PDF - Big In Japan

BIG IN JAPAN
Featuring Tennis Pro
John Jeffcoat
Phillip Peterson, Sean Lowry, David Drury, Alex Vincent
Adam Powers as Mans
written & directed by
Starring
and
Publicity Contact
OUTSIDER PICTURES | Paul Hudson
paul@outsiderpictures.us | 310-951-0878
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SYNOPSIS
Things are looking bleak for the members of rock band Tennis Pro. They’ve been
struggling to connect to an audience in the Seattle music scene, with a recent run of
shows drawing sparse crowds and uninspiring day jobs that are quickly eclipsing their
dreams. So when an opportunity arises to take their act on the road to Japan - where
the allure of a second chance at recognition awaits them - they can’t refuse. Embarking
on their Tokyo musical odyssey, the guys experience all the thrills and setbacks of
taking their music into unknown territory (at least to them) and in the process learn a
thing or two about themselves. It’s just possible they won’t fade away.
BIG IN JAPAN is a comedic rock 'n roll road movie based loosely on actual events and
told with rollicking humor and catchy tunes. Director John Jeffcoat (OUTSOURCED)
utilizes a fresh narrative approach and guerrilla production style, with music and film
intersecting with two cultures to reveal simple, oftentimes hilarious, universal truths.
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THE CAST
PHIL Peterson
PHIL PETERSON is a Seattle-based composer who
studied cello from the age of 3, and began touring
Europe as a principal cellist at age 17. Peterson has
arranged and played on the three latest Nada Surf
records, leading to performances on The Conan O’Brien
Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Last Call
with Carson Daly. He has also shared the stage with BB
King, Kenny Loggins, Al Green, Heart, Yes, Blues
Traveler, Queensrÿche and The Temptations. A
Grammy-nominated producer, Peterson has produced
strings for Gym Class Heroes, Adam Levine, Helmet,
The Posies, Brandi Carlile and Owl City’s multiplatinum debut record. Peterson has also created an
original score for Big in Japan.
SEAN LOWRY
SEAN LOWRY Sean Lowry is a blur on two
wheels. Growing up in a small farming town, he
hopped on a motorcycle, threw a gravel rooster tail
on his past and hasn’t looked back since. Sean
tempered his brash lifestyle into a career as an
eccentric and award-winning hairstylist to the
Seattle elite. He is also a Co-producer on Big in
Japan.
DAVID DRURY
DAVID DRURY has been kicked out of hundreds of
casinos. A high stakes card counter who played on
a successful professional blackjack team featured
in the 2011 documentary Holy Rollers: The True
Story of Card Counting Christians (Warner
Bros.). David is a writer and journalist whose work
has appeared on CNN, National Public Radio, and
in the pages of Best American Nonrequired
Reading. He serves as Tennis Pro guitarist and
vocalist.
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THE CREW
JOHN JEFFCOAT (writer/director/ Co-DP/ producer/ editor)
John Jeffcoat is an award winning writer, director and
cinematographer. He co-wrote and directed the indie
comedy hit, Outsourced, and was tapped by NBC to adapt
the film into a 24 part prime-time TV series. Big in Japan is
Jeffcoat’s second feature film which he wrote, directed and
shot on location in Tokyo- starring Seattle band Tennis Pro.
JANNAT GARGI (Producer)
Gargi has twenty years concentrated experience in the
entertainment business. Her 20 years in the film industry
range from production, marketing, acquisitions, and postproduction for feature films and documentaries, short films
and new media. Janet was vice-president of Alpha Cine Labs
and his managed the marketing departments at both Fox
Searchlight pictures and New Line Cinema.
Jannat produced the Emmy-nominated feature
documentary, Circo (2012) and has served as digital film
producer for notable titles such as Taxi to the Dark Side,
Jesus Camp, Iraq in fragments, Born into brothels, and
BeatsBeasts of the Southern Wild amongst others.
RYAN McMACKIN (Co-Director of Photography)
McMackin was born the son of a rodeo photographer and
grew up with an interest in photography. At age 13 he
began making skateboarding videos with his friends and
hasn’t put a camera down since. Over the years
McMackin has been shooting music videos for bands
ranging from Sara Cahone to The Head and the Heart.
His credits also include feature films, most recently,
camera work on Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister.
