The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)”-producer

Eric Calderon / CEO of Wild Boar Media
Biography:
Eric Calderon has worked for MTV Animation as Director of Development and has developed and produced over 60 pilots and new series concepts. He also worked at GDH International for seven years as VP of Creative Affairs and produced and developed original Japanese animation including “Afro Samurai” starring Samuel L. Jackson. Wild Boar Media’s dream is to charge full force into the realm of turning dangerously crazy ideas into great new animation. Calderon hopes that the next great idea or wildly talented director is somewhere in this year's line-up.
Projects:
“Afro Samurai (2007)”-writer and producer, starring Samuel L. Jackson
“Metaform Zero”-creator, Disney
“Breaking the Habit” (Linkin Park)- co-producer
Judge Website:
www.wildboarmedia.tv

Jeremy Kahn / Producer, VP of Kahn power Pictures New Media
Biography:
Jeremy Kahn is VP of New Media at Kahn Power Pictures and has been involved as a consultant in development of various film/television projects since 2000 including several with Japanese content. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he attended Sophia University/Graduate School in Tokyo and Pomona College in California. He also worked closely with Stylejam who are the Japan / Asia distributor of Stewart Copeland's film, “Everyone Stares.”
Projects:
“Rambo (2008)”- Consultant
“JUMP! (2007)” - Consultant
“The Police-Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out (2006)”- Consultant, Stewart Copeland's film

Takashi Sakuda / Senior VP of Kadokawa Pictures U.S.A.
Biography:
Takashi Sakuda is a former producer at Nikkatsu Corporation, the oldest film studio in Japan, where he produced a series of worldly renowned pink film title called “The Nikkatsu Roman Porno”. Sakuda has also been an acquisitions manager at Media Blasters, Inc. to distribute Japanese film and animation. Currently, he is the President & CEO of Kadokawa Pictures U.S.A. Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Kadokawa Pictures, Inc. He served as an executive producer for the English version of multiple titles including internationally acclaimed animated feature, “Toki o Kakeru Shojo”, which won the best animation film at the Japanese Academy Award in 2007, and popular English language TV animation series based on Japanese anime, “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”, and “Lucky Star.”
Projects:
“The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2007-English Version)” - Executive Producer
“Toki o Kakeru Shojo (2008-English Version)” - Executive Producer
“Lucky Star (2008-English Version)” - Executive Producer
Judge Website:
www.kadokawapicturesusa.com

Schedule:
Door opens at 3:00PM

For questions, please contact:
Emily Ohno
Tel: (213) 624-8855 ext 127
E-mail: epj_la@jetro.go.jp

Location:

Schedule: