Strata Studios is working on a documentary about the Japanese arcade scene, and they need your help.
Y’know guys, it’s pretty baffling that Japan still has a relatively thriving arcade scene. I mean, they have access to the same home consoles that we Americans do, and presumably the same passive-aggressive antisocial tendencies, and yet Japanese people still congregate in crowded, dark rooms to play Dance Dance Revolution and the latest Capcom fighters. Why is that? What do the Japanese know that we Americans forgot during the late 90s?
A new film, dubbed 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience, seeks to explain the ongoing success of the Japanese arcade by offering a comprehensive documentarian’s take on the past 75 years of the scene. That video embedded at top-right is the film’s 5-minute story trailer, designed to demonstrate the thing’s audio/visual quality, offer a sample of its content, and to drum up interest in potential investors (like you).
I’ll let the film’s official site explain:
A new trailer, a new website and a new look for 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience. The past year has been a rollercoaster ride of filming, editing and Japanese language. We are approaching a finished cut of our film but we need your help!
We have announced a new IndieGoGo campaign with a goal of raising $20,000 to help pay for post-production services such as 3D motion graphics, sound edit, film editing and marketing and promotion.
The film has evolved into an exciting exploration into the world of Japans arcades and we are very close to a finished project, it is simply that last ten percent that makes a project shine and that’s where you fit in.
Given the film’s focus — this is the kind of thing we’re never exposed to here in America — and the list of experts the film features (Kotaku’s resident Nipponophile Brian Ashcraft, and Street Fighter wizard Daigo “The Beast” Umehara, to name two), this is exactly the sort of project I’d like to see come to fruition. If you feel the same, you can contribute to the IndieGoGo campiagn at this link.
If this movie gets scrapped, I’m holding you each responsible. Individually. Don’t think I won’t send you really mean text messages late at night. I have far, far too much free time.
Source: 100 Yen
