Just hit 1 million viewers

I can run real quick, yo.

Just hit 1 million viewers

Things that I'm excited about right now

Update [Mar. 25, 2010]

• The kichigai promotional site is up and running and can be found here.
  
• Another short film that I worked on last year, "Banki", is a nominee at the Tokyo Short Shorts Film Festival taking place later this spring!

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It's been a very enjoyable month thus far even if I haven't been lucky enough to win an Olympic medal. I've been busy meeting friends, both old and new, and working on a pretty large swath of projects that will hopefully make waves later in 2010.

Here are some of the big things that are making me smile:

Script. I'm currently working on the spec script for a film that we'll probably start filming in late March or April. I'm very stoked about this because we're exploring a new genre and looking to build on what we learned from the production of Little Tokyo (more info on that later).

Pre-production. Not exactly film-related, but in the prep-stages nonetheless, a couple of new web projects look like they may be getting off the ground soon. One is an information portal related to living in Japan and the other is a site about celebrity fashion. My role in both projects is mostly on the developer side which is probably hard for some of you to believe--especially regarding the fashion site.

Filming. Japan Booze Blind continues to grow within the Japan Eats network. The word 'network' is apt here as we've been experimenting with live tapings of the show, and the next one is scheduled for March 28th at 3pm (Tokyo time). Live tapings via Livestream are a blast because I can interact with the audience in (nearly) real-time. The show on the 28th will deal with my favorite spring pastime, hanami. This post over at Tokyo Terrace will give you a good idea of what we've been up to.

Post-production. A film that I worked on last fall, Kichigai (Japanese title: Wasted), is in post production now and will hopefully be screened at a film festival later in 2010. There's a website being developed to help promote the film, but I've been advised that it's not ready to go live, so I'll hold off on posting a link just yet.

Promotion.  We'll be hearing back next month about whether or not Little Tokyo will be screened at the 2010 Short Shorts Film Festival. Please keep your fingers crossed  for us. Another film that I had a leading role in, Banki, will also hopefully get screened. Fortunately (for me, anyway), Little Tokyo and Banki are not entered in the same category.

Of course, there's also the redesign of the Tokyo Swallows website to be excited about. That took quite a bit of hair-pulling and face-slapping (my own) to get under control, but I think that it was definitely worth it. There are still several things to get sorted out, but I think that we'll have a better feel for what we need to do once more content gets posted within the new framework of the site.


And as many of you know, I've jumped face-first into the world of social networking sites (SNS). Facebook, Mixi, Twitter, and Disqus to name a few. I've actually hooked this site up with Disqus, a service that aggregates the social aspects of several SNS platforms, so make sure to leave a comment at the end of this post and see how it all works. I'm very interested in seeing how it helps users keep track of the ongoing dialogue as it moves and changes across the web.

Anyway, one thing that I'm very grateful for is that I've been able to easily reconnect with a bunch of people that I didn't have any idea how to contact, and that includes both family and friends.

So those are some of the things that I've been thinking about, stressing over, and working on recently. Just need to stay motivated and keep working with the talented people around me. Hopefully I can keep up.

Things that I'm excited about right now

Japan Booze Blind: Third type beer

Japan Eats is steadily building up content, and the feedback that we're getting from friends and followers on Twitter and Facebook has been been fantastic!

There are now four JBB videos loaded on the site, and our food show, Tokyo Bites, should make its debut in February. We're definitely very excited about this--especially since the title of the site does not currently match up with the majority of the content that we've produced thus far.

If you have any suggestions for what we should do a future show on, whether it's Japan's interpretation of Korean soups such as sundubu or something as standard as sushi, please feel free to either comment on this site, over at Japan Eats, or on Twitter.

Or you can also e-mail me at pellegrini [at] japaneats [dot] tv.

And while you're at it, please drop by Japan Eats and watch the latest JBB episode which covers three beers produced by brewing-behemoth Kirin. My two guests on the show are Rachael White, food-blogger extraordinaire over at Tokyo Terrace, and Joe Nakamura, an actor that I met while filming last year's Hagetaka.

Japan Booze Blind: Third type beer

Japan Booze Blind on "Japan Eats"

The Beaujolais Nouveau just hit shelves a week ago, and the reaction was pretty muted compared too years past. On the left is a photo from my local supermarket, Seiyu, where all the expensive wine was deserving of in terms of presentation was a big unused cooler with an island made from a red, felt-covered box.

There's a write-up on this phenomenon and how it pertains to Japan here, and since we're talking about alcohol anyway, let me take a moment to pimp a project that I'm working on right now.

"Japan Eats" is a new website that tries to introduce a wider audience to Japan's varied culinary and alcoholic delights. I host a show on the site called Japan Booze Blind in which blind tastings are used as an excuse for drinking alcohol early in the morning.

The site just officially went live today, so please stop by and check it out.

Japan Booze Blind on "Japan Eats"

The Hitman

I played a hitman in an episode of Hanchou which aired on Monday nights on TBS in Japan. It's finished its' run now, but it was a reasonably popular drama about a team of police officers and detectives that dealt with the various n'er-do-wells that haunt the crowded confines of Tokyo.

The headliner of the series was Kuranosuke Sasaki, and he played the lead detective of the team.
In episode number 12, Michael Shorter was my name, and shooting mafia-related types hanging out in Tokyo was my game. But in the end I was rather easily apprehended by the cops. The featured guest of this episode was kabuki actor Kamejiro Ichikawa who played the role of Andy Matsuo.

The episode took several days to shoot, of course, and the longest of those days was spent out at a complex of warehouses in Chiba where the episode's climax occurs and the bad guy gets nabbed.

One of the highlights of the day was the BBQ that the crew set up for dinner. They brought out a very good variety of beef and pork cuts and had three separate grills going at the same time.

It was just what the doctor ordered as I had spent the previous two hours on set with a gun pointed at my nose.

There's a quick preview of episode 12 viewable here. If you go to that page, you should see a small, round, red button on the left side of the screen. Clicking that will open a player that will show you the very short trailer for the show.

And yes, that's me in the beard.

The Hitman

Ricky Roma Wins!

I'm very happy to report that Ricky Roma (Justin Berti) won a very tight contest in the Mr. Latin category of the Harlequin modeling contest!

He has already commenced his duties as "Mr. Latin", and I know that he's already been to a couple of events to help promote the Harlequin brand.

I'd like to thank everyone who voted on his behalf, and I'm sure that Ricky will second the "thanks" if he ever happens upon this post.

Ricky Roma Wins!

New Movie: HAGETAKA

We just finished shooting a feature film about "vulture" investment funds and hostile takeovers. The film is called "Hagetaka" (the vowels are basically the same as in Spanish, so say it like that and you'll have the pronunciation right...four syllables), and it was shot in Tokyo over the past two months. Keiji Ohtomo directs.

This is the film version of a TV drama that was popular a few years ago. Many of the actors from the drama, such as Nao Omori and Chiaki Kuriyama (of Kill Bill fame), are also in the movie.

I play the young, straight-laced righthand man of one of the main characters (played by Tetsuji Tamayama) who heads a Chinese government-backed investment fund that is attempting to buy out a famous Japanese auto company.

The other actors that were major players in the Chinese fund were played by Joe Nakamura and Asuka Higuchi. Asuka is shooting a TV show in Beijing at the moment, but I was able to hang out with Joe this past Thursday night when NHK and Toho threw a party to celebrate the completion of filming.

Hagetaka hits theaters in Japan on June 6th.

New Movie: HAGETAKA

Mr. Harlequin Contest: Vote for Ricky Roma!

A close friend of mine, Justin Berti (aka Ricky Roma), is competing in the Mr. Harlequin Contest.

You remember him, right? Remember "Glengarry Glen Ross" from last year (here, here, and here)? Ricky Roma?

