Video by Lem Fugitt

This is just a quick update on the Tokyo Marathon – it was a huge success!

I’m not going into details now as I’m pretty tired but basically:

I ran with my good friend Tom Kobayashi, without whom I never would have taken up running. He’s been amazing throughout our 16 week training program, and today also for the real thing. We lost each other at one point; I was so happy when we met up again by chance.

Our team, led by the very generous, kind mobile-tech pro Steve Nagata at the UStream controls, pulled off a live-streaming sensation. He was joined in our makeshift studio by Technology trainer Christine. We had 4 teams at various locations around the course (see below), who used the GPS signal that one of my iPhones was broadcasting to locate me. I would then be phoned when I was nearing them so I could look out for them.

I also had my own live video stream, broadcasting non-stop from *Twinkle*s brand new iPhone. Initially attached to my special hat, this fell apart after 1km so I carried it the remaining 41km! This live stream was picked up on Twitter, and by the end I was getting 1000 Twitter replies an hour referring to it, and supporting us …as the pain intensified!

Fuji TV, who’d spotted me the day before when I was recording a video diary, interviewed me before, during and after the race. They even filmed me as I phoned mum and dad having reached the goal! That’ll be broadcast tomorrow morning.

MX  Tokyo (TV) will feature the story in their news tomorrow night at 8pm.

There’s an article on the broadcast in the influential IT Media News.

We had a couple of thousand people watching the combined streams by the end. It was all quite overwhelming.

In total, over 13,000 people watched our live videos.

We finished in just over five hours. The rain and cold had taken their toll!

Despite the weather, our mobile live-broadcast teams did a fantastic job of capturing the action.

Team 1:
Pietro Zuco @drzuco Website Flickr
Pepi Valderrama Twitter Webpage

Team 2:
Jonny Li Twitter Website Flickr
Oren the Red Twitter Flickr

Reporter 3
Lem Fugitt Twitter Webpage 1 Webpage 2

Team 4
Nami and Phil Twitter (Nami)

We also had assistance from Glympse and the developer of Tweettalk

…and a lot of other people in one way or another. I’m deeply indebted to you all.

Here’s a little message I recorded a few moments ago:

Joseph

Howdy punks.

I headed on down to the Make: Tokyo Meeting 04 yesterday, held at Tokyo Institute of Technology. It’s a kind of interactive DIY tech fare. I shot a short video (embedded below) – and wrote a little more about it (with links) over at www.japantechshow.com. The frog above was one of a collection that seemed immensely popular with other visitors. Quite why you’d want a frog’s corpse on your mantlepiece I don’t know.

So, as per my previous post, we’re in the midst of change here. I have 5 days left with my current employer, much of which will be spent training those who are going to take over my job, making video tutorials and text guides to what I’ve been doing.

I’m very much looking forward to changing my daily routine, and joining White Rabbit Press. I still can’t quite get over just how well it all seems to be working out.

It will be good to have meaning restored to what I devote a third of my weekday hours to. Whilst the lack of meaning in recent months hasn’t exactly led me to depression, it has left me feeling considerably frustrated and unfulfilled. I need a challenge, and whilst my previous job was challenging, the challenges were not the sort of thing that led to greater skill acquisition etc!

Speaking of challenges, Tom and I ran our first 19km Tokyo Marathon training run yesterday. It wasn’t too bad, although Granny’s hip syndrome did kick in at the end. Today I’m in a bit of pain, but nothing too bad.

We have about 12 weeks to go.

Life with *Twinkle* is wonderful. I feel so fortunate.

Anyways, I have a couple of podcasts I’d like to finish off today, so I’ll leave it here for now.

Here’s that video from Make fair.

Joseph

Hello there. Joseph here. In a cafe in Shibuya, opposite Sakuraya and that bright pink real estate agent on Center-gai. I have an hour to spare before meeting *Twinkle*, so thought I’d pen a few notes on all the stuff that’s been going on. In this blog I’ll be talking about podcasting.

First off then, we’ve finally reached the end of Japan Podshow series 1. It’s been a lot of fun. Through the show I’ve been able to meet a lot of new people, reach out to others whom I respect and admire, explore podcast possibilities that I’ve carried for a number of years in my head, learn a lot more about audio editing, and more recently, learn even more about video editing.

Direct download links for Quicktime / iTunes friendly movie files:

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

The Japan Podshow experiment was a big success. I achieved what I set out to do, and feel that our total download figure (which doesn’t include YouTube / facebook / embedded media player views&listens) of approximately 20,000 so far (and the listener feedback we’ve received) is proof that we created something of value that gives pleasure to others.

Whilst this show was not (and was never meant to be) monetised, the rewards have been immense, such as enabling me to get my foot in the door with two of Japan’s largest English language media companies, and helping me get my new job (more on that in another post).

