TARO and KEIJI
Heart Films Interview PART 1
Name: Keiji TAJIMA
Age: 1978 06 06
Occupation: FILMER
Where is your home town and where do you base yourself out of?
TOKYO JAPAN. WINTER - WHISTLER.
How did you get involved with Heart Films?
I WAS FILMING TADASHI AND TADASHI SAID HE WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENT/INTERESTING VIDEO SO I CAME ON BOARD. I WAS FREELANCE FILMING UNTIL THEN...SHOOTING FOR BURTON, WHITE OUT, MAYBEM, ETC...MAINLY SHOOTING TADASHI...
How did you begin your career as a professional filmer/editor?
I WAS SNOWMOBILING IN WHISTLER TRYING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL SNOWBOARDER. I BECAME FRIENDS WITH TADASHI AND HE SAID WHY DON’T YOU BECOME A FILMER AND I STARTED GOING UP WITH HIM. THIS WAS AT A TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE…I WAS DEBATING IF I SHOULD QUIT TRYING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL SNOWBOARDER SO I GUESS THIS WAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO STAY IN SNOWBOARDING BUT AT LEAST MAKE A LIVING IN IT. IT WAS ALMOST IN A JOKING WAY BUT IT BECAME SERIOUS AND REAL. TADASHI SAID IF I WANTED TO BECOME A FILMER I CAN STAY LIVING MY LIFE ON THE MOUNTAIN AND STILL BE INVOLVED. NEXT SEASON I STARTED AS A FILMER 100%. THAT WAS WHEN I WAS 26 SO THAT WAS 3 YEARS AGO…AND I HAVEN’T LOOKED BACK.
What did you think you would be when you were younger?
I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE A BUSINESS MAN. SOMEONE THAT WOULD GO TO AN OFFICE EVERYDAY…LIKE MY DAD.
Did you ever aspire to be a professional snowboarder/skateboarder?
YES. I TRIED SINCE THE TIME I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL - FOR 7 YEARS! I HAD A SHOP SPONSOR BUT IT NEVER WENT ANY FURTHER THAN THAT. NOW BURTON HELPS ME OUT AS A FILMER AND TADASHI AND YUHO ARE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR ME...
What was your first photo/video you ever took?
I TOOK VIDEO WITH MY LOCAL FRIENDS AND MADE A LOCAL VIDEO. I LIKED THAT I CAN FILM SOMETHING AND IT IS A MOMENT THAT LASTS FOREVER.
What was your most memorial day this season?
WHEN TADASHI LANDED A 1080 IN THE WHISTLER BACKCOUNTRY...OR WHEN TADASHI GOT SWEPT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN IN AN AVALANCE…
Your worst day this season?
I DON’T KNOW…MAYBE WHEN MY SLED BURNED AND MELTED ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN IN THE BACKCOUNTRY…2 TIMES!!!
Your best day this season?
I PUT MY CAMERA BAG DOWN AND HAD A LONG POWDER RUN WITH EVERYONE IN THE BACKCOUNTRY. WE WERE SCREAMING OUR HEADS OFF. I ALSO HAD AN AWESOME TIME DURING THE HEART FILMS CAMP WHEN WE HAD A BONFIRE AND STAYED AWAKE UNTIL 4 IN THE MORNING…
Why do you like to film?
I LIKE FILMING BUT I DON’T KNOW WHY…I LIKE IT WHEN I CAN CAPTURE THE IMAGE ON FILM THAT IS IN MY MIND…I LIKE WHEN THE PEOPLE ENJOY THE FOOTAGE THAT I HAVE TAKEN…
Do any riders stand out to you?
TADASHI - OF COURSE! THE WAY HE IS, HIS STYLE - OFF AND ON THE SNOW - THE WAY HE TAKES ACTION, THE WAY HIS MIND IS SET ON SNOWBOARDING AND THE GOALS AND DREAMS HE MAKES INTO REALITY…
Favorite shooting location/style?
I LIKE THE BACKCOUNTRY BECAUSE IT IS QUIET AND I FEEL MY HEART THUMPING…I LIKE THE CHALLENGE OF FINDING NEW TERRAIN AND IT IS LIMITLESS OUT THERE…
Gear?
PANASONIC DVX 100A AND A BOLEX 16MM.
Sled?
2007 Ski Doo Summit 800 151.
Do you prefer video or film?
I LIKE FILM. I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT HAS A SOFTER FEEL. THERE IS A FEEL WITH FILM THAT VIDEO LACKS...
Truck?
A BEATER 1987 NISSAN KING CAB 4X4.
What do you do in the off season?
I HELP EDIT THE FILM. I ALSO WORK 12 HOURS A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK - DELIVERYING SUSHI SO I CAN SAVE UP FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON...
Where and who would your dream trip consist of?
I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO ALASKA IN THE SUMMER WITH MY NON-SNOWBOARDING FRIENDS SO WE CAN HAVE SOME TIME TO HANG OUT. THE SCENERY IS PROBABLY SUPER SICK AND VERY WILD AND PRISTINE...
If you were given 1 million dollars today, what would you do tomorrow?
I WOULD CONTINUE EDITING THE FILM AND THINK ABOUT THE MILLION SITTING IN THE BANK…
Has being a snowboard filmer put you in a life or death situation?
YES...ALL THE TIME. AVALANCHES, BEATER TRUCKS, LONG TIRING ROAD TRIPS, FALLING OFF CLIFFS, BURNING SLEDS THAT MAY EXPLODE…
Who are other filmers/photographers that you admire?