Well Justin/Ricky is currently in second place in the "Mr. Latin" category, and making a good showing every week. He has a few more weeks to catch the leader, and if you're interested in helping a good friend of mine, please keep reading.

Go to this link and follow the voting instructions.

You need to register one of your e-mail addresses in order to vote, but don't worry, they won't spam you. They will, however, send you a confirmation e-mail (which you should delete, rather than open, lest you cancel your vote) and a couple of other messages informing you how the contest is going. The most important thing is that you go to the link listed above and vote! If you have a hard time accessing the link, cut and paste http://www.iammrlatin.wordpress.com into your browser.

You can also check out Justin's personal website for a closer look.

Mr. Harlequin Contest: Vote for Ricky Roma!

Myojo Ippei-chan TV Commercial

I haven't seen it yet, but my good friend sent me another photo of her television as soon as she saw this TV commercial hit the small screen. Here's one that she sent me last year.

This one is for Myojo's "Ippei-chan" cup ramen and it's apparently on air all the time.

I'm not wearing glasses in this one, so I'm having a harder time flying below the radar. I've resorted to telling my students at the university that I have a twin brother, named Scott, that is the one appearing on TV.

And some of them actually believe me when I tell them that.

Anyway, for a short version of this TV commercial, you can go to this website.

Quick synopsis: I play a non-Japanese, ramen-obsessed nerd that is desperately seeking something that is called "koku-uma". The business man that I try to get to help me doesn't know what I'm talking about, and a little word-play comedy ensues (he shows up with the wrong thing three times).

After some more searching, we happen upon a koku-uma ramen shop and everyone (especially me!) is happy.

Myojo Ippei-chan TV Commercial

Glengarry Glen Ross Test Shoot

Cast photo from "Glengarry Glen Ross".
(l to r) Andrew Woolner (Lingk), Christopher Pellegrini (Williamson), Ryan Drees (Moss), Walter Roberts (Levene), Justin Berti (Roma), Noel Adams (Aaronow), Mishal Samman (Baylen).

Black Stripe Theater's production of the David Mamet masterpiece hits the stage this Friday February 22nd.

Glengarry Glen Ross Test Shoot

Look What Somebody Sent Me!

I have no idea how long this clip will stay up on YouTube, but I show up briefly in the middle of this. It's from a (reasonably) popular drama from 2007 in which I played one of the main actress' angry boyfriend.

Look What Somebody Sent Me!

Black Stripe Theater's Production of Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross"

I lucked out and will be afforded the opportunity to get back on stage next month. I'm going to be playing the part of Williamson in Mamet's classic, Glengarry Glen Ross, at Theatre Iwato in central Tokyo February 22nd to 24th. This is a link to Black Stripe Theater's site.

Black Stripe Theater's Production of Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross"

Why I won't be growing a mustache anytime soon...

I recently did a bit of ballroom dancing in a period drama that is going to air at the end of this year.

I daresay that the tux looks normal, but the 'tache...well...not so much.

I think I kind of look like a younger version of my high school physics teacher.

Or maybe a conductor (of a symphony orchestra--not a train)?

Why I won't be growing a mustache anytime soon...

New TV Commercial

This is a still from a TV commercial I shot this past spring.

The man in front is none other than Koji Yakusho. His most recent Hollywood roles were in Memoirs of a Geisha and Babel.

Mr. Yakusho is an incredibly talented actor, and a very warm-hearted man to boot.

New TV Commercial

NEC Soccer Team

Here's another acting job (click the "play" button on the left) that I did recently. I show up, very briefly, in the middle of this web advertisement. Not all that exciting, but it's actually an OK-sized job due to the print ad campaign that is supporting it.

NEC Soccer Team

Baby's First TV Commercial

A friend of mine tracked down the first TV commercial that I did in Japan (about three years ago). She found it on YouTube, and it's the 15 second cut. I show up at the very end.

The main actor is Nagase Tomoya, one of the more popular members of TOKIO (a boy band) and an A-list star in Japan. He's very down to earth and was a lot of fun to work with.

