INDEX
What he cares about when creating music videos and TV commercials
Celeina: Is there any difference between making advertisements and music videos?
Shirota: Whether it is a music video or an advertisement, I always try to incorporate the “character” of the product or artist, their unique mood and feel, and establish an identity that is unique to that particular video. I try to establish a kind of identity that is unique to the video.
In the case of commercials, the time is short, so I pay attention to the rhythm of the music and how much it can catch the viewer’s attention in a short period of time. I am not talking about “Star Guitar” as I mentioned earlier, but the biggest thing is that I want to make music videos that have ideas and are different from others.
Celeina: When you were working for a commercial production company, you had so much love for music videos that you made one personally?
Shirota: That’s right. I made a music video for a song called “Mountain Mountain” by cero.
Shirota: I actually studied architecture instead of film at university. The architectural model-making skills I acquired there came in handy when I switched to film (haha).
Takano: Dioramas are also available at ……
Shirota: I made everything by myself.
Celeina: Did you make the diorama for this music video by yourself using the technology of the architecture department?
Shirota: I was a failed architect (haha).
Takano: No, no, the quality is too high (haha). When I saw it for the first time, even before I got to know Shiro, I thought, “Is this un-official? I was so surprised at the quality.
Celeina: Were you originally friends with the members of cero?
Shirota: Not originally, but I became a fan of cero when I saw them perform live, and I went to their shows frequently. Also, Mr. Takagi runs a bar called “Roji” in Asagaya. I think he mentioned it in his MC at the live show. I thought he was doing something like that, and although I am shy and don’t often go to such places, I got carried away and went there. I felt at home there even though it was my first time there, and we became friends.
Takano: You went there about 5 times a week, right?
Shirota: At the time, I was sharing a room with a friend near Gakugeidaigaku Station, but I went to Asagaya five days a week. I thought it was too much for me, so I moved to Asagaya.
Celeina: Mr. Shirota asked us to choose a song that we would all like to hear on the radio at this time of the day.
Shirota: It’s a song called “Failure” by Summer Eye, a fellow Roji member, Tomoyuki Natsume, formerly of Siamese Cats, who is now performing under the name Summer Eye. It is a great song, and I would like to recommend it to anyone who has ever made a mistake to listen to it. The melody is good and the lyrics are wonderful, so I hope you will pay attention to it.