ADAM POWERS (Location Sound)
Soundman, philosopher, documentarian, musician,
farmer; these are but a few of the titles attributable to this
worldly man. Born in the Caribbean on the island of
Trinidad, he spent most of is formative years in the United
States and now calls the countryside of Sweden his home.
Adam also makes his screen debut as “Mans.”
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MICHELLE WITTEN (Editor)
Michelle Witten is a Seattle and LA-based editor. Most recently she was a co-editor on
the Sundance documentary THE INTERNET'S OWN BOY: THE STORY OF AARON
SWARTZ, and the PBS doc ICE WARRIORS, a profile of the US Paralympic Sled
Hockey team. She is currently cutting the feature doc HOW I GOT OVER, the story of a
group of formerly homeless women who perform a play about their lives on the Kennedy
Center stage.
Past credits include features FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, DRONES, and
HOW TO CHEAT, and documentaries WHEEDLE'S GROOVE, THE DUDE, and WHITE
LINES AND THE FEVER: THE DEATH OF DJ JUNEBUG.
DERYN WILLIAMS (Co-Producer)
Long-time Jeffcoat collaborator, Williams has worked as a producer on Bingo! the
documentary and several Tennis Pro music videos as well as the production coordinator for My Last Year with the Nuns (2014).
MAYUKO OTSABU (Co-Producer)
Mayuko Otsubo is known as a “world-based” media producer traveling internationally for
the productions of renowned TV shows, Films and Commercials, including the James
Beard award winning TV show “The Mind of a Chef”. Grew up in Kyushu, Japan,
Mayuko has studied and worked in the US and Germany since age of 15. In 2013,
Mayuko launched her own production company “Gypsy Beaute Productions”, mainly
working in NYC, Tokyo, and Berlin.
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THE BACKSTORY: Behind the scenes with director John Jeffcoat
Where did the idea for big in Japan come from?
I was working on a documentary project called $5Cover for MTV, shooting behind the
scenes footage of Seattle bands following on the heels of developing my first feature,
Outsourced, into a half-hour comedy for NBC with my co-writer George Wing. Between
a writer’s strike and a shuffling of executives at NBC, it was a very drawn out process
which kept me away from film production for several few years. I was dying to get my
hands back on a camera and into production on a feature.
Jane Charles, the Producer of $5Cover introduced me to the band Tennis Pro who
pitched us the idea of documenting a trip to Japan in search of an audience for their
music. I hit it off with Tennis Pro and we decided to launch a kickstarter campaign to get
things started.
There was no script, no actors and no money.
With $5 Cover I was essentially working solo with a Canon 5D Mark II, shooting,
recording the audio and editing. I loved the intimacy and flexibility this guerrilla style
filmmaking offered and realized how easy it was to keep the band comfortable with
limited gear- not to mention the incredible images I was able to capture on the DSLR.
While filming a band called the Maldives, I met Ryan McMackin, their drummer who also
happened to be a cameraman with a 5D and Adam Powers, a sound mixer, who
became the character Mans in Big in Japan. The idea was to take the style we started
with the MTV docs and bring it to the fictional narrative world. The gear we’d use would
be the gear we could fit in our back packs. We would be a trio shooting a trio.
How Did you get the film made?
Big in Japan had three phases to the production. Phase 1 was shooting the live
performances in Tokyo, meeting and casting other bands, location scouting and
experimenting with possible scenes. We launched a successful kickstarter campaign
coupled with airline mile donations afforded us the opportunity to get the band, Alex
(who plays their manager), myself, and two other crew members to Tokyo where thew
band would perform 9 shows over 15 days. I had sketched out a rough outline as to
what could possibly happen off the stage and we recorded a few scenes but left room
for improvisation.
From day one, I knew the band's luggage would have to get lost en route to Japan
because we didn’t have anyone to keep track of wardrobe or continuity. They’d have to
wear either their performance clothes or tennis whites throughout the film. This would
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not only add to the humor but allow more freedom and flexibility in the editing room, and
afford us the ability to bridge together multiple shoots over a period of time.
Phase 2 was a shoot in Seattle to establish the storyline that we developed while on
location in Tokyo. We filmed a few scenes and cut together an effective and compelling
teaser trailer but it was clear we needed a proper budget and a shooting script. We
brought on producer Jannat Gargi to collaborate with and to help secure financing. We
workshopped scenes with the band before returning to Japan to complete production.
