CulturalCreative
Documentary: Hiroshima Nagasaki Download
Sep 1st, 2010
Creativity Is The Solution. Think Out Of The Box.
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An estimated 140,000 were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, another 70,000 in Nagasaki, with thousands more succumbing to radiation-related illnesses in the months and years that followed. Shocking statistics like these are supposedly etched in history, taught in classrooms across Japan and the rest of the world in an effort to ensure each new generation understands the horror of nuclear weapons and vows never to see them used again.
Film Still: Miyuki Broadwater, who was 8 yrs. old at the time of the bombing in Nagasaki and now lives in Spokane, Wash., with Director Shinpei Takeda
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CulturalCreative
Cannes Advertising Festival 2010: Where will 100,000 Condoms End Up?
Aug 30th, 2010
Every May the Cannes Film Festival makes headlines across the world as film makers and actors vie for some of the most coveted prizes in the industry, but what of the Cannes Advertising Festival? Also held in the south of France, over the last 57 years the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival (IAF) has made a name for itself as the largest gathering of worldwide advertising professionals. In our series on the Cannes Advertising Festival 2010, we’ll take a look at what the jury deemed to be the most creative social advertisements in the world. (more…)
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Creative Commons. Some Rights Reserved. Photo by Hendricks Photos.
Traditionally, the DIY (Do It Yourself) mentality has been an intrinsic part of many cultures, and while it used to refer to fixing up one’s home, the recent revival of DIY has taken on a slightly wider role. Today more and more people are turning to DIY websites for inspiration and step-by-step instructions for all manner of things, from art to health and gardening.
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CulturalCreative
Music Industry in Limbo – Artists Ask: What Price Do You Put on Music?
Aug 9th, 2010
Greetings one and all, Subaru Matsukura here, publisher of music portal site ‘your unknown music’ (yum).
Yum is a small web community bringing you ‘unknown’ music on a daily basis. Here I’d like to share my take on the changing music scene as experienced through this project. Read on to find out more about how YOU will be affected by recent changes in the music industry.
The Radiohead Revolution
Radiohead’s album ‘In Rainbows’ which was released in 2007 made the headlines not just because of the great music. A lot of hype surrounded the price of the album, or rather that there was no set price.
While not exactly the same as throwing change into a busker’s guitar case, Radiohead chose to let the public decide what do ‘donate’ for the music they were getting.
You could get the album for 0 yen, or pay 1 million yen if you thought it was worth it.
This move was a shock to me, as it was most of the music world. Until now, we were used to paying a fairly standard 2,500 – 3,000 yen for a CD, or downloading one from the iTunes Music Store for 1,500 – 2,000 yen. This new move however, allows, no, rather forces the listener to make their own decision on the value of music.
How much would you toss into the guitar case if you came across Radiohead playing on the street?
This bold move was met with mixed reaction. Here are the main points from each camp:
1) Suggestions of animosity towards the existing music industry
2) The fact the album could be downloaded for free
3) The removal of record labels and distributors from the equation
4) The first push for listeners to put their own price on music
When announcing the move, Radiohead made it clear they had no intention of going up against the music industry as eluded to in 1) above.
With regards to 2) Radiohead along with British musicians Blur and Pink Floyd had long been lobbying the UK government to crack down on illegal downloads by shutting down connections of anyone caught using illegal file sharing software. Taking the current situation into consideration, they decided to get their music out there before people had a chance to download it illegally. At the same time they forced those downloading music illegally to re-evaluate their actions.
Finally, 3) and 4) were a big challenge proposed by Radiohead. A challenge for people to think about the value of music, and whether all music is really of equal value to them. People would now have to put a dollar (or yen / euro / etc) value on the music they listen to.
‘What is music worth?’
‘How do I evaluate music?’
‘Have I been paying a reasonable price for music until now?’
These are just a few of the questions popping up in the minds of music lovers all over the world.
Most of us have walked out of a movie theatre in the past feeling ripped off by a less than average movie.
And many of us would have felt like we’d got more than our money’s worth from a good concert.
Each person has their own set of values. This direct link between musician and listener has put the question out there:
‘What value do you put on our music?’
Japan Catching On
Three years after the big move by Radiohead, Japanese musician Kenji Ozawa made news in Japan by putting an open price on the live recording of his new single ‘Shikkasho Bushi’.
While we have no way of knowing how much the single is earning, I’ve heard talk that Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ made a lot more than initially predicted.
In this day and age where digital is vying with analog for music supremacy, this method of open pricing is creating an important discussion about the value of music. It would be interesting to see the outcome if paying what you thought appropriate became an established culture. As with Radiohead three years ago though, it takes courage to make the leap, and believe in your listeners.
Open Priced Concerts?
Ustream, Dommune and Izonn are all offering streaming or user uploaded video and music to the public, with Izonn having an option where a donation can be made to the broadcaster. This has brought us a step closer to being able to set our own price for live concerts as well.
This whole shift in the music industry has highlighted the difficulty of putting your own price on music.
It’s not about doing away with set prices, but rather encouraging people to evaluate the music themselves, and put a dollar value to it.
What value do you put on the music you listen to? Take a think, and you may be surprised at what you discover.
This article was translated by Ken from the original Japanese post by Subaru Matsukura (JUL 12, 2010)
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Creative Commons. Some rights reserved. Photo by el clinto.
Apple’s new tablet computer ‘iPad’ has been credited with pushing electronic books and magazines into the mainstream, along with boosting use of emails, internet, and online games. However the iPad’s use is not limited to entertainment. Here we’ll introduce 10 applications to help you get a little more ‘green’ out of your iPad. (more…)
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A forest in a cube
Sometimes beauty has boundaries.
But other times, it can seem limitless.
That is the impression I got from these blocks, containing a small piece of nature beautifully preserved and exquisitely set into 4×4cm acrylic cubes. It appears to be a forest in itself, and you can almost hear its heat beat.
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Image: CScout Eco Japan 2010 Report
CScout has released the ECO Japan 2010 Report: Green Innovations from the World’s Leading Consumer Market.
Because of its unique market position and approach, Japan leads the world in environmental technology and marketing techniques that will save the planet through its economy. Using solutions that connect with consumers, Japanese companies are on a different path than the rest of the world. CScout says its mission is to bring these innovations to light to inspire businesses around the world to innovate in the coming green economy. (more…)
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The much anticipated annual eco / music festival ap bank fes will kick off this weekend in Tsumagoi, Shizuoka.
Several big name bands such as Mongol 800 and Dragon Ash will be headlining the three day festival, along with a selection of hot up-and-coming artists that aren’t to be missed. (more…) -
In How to Construct a Green Curtain – Part 1, I talked about the logic behind making a green curtain to keep your house cool in summer naturally and the equipment needed to make your own. In this second part, we look at exactly how to set up your green curtain and provide some caveats and confessions. (more…)
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The weather in Tokyo seems to be getter hotter by the minute. Tsuyu (the rainy season) is set to finish shortly, and we’re preparing for the hot sunny days ahead. Unlike the energizing bright cool winter months, the summer sun paired with high humidity is wilting. Hoping to reduce our desire to run the air conditioner and inspired by a multitude of neighbors with lovely vines full of cool green leaves, we thought we’d grow a green curtain of our own!
Here is how we did it – from thought-process to equipment to construction – and, as usual, a few caveats. This “recipe” can easily be tweaked to suit any situation, but will hopefully be a good starting point for cooler summer days.
![[30aHEADS]](http://greenz.jp/en/wp-content/themes/greenz_v2-1/banner/gfBanner_30aheads.gif)