I LIKE THE WORK OF NEIL HARTMAN. HE HAS A GOOD CONFIDENCE TO HIM AND IT SEEMS LIKE HE TRULY LOVES WHAT HE DOES…
Who usually comes up with the ideas for the shoots?
MOSTLY TADASHI. WE ALL HAVE INPUT BUT TADASHI HAS THE LOUDEST VOICE AND AMBITION…
Advice to other aspiring filmers?
SHOOT THINGS THAT ARE ENJOYABLE. SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE. FIND GOOD FRIENDS TO SHOOT. DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT…AS YOU GET BETTER YOU WILL ACQUIRE BETTER EQUIPMENT. ONE STEP AT A TIME. AND IT IS ALL ABOUT THE IDEAS!
Within Heart Films ? Other than Tadashi, who do you think deserves the best part award.
EITHER AKIFUMI HIRAOKA OR SHOTA SUZUKI…
Who works the hardest?
TADASHI…ME!!!
Special THANKS?
TADASHI FOR GIVING ME A CHANCE. EVERYONE AT HEART FILMS. MY PARENTS, SIBLINGS, FRIENDS AND MY GIRLFRIEND, SACHI...ALSO SPINY SNOWBOARD SHOP!!!
Heart Films Interview PART 2 - Taro Koeji - FILMER/EDITOR
TARO AND KEIJI ON BLACKCOMB...
Name: Taro Koeji
Age: 1972 08 29
Occupation: Filmer/Editor Clothing producer - (Zerosen)
Where is your home town and where do you base yourself out of?
Sendai Japan. Whistler - winter.
How did you get involved with Heart Films?
Tadashi and I were talking about it 2 or 3 seasons ago…Last year it finally happened. I have known Tadashi before he became a pro snowboarder…He worked at a rental shop and I worked at a skateboard shop…We knew each other for over 10 years…I was making a different snowboard video so I had other commitments but finally we started it last year.
How did you begin your career as a professional filmer/editor?
I made skateboard videos in Japan and I learned how. I used to be a snowboarder and took footage of Tadashi and Jun and I enjoyed it so I started doing snowboard footage as well. I was taking footage for the guys so they can check out their snowboarding and Tadashi was doing crazy things…Things I could not imagine doing...So I started shooting more and more and riding less and less. I learned everything by trail and error..
What did you think you would be when you were younger?
A Pro Baseball player and then a pro skateboarder…
Did you ever aspire to be a professional snowboarder/skateboarder?
Yes. I even rode for Burton back in the day…
What was your first photo/video you ever took?
Tadashi’s video when we all lived together in Whistler when we were all starting out…
What was your most memorial day this season?
When Aki almost died in an avalanche…It was the first time that I saw an avalanche right in front of my face…I was always careful in the backcountry but that day was a wake up call. I felt that I needed to be able to ride my sled better and be more conscious of the dangers of the backcountry.Also Aki’s cab 9 was sick!
Your worst day this season?
There was a few of those this season…I rolled my sled and the sled ran over my head. THANK god I had my helmet on…My sled was rolling towards Tadashi and Takumi and I thought that they were toast as well as my sled was a right off. At the end, the sled rolled and luckily came to a stop before the next cliff band and everyone was okay…
Your best day this season?
There are so many of those too…Every time I went out on my sled was a good day!
Why do you like to film?
I like that the riders push themselves and do things that I can not do or imagine…I like capturing that. The feeling you get when you capture a good shot feels so good. I like how I get to see the action live…As I capture the image for everyone else to see. I have front row seats…
Do any riders stand out to you?
Tadashi - of course. He lands everything. His actions are fast. Everything about him is awesome…If you go up to the mountain, you will know Tadashi’s greatness…
Favorite shooting location/style?
Whistler backcountry. There is always something to shoot and it is always so much fun to explore. There is no greater place to shoot than the Whistler backcountry…I like street too but the backcountry is so new to me so I am addicted to it.
Gear?
Panasonic DVX 100A and NIZO 801 macro and Nikon Super 8.
Film or video?
I like both video and film. Video is convenient…it makes voice recording easy too…film has a nice feel… Sled?
2004 Ski Doo Summit 800 151.
Truck?
1995 Chevy K2500 4X4 with a Bulldog double sled ramp.
What do you do in the off season?
There is no off season…I shoot skateboarding and make my clothing line…
Where and who would your dream trip consist of?
A world wide trip with my friends and wife!
If you were given 1 million dollars today, what would you do tomorrow?
I would be thinking of how to use it. I would choose my own riders and shoot around the world and go everywhere on helipcopter!
Has being a snowboard filmer put you in a life or death situation?
Everytime you go into the backcountry, there is a possibility of death…
Who are other filmers/photographers that you admire?
I like a guy named WADAPP. He is a skateboard photographer out of Japan…I also respect DICE K MARU because he has a lot of good photos…
Who usually comes up with the ideas for the shoots?
Everyone.
Advice to other aspiring filmers?
Do what you love. If you want to be a filmer ? do it. That’s the only way. JUST DO IT.
Within Heart Films - other than Tadashi, who do you think deserves the best part award.
Akifumi Hiraoka of course…He works hard…You'll see when you see the DVD...
Who works the hardest?
KEIJI…
Special THANKS?
THE HEART CREW - Friends, My wife Hitomi and my family.