By far the biggest benefit has been the network of Tokyo-based people that it’s put me in touch with. It’s been a real lesson in how knowing people can completely change your experience of a place. Prior to starting out with this project, I had lived in Tokyo for a little over two years. In that time I actually made very few friends, choosing to stick with a handful of mates whom I first met during my first year here in Japan. Since then, thanks to the podcast and Twitter, my network has expanded into something I never would have thought possible to achieve in such a short space of time. Having these people around is a key part of my sense of wellbeing. I may not see them on a regular basis (other than on Twitter), but they are all an integral part of my existence here in Tokyo. They help flesh it out, give it more meaning.

The podcast also pushed me to start using Final Cut Express, and then, with episode 12 (which required the blurring of moving faces in public areas of the Ritz-Carlton hotel) Final Cut Pro. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel a lot more confident with video editing now than I did at the beginning of the year. That’s something I always wanted to get my head around, so I’m delighted about that.

Episode 12 was a huge challenge. The arranging for guests to show up, negotiations with the Ritz-Carlton and actual filming were pretty easy – a lot of this was due to the amazing Linda Beltran, marketing manager at the hotel who was so accommodating that we found ourselves able to put most of our ideas intro practice without any problems. She is a star.
It was after than when I came to edit the hours of video from our three HD cameras that the challenge really began. In the end I think it took me about 5 full days. Trial-and-error was the way I proceeded – in hindsight I should have just sat down and watched a bunch of tutorial videos before I began. I’d never done anything like this before, and was still pretty much a novice when it came to Final Cut (as I think shows). Overall I’m pleased with the result – it’s the best I can do with my current limitations (time, editing skill/experience, quality of the original footage).

One disappointment is the sound. I didn’t plan this carefully enough, and it was only when I finally got to the export stage that I really started to appreciate just how dodgy this was in parts. If I was to do this again I’d have everyone wired up with quality radio mics (if someone would lend them to me!). The one radio mic we had was OK, but I should have tested it beforehand in order to appreciate just how it should be used. As it was this was all new to both myself and our fantastic cameraman Steve, and given time constraints on the day we didn’t do any reviews during testing (something else I’d change next time).

Still, given that this project was totally unfunded and done in time remaining outside of a full time job in the space of a couple of weeks, I think it’s OK. I’m proud to have it in my portfolio (daft though the content is).

The timing of the conclusion of this project is perfect – it coincides with the end of the day job that I’ve had for the past 13 months, and thus a big change in all of my routines. Japan Podshow has enabled me to forge ties that will now help me to move on to the next stage of crafting the life in Japan that I want. For that, I’m very grateful.

I don’t know if or when we’ll create a second series. I have an idea that if we do it will be pretty different. I think it was also need to be monetised in some way, as I don’t think I can justify the time a second series would require. We’ll see.

To finish off, I’d just like to say that I’m very thankful that I’ve had the support necessary to make the project a reality. Writing the credits for the final episode I was reminded of just how many people had taken part in it. Musicians, interviewees, advisers, sources of inspiration and emotional support. All played a part. A big thank you to all of them, it’s very much appreciated.

Here’s the youtube versions. The quality is a bit pants compared to the originals downloadable above.

Part one

Part two

Part three

Part four

Quite a memorable day today.

*Twinkle* and George

*Twinkle* and I

For our final episode of this series of Japan Podshow we knew we had to do something pretty special. We wanted to celebrate. Celebrate in Style.

A mysterious chain of events led us to the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo, located on floors 45-up in the Tokyo Midtown complex.

Upon arrival, we were shown to a Carlton Suite on the 49th floor – it was ours for the night.

Over the course of our time there a string of guests turned up to congratulate us on completing series one. Champagne was brought to our room, Bob Cratchit and his wife appeared in our bed, we had live music from Kat McDowell and a Japanese lesson with a very cute teacher.

We relaxed in the jaccuzi, ran 0.08km on the treadmill.

Japan’s First Podcaster, Scott Lockman, presented us with a trophy.

It was all very cool.

The final episode, a video episode, will be released late next week over at www.JapanPodshow.com

In the meantime, here’s a video from my iPhone, and a few pictures all taken by Steve Nagata

Arrival

Champagne, kindly provided by the hotel

Our Japanese lesson

At the hotel bar

With the Tokyo International Players

In the spa

On the treadmill

With Scott Lockman, Japan’s first podcaster

In bed

Singing

Waking up

This is the most incredible story.

It is the story of how one man has achieved something absolutely remarkable. It is a story that proves that if you have a good idea, believe in it strongly enough, refuse to listen to the sceptics, and put in massive effort, you can change the world.

Meet documentary filmaker Jeremy Gilley, and the movement that he began, Peace One Day

The short version

I recommend you watch the full version

This makes me look at what I’m doing. And think again. Hmm. It’s a question that won’t go away.