Production in Tokyo: Japanese Girls at the Harbor

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Soundograph is a series of works by Yasuhiro Morinaga and Roberto Paci Dalò around silent cinema and contemporary sonic research. Soundograph is dedicated to the rediscovery of often forgotten masterpieces seen through today's sound and live performance.
The first project of the series is dedicated to Hiroshi Shumizu's Minato no Nihon musume (Japanese Girls at the Harbor). Next scheduled project is Yasujiro Ozu's Hijosen no onna (Dragnet Girl). Both pictures released in 1933 and produced by Shochiku.

soundograph #1

Yasuhiro Morinaga + Roberto Paci Dalò

Japanese Girls at the Harbor
Minato no Nihon musume, 1933

Composed, performed, and produced by
Yasuhiro Morinaga / Roberto Paci Dalò

Field Recordings Yasuhiro Morinaga / Naoki Kato
Feedback Drone Naoki Kato
Project Manager Azusa Yamazaki
Record Design RPD

Funded by Housen Cultural Organization (Cinematic Research Promotion)
Produced by CONCRETE and GIARDNI PENSILI

STATEMENT
The project is creation of the live music and sound environment for the Japanese silent film “Japanese Girls at the Harbor” (Minato no Nihon musume) directed by Hiroshi Shimizu, originally released in 1933.

“Japanese Girls at the Harbor” (an authentic timeless masterpiece of the Japanese cinema) was filmed in the area of Yokohama, known as an international harbour and U.S. army base. The soundscape of Yokohama combines local and foreign sounds /voices making it different from any other regions of Japan.

PURPOSE
Nowadays, there are many composers who create music for silent movies. However, it seems that they don’t have too much to say. Often these musics are oriented more like a musical concert/event than the film screening. Indeed, when you look back to the history of silent film music, it was more like a music concert. However, in fact, the attitude we watch the film it’s now different from before. It means that the music/sound composition in itself is different from music/sound composition for cinema. These states menets are two different subjects and this project will proof the difference of aforementioned two matters.

During the silent film era, there used to be a person, called Benshi, who stands next to the screen explaining the story aurally, making sound effects through the use of his/her mouths and musical instruments, and entertaining the audience. Thus the role of Benshi was very important aspect for telling the story in order to screen the cinema in Japan. However, when the sound arrived – in 1928 in Japan – lots of Benshi obviously lost their jobs because the sound cinema was covering completely their need. The aesthetics of aural realization of storytelling and sound effects were totally changed turning to realistic recorded sounds because the technology involved.

The purpose of this project is not the creation of the soundscape of the film, but also creating the particular sound effects, music, ambient sounds through the use of aural and musical instruments in a modern context through the use of new media.

In addition to this, some of the sounds used for the project are recorded in the original film shooting location at the Yokohama’a harbour. This means the over imposition of today‘'s sound from Yokohama with the images from 70 years ago creating an astonishing effect. A true time-machine feeling through “Japanese Girls at the Harbour”. Also, by creating sound and music for the film, the difference between music/sound itself and music/sound for cinema are considered comprehensively.

This film was particularly shot on location and the each shot has longer takes including wide and close. By understanding what sound and music should be accompanied to the image as a cinematic representation, the sound and music will not destroy the images, the story, and the aesthetic of the film on its own.

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE
Completed March 2012

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
World Premiere: 2012

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENT
Theatre or Cinema, Sound System, Video Projector, Blue-ray video player
(please contact us for detailed technical requirements)

CONTACT
Yasuhiro MORINAGA
p: +81-(0)90-9846-1389 [Japan]
p: +33-(0)7-8735-0862 (EU)
e: yasuhiro.morinaga@gmail.com
w: www.yasuhiromorinaga.com