Phase 3 was our final trip to Japan to shoot the entire narrative scripted portion of the
film. Between Phase 1 and 2, the band had actually returned to Tokyo to do another
mini tour just after the big earthquake in 2012. When they returned there were still
aftershocks happening nearly every day and most have the tourists had left. The band
returned with a number of stories which we decided to weave into the storyline.
What was it like working with non-actors?
Working with non-actors was an added challenge of shooting a feature film
Internationally on a small with a tiny crew. The band had no formal training as actors
and with some workshops, improvisation and ultimately a full length script, it’s amazing
how their abilities to perform in front of the camera evolved. This required me to gain the
trust of the band and have them willing to put themselves in very vulnerable situations.
At first this meant a lot of liquid courage courtesy of Suntory whiskey, but eventually
there was a trust that developed and once the band was able to view edited scenes,
they became far more confident with their acting and we started to find our groove.
Had you been to Japan before?
No, this was our first time to Japan with the exception of Alex who moved to Japan after
his band Green River had broken up- just like in the movie.
We fell in love with the people who are gracious and hospitable and the camaraderie
between the bands that played the basement bars was fantastic. They embraced Tennis
Pro immediately and deep friendships and bonds were established early on.
We were fortunate to have a small crew which was essential to our ability to move from
location to location quickly with all our gear- dragging it through subways and taxis. One
of our challenges were that very few people spoke English, but we were fortunate to
work with a fabulous Coordinator, Mayuko Otusbo, who eventually became our CoProducer.
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"A classic rock and roll tale told in a new and inspiring way. A Journey to an ultimately
unattained destination reveals the journey as a victory in itself. A believable fantastic
fiction”
- DAVE MATTHEWS (Dave Matthews Band)
"I laughed, I cried, I peed a little bit!”
- CHRIS BALLEW (Presidents of the United States of America)
Big in Japan Credits
Written and Directed by
Produced by
JOHN JEFFCOAT
JANNAT GARGI
JOHN JEFFCOAT
Co-producers
SEAN LOWRY
MAYUKO OTSUBO
DERYN WILLIAMS
Executive Producer
JOHN SHEEHAN
MENNO VAN WYK
GARR GODFREY
PAUL HUDSON
RICK ROSENTHAL
NICK MORTON
Edited by
MICHELLE M. WITTEN
JOHN JEFFCOAT
Cinematography by JOHN JEFFCOAT
RYAN McMACKIN
Original Music by
PHILLIP A. PETERSON
Strangelife Presents
a Big in Japan production
In Association with Whitewater Films
CAST
(in order of appearance)
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Phil
PHILLIP A. PETERSON
Phil’s Son
CHET PETERSON
Phil’s wife
ROBIN MARSH
David
DAVID DRURY
Blackjack Boss on Phone
MATT SMITH
Sean
SEAN LOWRY
Girl getting hair cut
Tiffany
Alex
CARMELA D’AMICO
TIFFANY LOWRY
ALEX VINCENT
Angry girl at bar KAILENA MAI GROSSE
T-shirt Girls AMELIA HEPPNER
VERONICA PRITCHARD
Phil’s daughter
FLORA PETERSON
Ed Woods BILLY TRASH
JET TRASH
JOHNNY TRASH
Resident Prostitute YUMIKO SHIMIZU
Drunk Business Man MITCH MURATA
Owner of Big Time
Bartender at BigTime
Mans
Girl with Alex
Basement Bar sound-check girl
TSUNE
PIKO CASANOVA
ADAM POWERS
MAYUKO OTSUBO
YUKARI “HINA” KANEKO
Ice-cream truck driver HIROAKI TAKAHASHI (USAGIDOU)
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Pachinko girl ICHIHO KANEI
