TokyoGAF #8 party with Hollywoods best

I held the eighth TokyoGAF party at club Womb in Dogenzaka this time. A spectacular night with good friends and some new faces representing Tokyo's leading Game, Film, and Animation companies. I usually give people 2 weeks notice so I honestly thought attendance would be sparse with only 5 days notice given. 37 attended and it felt like just a perfect sized crowd.
Remember if you are a member on our TokyoGAF site please send me some feedback so I can make the next event even more fantastic.

**both images taken by T. Hiramatsu used with his permission.
More images here
We had a very special guest over from Digital Domain who was not here on official business but was kind enough to make his way to my gig. He commented on how important such social events are in LA, and is happy we are doing the same in Tokyo. Judging by peoples comments after the party Jun is truly one of the most respected exports from this country.
After the party 4 of us got right blotto in a Latin dance club, animators on the bongos and lots of fun.

If you want to attend the next party or know someone who should be our guest join the site and contact me please.

TokyoGAF #7 Beer hall bodacity

You may know that I hold a private party every month here in Tokyo to introduce the best of Japanese Game/Animation/and Film with those from Hollywood and elsewhere. It's a time for me to give to the community and rack up some karma points. This is episode #7, stardate May 20 2009 ;P
After RenderSan almost everyone had a good booze up over at the beer hall in the lovely "Ebisu Beer Station". 45 attended which was a little less than the 58 at RenderSan.
Our wonderful guests Pixar's Peter Moxom and Alex Brodie shared their bodacity with everyone. Considering it was around 4200 yen (we pay for our guests plus tax) for a great German style course and all you could drink everyone was happy. The quality of food and beer was superb and the people even better.

More pictures here.
To be honest I have to organize these things so I couldn't party too hard, after all had gone home Alex, Hiramatsu, Shimamura, and myself had a right booze up over at the British Pub "What the Dickens". I probably talked a load of wobble but it was my hour for enjoyment.
PS. ( @HiraTomo )Tomo san yes nobody Poken'ed with us mate! I was all in for some unprotected Poken sharing, maybe next time we can convert these heathens!
Also all who attended please have a rave at the official site http://tokyogaf.nexusinternational.jp

Combined RenderSan and monthly CG/Film/Game/HCI party

Keep your calendars open for 20th May 7pm
You may know I run a bunch of events for people in our field every 5-8 weeks in Tokyo. I will be combining 2 of them on the same day for next month.

RenderSan: the RenderMan user community of Japan (
RenderMan is a registered trademark of Pixar)

and

Bernies monthly Tokyo film/CG/Game/(etc) makers dinner.
(I gotta get a name for that).
see examples: here here and here

The way I will work it is we will do the ultra geeky RenderSan session at 7pm. For those of you who just want to mingle and don't want to listen to RenderMan related things can attend the post RenderSan dinner at 9pm.
Like always I have special guests from overseas lined up one is from Pixar (no not last weeks GOD of RenderMan Tony) but someone who may have some Pixar goodies to share. The second guest is a wonderful Brit post genius (Apple silhouette CM) who survived Hollywood.
I am organizing the venue now. Those on my mailing list should receive an email within the week, if you are not on my mailing list you better get in touch.
Why am I doing it this way? So the 3d and post/CM people can meet new faces.

Tokyo boat cruise

You may have heard I am on this years Siggraph Asia courses committee. To kick things we had a meeting yesterday. Courses chair Tony Apodaca from Pixar flew out here to join us. Afterwords I had organized a bus and harbor cruise for us. Although our meeting was for four I had another 36 over for our boat cruise. Too be honest the food was so so but the party was a hit and everyone got to meet the Lord of RenderMan.
These shots are by Eric Seaholm (with his permission)


more from him here and video from here.

These snaps were taken by Tanaka and Shimamura san, used with their permission.

Monthly dinner party

As you know I usually organize a dinner party about once a month to introduce filmmakers and people in my business from around the world to one another. This time we had about 40 people over and 3 guest speakers showing BluRay films and giving a chat.

I must thank Indyzone's Tanaka san for these pics, I was too busy blabbing as you can see here:

All the staff from DAG were fantastic, I hope we can do this again sometime.

Teru Yoshida in Japan

If you don't know who Yoshida san is you must have had your head up your server all year. Not only is he a wonderful down to earth kind of guy, but he is one of Japan's proudest exports to Hollywood.
Because I was in a rush this month I sent out invites late so we had our smallest turnout ever! - around 15. However being a small dinner meant everyone got to speak to him and were all inspired.
I normally don't talk too much about the places we went to but this place Chanto in Shibuya (ちゃんと渋谷 公園通り店) the service was substandard - the food was good and cheap, however we were supposed to have 2 hours all you can drink. After one and a half hours they said it was the last order because at the end of 2 hours we had to make room for others. We went out to a place nearby to continue our chat.
This party seemed special because Yoshida San had worked in Japan previously so he really did inspire my friends.

Passed out

So incredibly busy the last week, working on a stereoscopic project.
After checking the stereoscopy film, came back to the office.
On Wednesday (15th oct) I was supposed to give a speech at the Japanese release of Pixar's RenderMan 14. Unfortunately lack of sleep (6 days) meant I made no sense whatsoever, people were kind and Saito San's speech saved the day. Indyzone's Tanaka san was just too kind.

Two days later - on Friday I had one of my special guest dinners with Greg Ward organized by Kurachi San. Unfortunately, I could only attend 10 mins returning to my studio. Felt so awful letting everyone down - I invite people along and hardly attend myself!

Here is a pic taken by Greg, no I had no beer. I ate a little chicken wing and was off
After previewing the film, I passed out on the way back. I must have fell flat on my face because I broke my nose and my body was badly bruised.
Good news is I think I broke the Guinness book for no sleep.

This months guest: Mark Sagar

This month I was privileged to have the wonderful Mark Sagar over from Weta Digital. Took him around to CVL Laboratory at the University of Tokyo, NHK, and Casio Entertainment.
Later I had 38 people over for a dinner party on top of the NK building. The people all had a great time and enjoyed spectacular views over Shinjuku.

Pixar's Tony Apodaca in Japan

Just finished giving Tony Apodaca a short tour of 3 large CG studios in Japan. As always he did not disappoint myself or his other Japanese fans. Later we went out with some of my research friends from Japan, France, and the US.
After dinner it was an even a greater honor having him around my office. Unfortunately I had a little too much vino by that time and the explanation may have been a little blurry. Not to worry too much as most people don't get what the hell I am ranting about most of the time anyway ;) Also somehow I doubt anything I would have shown could be in any way new to him.
Anyway we got him back to the hotel safe and sound, hope he can come again and inspire this city (and me) once more.
Thanks Tony.