The product is Lotte Toppo, and it's a type of snack stick with chocolate in the middle. I had to eat about 40 of them during the shoot...

Update: the clip got pulled from Youtube, so I'll repost it here if it reappears over there (and somebody lets me know that it's up again).

Baby's First TV Commercial

NTT Flet's TV Commercial

I found a clip of me acting in a TV commercial on the web (taken from Japanese TV). It's an NTT commercial. NTT is the biggest phone company in the country. Flet's is that company's broadband internet wing.

The commercial is in Japanese, but I show up in the middle and talk for a bit. This is actually the full one minute version that is only shown on the web. The TV version is divided into two separate 30-second spots.

A quick summary: an old-school company operating in modern times runs up against some insurmountable competition in the form of NTT Flet's. The boss is out of the loop, and is enraged to learn how far behind the curve his company has slipped. He demands to know why and how his company could possibly be losing out to NTT. The maverick/wiseass of the company (that's me) chimes in and tells him exactly why NTT is much better than the company he runs (complete with morse code technicians and Carrier Pigeons).

If you click on the link, you will be led to a page on the NTT Flet's website. A video clip will automatically pop up. To play the commercial again, click on the yellow 'TVCM' bar that is directly above and to the left of the black box containing the picture of the earth.

Click here to watch the 60-second version.
(edit: sorry, the video has since been deactivated)

NTT Flet's TV Commercial

Crazy Week

It was a good week for me in terms of acting. I only had two auditions, but I managed to snag three jobs. On Monday I was hired to welcome guests at a media event for the launching of the "NEW" SOKENBICHA. That's a popular variety of bottled tea that is sold in every convenience store here, for those who are wondering.

I don't really think it's new though. I think it's just the same product in a different bottle. Similar to what they do with beer over here. Same product, different color can, big to-do.

Wednesday was an all-day shoot for NTT Flets (TV commercial) that will hit the airwaves some time later this month. I was one of the lead actors in that one.

Today I did a modeling job for a company that imports and sells expensive watches.

It has turned out to be my second best week ever (financially speaking). My best week was the beginning of last November.

I've never had two major commercials airing at the same time, so that's going to be a first. The Canon commercial is still due to run through May.

Crazy Week

Bobby Ologun Got Mad!

Bobby Ologun, for those of you who don't pay attention to K-1 or Japanese TV, is a pretty well-known celebrity in Japan. He's definitely at the top of the list for foreign-born talent anyway.

He must have been pretty angry today! See, the agency he works for happens to be in the same building as the one I work for. At about 3pm he got into a pretty big argument with the management over there, and either broke some stuff, or tossed his boss across the room...I don't know. I wasn't in the building at the time, but I arrived a little bit later. The media, of course, was there nearly as quickly as the cops (how does that always happen here?). They had the entire front of the building blocked off.

I was there to do some narration work. I thought they were filming a TV show in the street there were that many cameras and lights. Nope, just reporters and cameramen. I was quizzed by a couple reporters on the way in, and then again on my way back out. "Hey, there's a foreigner! He probably knows something!" They were gagging for some insider knowledge!

In retrospect, I'm glad that I kept my trap shut. I'm not a big fan of the agency that Bobby is employed by (poor guy!), but I definitely could have hurt my career by letting loose with some of the things I know about them. However, I will say, and this is just speculation, that the agency probably decided not to pay him what they had promised to.

I'm sure it will be in the papers tomorrow. I guess they got tired of tracking Horie's every movement, so...Bobby, look out!

Bobby Ologun Got Mad!

Hollywood, Part 3

No dice. It turns out that they decided to invite back a smaller group of actors for the callback than originally announced. I was not included, so there ends my run. There's not a whole lot you can do when you just don't have the look (or 'looks', probably) they are seeking.

I also had an audition cancelled tomorrow due to my agent's displeasure with the contract that we were expected to sign, so it has quickly turned into a 'character-building' week.

Hollywood, Part 3