Girl at Basement Bar YUKARI KANEKO
The Harpy’s lead singer
Base player of The Harpy’s
SATOMI YAMAZAKI
MAKI SATO
Drummer of The Harpy’s
TOMOHISA YAMAGUCHI
Drummer of The Harpy’s
AI KOIZUMI
Bouncer KEN NISHIJO
Red Bacteria Vaccuum EMI KASAHARA
TETSUKO MITSUISNI
IKUMI NAMISE
Girl at bar with Sean SAYAKA OGINO
Shochu bartender YOSHITOSHI KAMIYAMA
Maid bar girl HITOMI
Maid bar girl 2 CORISU
Soapland girl 1 with Mans AYA
Soapland girl 2 with Phillip IMAJIMA
Cello girl AYA KAWAHARA
Cello mom YUKO KAWAHARA
Cello girl dad MAMORU KAWAHARA
Cello girl brother JUN KAWAHARA
Cello Audience MAYUKO OTSUBO
ARUN KUMAR,
TOMOHIRO YAMAMOTO
AKI YAMAMOTO
SHIZUHO ANDO
AIKO OTA
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KOUCHI KOBAYASHI
Featuring performances by THE CSS
SUNN
RAVOLTA
ROCK-A-CHERRY
SPIRO
SPRING HAZE
WEEKEND
URITA
IMAMON
PANORAMA FAMILY
Reporter KEVIN MCGUE
Bartender BLAKE WILLIAM AGRADE
Dax JOHN JEFFCOAT
Cafe customer１ URARA SHIINOKI
Cafe customer 2 TAKAKO YAMANAKA
Merch Customer GARR GODFREY
Location sound by Adam Powers ADAM POWERS
Gaffer RYAN MCMACKIN
Original Artwork ROBIN MARSH
Costume Consultant RON LEAMON
Prop Master DERYN WILLIAMS
DAVID DRURY
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Additional Camera KENT COLONY,
NATHAN MILLER
MIKE JOHNSON
MATT DANIELS
Additional Production Sound ADAM MCCOLLOM
JOSHUA SVARE
Music Consultant MEGHAN CURRIER
Accounting Services GBS LLC KRISTEN PARSONS
KELLY ANDERSON
Legal Services Rosen Lewis, PLLC LANCE ROSEN, ESQ.
Assistant Editor CHRIS OPHOVEN
Japan 2nd Unit Cinematography JIRO HIRAYAMA
Japan Camera assistant YUKI KATO
Dream Sequence Special Effects and Animation by:
Executive Creative Director:
Executive Producer:
Designers:
WORLD FAMOUS
TONY FULGHAM
MEGAN LINGAFELTER BALL
JUAN CARLOS ARENAS MADRID
CHRISTOPHER HARRELL
VINCE REAM
ROBERTO BRAMBILA
Audio Post Production provided by BAD ANIMALS
Re-recording Mixer DAVE HOWE, C.A.S.
Sound Designer MIKE MCAULIFFE
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Dialogue Editor DAVE HOWE, C.A.S.
Foley Artist RYAN RICKS
Foley Recordist DAVID GALLANDER DAVE HOWE,
C.A.S.
Audio Services Manager WENDI WILLS
DI and Post Production provided by ALPHA CINE
DI Colorist TIM MAFFIA
DI Supervisor JEAN FEE
DI Assistant BEVIN FLYNN
Fiscal Sponsor NORTHWEST FILM FORUM
Alex Stage-diving footage provided by DUNCAN SHARP FILMS
Skype Composites and News graphics DAVID LLAMA
by
Music
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“Dead Sea Surf”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Clothing Optional Christian Barbeque”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Gary Reynolds at Electrokitty, Seattle
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Midnight”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Rock Over Tokyo”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
"Repeat Offender"
Music by Zack Hoppenrath, Lyrics by Joel Wood
Performed by The Repeat Offenders
Produced by Johnny Sangster and The Repeat
Offenders
Published by Static Music
“Shopping Day”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Arranged by Phillip A. Peterson
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Prom 2007”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Capitola”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Fishin”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Girl Of The Golden West
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Tom Meyers
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Kidnapped!”
