niime 百科

Encyclopedia of niime

〈 continued from part 1 〉

Kubo

I don’t like dramatic productions or exaggerated expressions. It doesn’t match with ‘tamaki niime’ image. We try to avoid that.

—— I can feel your energy for this job by your statements.

Ueda

(laugh)

Kubo

It’s not easy at all.

—— That doesn’t mean that you don’t do any editing, right? You do add something?

Kubo

I do.

—— That’s the fun part of my job.

Kubo

Yes, I enjoy it, but I don’t want to edit as much as I can.

—— Oh, I see.

Kubo

If I edit it, the video gets more interesting for sure.

—— I see.

Kubo

Any videos can be made more interesting.

—— I see.

Kubo

But, those videos look like created stories. It creates a barrier to what we want to make.

—— Oh, I understand.

Kubo

They lose those lively feelings or freshness. Every minute the video is streaming should provide facts, so we are fair in saying it’s real. We could just stream by waiting until the best time to send them as live video. I think that way is better.

—— They wouldn’t lose that freshness the information has.

Kubo

However, it depends on the content. We need to edit only as necessary. As Mr Fujimoto stated, when selling products for our good friends of the ‘Koshirae kai’ online, we make an effort to focus our edits on the product’s attractiveness. It’s a very different approach.

—— It’s quite a different approach depending on what you are shooting. To keep your advantage of streaming engaging media, you can cut off parts when necessary.

Kubo

I think so. They are just different methods of cooking.

—— You sound like a chef. (laugh)

Ueda

(laugh)

—— It’s a chance to show off your skills.

Kubo

Yeah, it’s fun to do. It’s entertaining.

Mutsumi

You can display your natural ability.

—— I think it’s a good idea to make a bigger circle by working with the outside. My impression is that it reflects the core of ‘tamaki niime’, making essential connections with others.

Ohama

As to working outside, Mr Fujimoto made connections with people to make plans for ‘Koshirae kai’. By that, I mean I jumped right into the unknown to make new connections.

—— Just like that?

Ohama

Yes. I think that should be my role.

—— I see.

Ohama

I work for ‘New Film Crew’ while I work for the ‘Wa team’ to send messages about ‘tamaki niime’, and I provide information to the staff that I get from outside the company. I discussed with Ms Tamaki how we could expand both relationships in such ways.

Kubo

The name of ‘tamaki niime’s’ new YouTube channel is ‘tamaki niime overflowing’.

—— Overflowing?

Kubo

Mr Sakai named it.

—— Does it mean to overflow like ‘spilling’ or ‘brimming over’?

Kubo

Like overflowing water or being full of colour, which means ‘tamaki niime’ is bursting or cascading with satisfaction.

Ueda

(chuckle)

Kubo

That’s about the new channel. We are planning to have many programs of that theme currently.

—— Is that so?

Kubo

Actually, it’s not a channel. ‘tamaki niime overflowing’ is a YouTube program that has been playing since last year.

—— You have categorized the programs.

Kubo

You can imagine it like there are many programs on while flipping through channels.

—— That’s interesting. You may create the second ‘tamaki niime’ channel just like ‘E-tele (NHK E)’, NHK’s second service. (laugh) I see. Well, Mr Fujimoto, I am sure it must be difficult to hold ‘Koshirae kai ‘ right now, but is there any movement?

Fujimoto

No, we won’t have any events until things get back to normal.

—— It’s sealed, right?

Fujimoto

Well, you know…sorry, is it ok if it goes long?

Mutsumi & Ueda

(laughs)

Sakai suddenly appears.

Sakai

Mr Koshikawa, this is no problem that you’ll have to edit my comments later, but do you remember ‘the root of tamaki niime’ that I mentioned before?

Mutsumi

Yeah. I did!

Tamaki

(speaking from the other side) Don’t delete it. Please include it.

—— Sure. That would be a corporate vision, which is a guiding principle for ‘tamaki niime’ operations.

Ohama

We enjoy creativity and seek environmentally friendly things.

Sakai

That’s a good phrase, but it’s too long to remember. We thought it’s better to make it short for customers, and then Ohama had an idea after thinking during the New Year’s holiday. He will announce that right now. (speaking to Ohama) Please, announce the new phrase!

Ohama slowly stands up, looking at the air.

Ohama

This is the root of ‘tamaki niime’.

Everyone pays attention, holding their breath.

Ohama

(opening his arms) “Come on! Gather! Excited people!”

—— Oh! That’s great!


Everyone applauds.

Sakai

(excitedly) We unify with this and tell everyone to get together.

—— It might be a good idea to have everyone hold their hands up and chant the slogan “Come on! Gather, excited people!” at the morning meeting.

Ohama

We may do it.

—— The activity of the ‘New Film Crew’ would be connected.

Ohama

Yeah, it is connected. Even though a new ‘root’ has just been planted.

—— You would have many new activities going forward.

Ohama

We will have many ideas one after another.

—— (Facing Fujimoto again) Thank you for waiting so long. You don’t know when you can hold the ‘Koshirae kai ‘, but your ‘New Film Crew’ could make it work with the connections from previous efforts.

Fujimoto

It’s just a part of what I do. I understand that my role is to introduce information from outside sources. If we could use that information in our projects or not, we still need to get approval through the team’s inspection. I am here to help make the introductions and connections from previous contacts, negotiate with people and use my previous public relations experience. I think they are the advantages I could share in my work here.

—— I see. Thank you very much. I gradually understand your ambitions and motivations in the ‘New Film Crew’. On the contrary, your team can still be caught in a haze or be elusive now. (laugh)

Kubo

You have said the same thing in the ‘Wa team’.