Based on theme from Rounding Up The Frightened
Pets by David Drury
Arranged by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Phillip A. Peterson and Victoria Parker
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Rounding Up The Frightened Pets”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Otokonoko Wa”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Mikko Mikko
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Make-Out Squad”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Shelly Gets High”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
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“Ed Woods live get naked jam”
written and performed by Ed Woods
"And, Yougottabottleamenthe"
Written by Douglas Arney and Olie Eshleman
Performed by Corespondents
“Can’t Help Myself”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“With Kindness”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Let’s Ride”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Gary Reynolds at Electrokitty, Seattle
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“College Math”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“The Theme of Daigakudo”
Produced by Satoshi Yabuzaki
Planning & Produced by Daigakudo., Co.Ltd
Vocal: Taro Yabizaki
E.G.T: Ikki Nakamura
Lyric & Composition byTaro Yabuzaki
Arrangement & Sound Production by Ikki Nakamura
Recording Studio: studio ABREATH
Design by Masayuki.S, Naoko.T
Executive Producer: Ikki Nakamura
DAIGAKUDO URL: http://daigaku-do.co.jp/
“Prelude, Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007”
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach (public domain)
Performed by Phillip A. Peterson
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Fastest Man”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
”The BIG MOON"
Written by IKUMI NAMISE
Published by GUZUGUZURECORDs
Performed by Red Bacteria Vacuum
“The Same Date”
written & performed by Spring Haze
“Crazy Driver”
Written & Performed by Piko Casanova
”Alisha"
Written by Satomi and mAki
Performed by The HARPY'S
“Giggle Eyed Goo”
Written by Nat Kipner & Carl Groszmann
Published by Joye Publishing Company
Administered by Hebbes Music Group Pty. Ltd.
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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“Now I'm Older”
Written by Carl Groszmann
Courtesy of Carl Groszmann
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
“Dance Hit Number 1”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Steven Henry Fisk
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“X”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Girl Of The Golden West
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Tom Meyers
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
"Balm Trees"
Written by Douglas Arney and Olie Eshleman
Performed by Corespondents
“Don’t Play Purple Guitars”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Don Gunn
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Scorpion Vs. Lobster”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“The Man Who Fell Into The Rising Sun”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Tom Meyers
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Satomi Bicycle”
Written by David Drury
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by ‘Greedy’ Greg Williamson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“Mue Mue Shaka Shaka”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Mikko Mikko and Phillip A. Peterson
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
“I Heart Japan”
Written by Phillip A. Peterson
Performed by Tennis Pro
Produced by Phillip A. Peterson
Mixed by Tom Meyers
Published by The House of Breaking Glass
Special Thanks
Mikiko Amagai
Shizuho Ando
Megan Lingafelter Ball
Denise Burdette
James O’Dell Campbell
Paul J. Canniff Jr.
Jane Charles
Sevrin Daniels
AJ Epstein
Lisa Farnham
Kaoru Falk
Ross Fenter
Tony Fulgham
Kelly Green
Hiromi Go
Michael Gurley
Bobby Hougham
Lori Horak
Meiko Huang
Sayako Huang
Valerie Joyce
Tracy Lepper
Marco Savarise
Don Jensen
Chris Linker
Rocio Monforte Llorente
Kylie Loucks
Mikiko Loucks
Kevin Maude
Riho Miyamoto
Orson Mochizuki
Kristen Molina
Isabel Hudson Monforte
Christopher and Cara
Nichols
Deanna Pendleton
Dan Pepper
Mari Robinson
Masako Sekimoto
Lynn Shelton
Sudeshna Singh
Elisabeth and BC Smith
Matt Smith
Sachiko Smith
Shawn Telford
Karen Tenkhoff
Samuel J. Tugwood
Steve and Amy Utaski
Ash Wahi
Pallavi Mehta Wahi
George Wing
Asako Yoshimura
Kashi Yoshikawa
Stephanie Drury
JTB Publishing, Inc
Cafe Green Ginger
Tokyo Hostel
A Sign Bar
Live & Pub Nakano
MOONSTEP
Ozaki Enterprise, Inc.
Nanja Monja
Shinjuku Motion
Basement Bar
Black Bottle Seattle
@Home Cafe
Big Time
Sakura Hotel
Hotel Best
Capsule Value Kanda
Aiha Higurashi
Kinfolk Lounge Tokyo
Cat Cafe Calico Kichijoji
Coffee Shop Hidaka
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Bad Animals
World Famous
thenewBlank
Dolby
WGA
Alpha Cine
Whitewater
This motion picture is a work of fiction. Yes, “Tennis Pro” is a real band, but any other similarity to real persons (living
or dead), places, events, or other material is coincidental and unintentional.
This motion picture is protected by copyright and other applicable laws in the United States and other nations and
may not be duplicated, distributed, or used in any other manner without the expressed written permission of the
copyright owner.
©2015 -Big in Japan, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
International Sales handled by Outsider Pictures
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