Ueda

(laugh)

—— I think you have improved on it. (laugh)

Ohama

As Kubo said, we will create content 1 to 12. One of our ideas is that we may begin the channel for children or only English speakers. On regular programming, they have only one TV station that creates programs broadcasting from 5 am. Still, the main difference is we have many channels in our YouTube content that personalizes the messages.

—— I see.

Ohama

I think our goal is that our messages are unified, but each one makes sense in developing from different angles.

Kubo

You send messages simultaneously.

Ueda

(chuckle)

Kubo

You mentioned that our team has to be elusive, but I really want to make an effort to help people understand us. However, I don’t want to make us seem simple.

—— Hmmm (laugh)

Kubo

I don’t want them to be bored with us.

—— I understand.

Kubo

We change unintentionally from moment to moment. Like a ‘completion of the unfinished’.

—— ‘Completion of the unfinished’ is Mr Sakai’s motto in his life.

Kubo

Because things constantly change in the next moment.

—— That’s just like ‘tamaki niime’.

Ueda

(laugh)

Kubo

So, we want to do just like what ‘tamaki niime’ does.

—— I see what you mean.

Kubo

That’s right. See! You will understand us through what we usually do. (laugh)

—— I see.

Kubo

First, I hope we could explain the ordinary way of ‘tamaki niime’.

—— I agree!

Kubo

I thought we may make good content with dumb tweets.

Ueda

(chuckle)

—— You can say that again.

Kubo

I personally think that natural conversations or everyday interactions are most interesting.

—— I see. I could hear excellent discussions, but I feel this is just the beginning of getting to know you.

Kubo

I understand you. If I were you covering our story, I would think about what crazy things we were saying.

Ueda

(laugh)

Mutsumi

I wonder how Ms Inagaki would think of all our comments we have had so far.

Ueda

Yeah, yeah. That’s the first thing we would like to hear.

—— Ms Ueda, please tell us before she talks.

Ueda

We have said many things, but I think our comments may sound amusing to the readers of this one. We are enjoying our work, and we are happy if people can look forward to our next stage of development. I am sure it will be fun. (laugh)

—— It wouldn’t be fun if they could easily understand.

Ueda

It will be more interesting from now on.

Inagaki

Are you going to publish this one?

—— You can tell us anything you think up is fine.

Inagaki

Honestly, I don’t know yet. I guess everyone already shares some of the critical points. I can’t see it, yet. We will look forward to or enjoy what we may have. It’s still the beginning of the new year.

Kubo

It’s still the first day of the year.

Ueda

That’s right.

—— It sounds like the aliens’ conversation.

Ueda

(laugh)

Inagaki

Well, I didn’t know ‘tamaki niime overflowing’ at all. I may feel disappointed if I expect too much, but I want to enjoy working and going forward.

—— Yes, you may feel disappointed in the meaning. Just like an entertaining show, how does ‘tamaki niime’ offer enjoyment to everyone? Well, will you conclude?

Ohama

I would say, ‘please watch what we will make’.

Ueda

Please look forward to it.

—— That’s right. They could understand only by watching. Do you still feel something is missing?

Ueda

No, we will go ahead and send it by video.

—— Oh yes, you can do it that way. I see.

Ueda

That’s the secret. (laugh)

Kubo

You make it harder to send. (laugh)

—— You have it? You don’t want to waste it here.

Ueda

I can’t wait to show off.

Kubo

I make it harder and harder. (laugh)

Mutsumi

Are you doing ok?

Ueda

So-so. I have been doing it this way.

Kubo

There is a joke that you aim high to the peak and fall down.

Ueda

Yeah, there are many situations.

—— It’s ok as long as you have fun, even if you slip or fall. (laugh)

Ueda

Both sound good.

—— You are so reliable. That’s great. You will make great videos.

Kubo

By the way, we have opened our site on LINE.

Ueda

We’d better not forget to tell you.

Kubo

We have been using Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and other SNS. But, LINE is unique to be able to send messages personally. We wanted to try, and have opened it.

—— I see.

Kubo

It was a blind search first, and I wondered how we could do it. But, basically, as SNS is streaming, we used it as a tool to focus on having many people visit our homepage. We hope to send information such as today’s or this week’s highlights on LINE. If we could do that, we could keep our story out there. If things get chaotic, our LINE messages will make a significant impact on people. That’s what I am thinking about now.

—— I see.

Kubo

I want the people to visit our website and enjoy it if they can’t come to our shop because of the Pandemic. It can be a tool to play.

—— This is the core approach for each individual through LINE.

Kubo

We haven’t decided on a specific date like what day or date every week for streaming. We don’t like it to be a regular program.

—— You think it will be boring?

Kubo

If they are routines, they are not live. Weavers, knitters, and videographers are doing different works but doing ‘the same thing’.

—— The videographers and those who take videos are exchangeable; they have no problems switching jobs.

Kubo

Yes, that’s right.

—— Like, your microphone is taken by someone when you report for him.

Ueda

(laugh) I have absolutely no problem being on video!

‘New Film Crew’ is the reorganized team. Like the creation of ‘tamaki niime’, they are flexible, not sticking to one idea, and sending messages freely.

All staff unified together to work under the risk of the Pandemic. All the experiences through making tamasks, online shopping, and a renewal company-owned store expose clearly the proper aspect of the ‘tamaki niime’ brand.

You would find their commitments and attitudes as they work flexibly with their rich senses and ideas, whatever happens to them.

Every ‘New Film Crew’ member develops energetic activities to reveal the true daily life at ‘tamaki niime’. They aim to create a gathering place for a circle of connected people excited and living with joy.

Original Japanese text by Seiji Koshikawa.
English translation by Adam & Michiko Whipple.