Tokyo Cowboys Update

Dear Tokyo Cowboys Supporters,

It's June, and the summer is arriving in fits and starts here in the UK. Again, I'd like to thank all of you for your interest in and support for our little film with a big heart. It's been a long, long road, and we are grateful you are still along for the ride.

Here's the news:

IN THIS MAIL

1) Welcome New Investors
2) An Army of Interns
3) Digi-Bits
4) Patrons offer Money and Shelter
5) Calling all Hands
6) "Making of" planned for DVD

1) NEW INVESTORS

Tokyo Cowboys welcomes two new investors to the fold. Thanks for your support at this crucial time. For those of you who've been thinking about investing, there are only 22 shares left (and they are flying off the shelves as I write this). As always, shares are only £500 each. Have a look at our generous investment pack for more information (email invest@tokyocowboys.com).

Your investment could fund part or all of the following:

Logging & Digitizing
Purchase of another HD (see below)
Editing
Grading
Sound Design
Music Rights
Web Design & Marketing
Festival Submission

2) AN ARMY OF INTERNS

Tokyo Cowboys is now supported by an army of talented and hard-working interns. Assisting with the post-production and researching and planning the sale and distribution of the film are their remits. They are helping us to rev up for the grass roots, kick-ass marketing we have in store for the film. We'll have more information about our marketing ideas on the website soon, but, if you just can't wait, email me.

3) DIGI-BITS

Our goal is to log and digitize 30 hours of footage a week. We've been able to keep to this schedule since acquisition of the new 1000GB hard drive. This process takes about twice as much time as there is footage, so Patrick and I are working back to back to complete this crucial first step of editing by the third week of July.

One snag is that we will soon need another Hard Drive. As we are still under funded we are totally dependent on new investors to purchase a new Hard Drive and therefore move ahead. One new investor could get us the drive. We'll need it within 9 days. I'll keep you posted in the blog.

4) PATRONS OFFER MONEY & SHELTER

Long-Time Tokyo Cowboys Patron "N" has once again offered her patronage with a check to our land lord. This money allowed us to reduce our paid work last month and dedicate more time to the edit. Thanks again, N, for your generous support.

New Tokyo Cowboys Patron, "KJ," has offered us shelter at her summer house in Sweden for three months. This will allow us to concentrate on the edit full time without having to take on any paid work. We'll be in Sweden from August and return to the UK in late October. Thanks KJ for the kind support!

If you'd like to become a Tokyo Cowboys patron, please e me for more
details.

5) ALL HANDS ON DECK

Are you interested in seeing some of your camera work or hearing some of your sound work in Tokyo Cowboys? We are looking for specific aural and visual recordings. If you have them or can acquire them, you could see your name in lights. Email me for a list of requirements.

6) "Tokyo Cowboys--The Edit"

We will be video journaling during the edit. This footage will be available on the final Tokyo Cowboys DVD, and clips will be available on-line. Check the web site often for more and more clips of the Cowboys and the Filmmakers.

That's it for now. Thanks again for your support, and don't hesitate to contact us. Please feel free to pass this email to your friends and family. Signing the guest book on the web site at http://www.tokyocowboys.com/guestbook.html will ensure that they get their own copy of Tokyo Cowboys updates.

Hugs,

Daneeta

Marketing

Woman Selling Advertising space on her belly.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46690&item=3869933040&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

Ring Tones and Viral Video ads on Mobile Phones

Articles:

http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/ml/readings/details.pdf

Exit Plan

Patrick suggested that we edit in Sweden. His mom has offered us the summer house to work in. It's in the middle of no where. There's lakes and forests and fresh potatos growing in the ground. The salmon is good, and the air is fresh. We're gonna head out in August. Until then, there's a lot to do. We need to wrap up all of the unfinished business and plan for summering in Sweden.

The other thing we have to think about is the exit plan. I have to be back here in October as I can't be out of the country for too long because of my visa status.

Gavin is buying a house in East London. He's offered us a room in it. We are seriously considering it. Then we wouldn't have to worry about coming back to London. It will all be sorted. Yes, things are conspiring for us.

I'm really tired. I've been working long hours and long weeks again. I was supposed to take today off, but here I am up at the London Film School shooting stills and sending out emails.

After many months

of competing with various projects for Patrick's time, I've finally got him back on Tokyo Cowboys (at least part time). He's logging 5 tapes a day. This puts a bit ahead of schedule. We'll be finished logging and digitizing by the time we leave for Sweden in early August.

I'm working 6 days a week with temping and one-off gigs to get the money together for when we go full time with the editing. Today, I've got a stills photography gig for a corporate client and tomorrow a video gig for the same client. It's small money, but it's work.

Meeting Gavin tonight. We've not seen him in months, and he's keen to get an update on TC.

An investor at the midnight hour...a new investor called me from Japan at 2 a.m. wanting to know the bank account number. I have arranged with citibank to unblock the account for one day for this deposit to take place. It seems that there is some probelm with my change of address request. They are not sure if they want to accept my English address, and they keep telling me that the change of address form is incorrect. They've sent the form back to me twice. Oh well...soon everything will be sorted.

Trying to arrange for our housing post October when we'll be coming back from Sweden. Trying to get on the list early. Convinced the landlord to give us our deposit back and a little discount on the flat because of the damp.

The Big Musical Dream

Hi Alex,

I'd like you to research the following bands:

Flaming Lips
The Cure
God Speed you Black Emporor!
Mogwai
Radio Head

I am keen to use some of their music in the film. Find out if they do this kind of thing...if they've ever done it for free. Based on your research, tell me how we can approach them. What is it about what we're doing that might get them excited to collaborate with us.

Do you know any kick ass Japanese groups?

This is an ongoing project. But the sooner we approach these guys, the better.

Good luck!

Hugs,

Daneeta

Distribution

Hey Adriano,

Yes, I would like to meet up. I'm shooting until the 17th, so it will have to be after that.

In the meantime, could you do some research on distribution? I'm particularily interested in creative means of distribution that don't compromise the film experience. And, of course, I'm interested in how to best protect ourselves and our investors when considering distribution options.

Hugs,

Daneeta

JUSFC Grant

Dear Leon,

I'd like you to research a grant called the "Japan US Friendship
Commission Grant." You can find information about it on www.jusfc.gov. I
know that Tokyo Cowboys is qualified for this grant, but there is a bit
of red tape we have to cut through. I'd like you to help us do that.

Our financial status is a bit shakey when it comes to applying for
government grants. We have private investors in the film that will
receive a percentage of any profit we make. I want to make sure that a
financial situation such as this one is legal. I know you can get this
information by email for free from the JUSFC if you are polite and
tenacious.

Are there other barriers that we should be aware of? Why are those that
win the JUSFC grant successful? Can we model their actions in some way?
Maybe you could interview some of these people via email.

After researching, I'd like you to put together a plan of action to win
this grant. The deadline for the grant is 1 August 2005.

Please let me know if you are interested in this. If not, tell me the
specific kinds of things you're interested in that might lead to
collaboration.

Hugs,

Daneeta

Website

Hey Sen,

I'm wondering about your online design experience. Do you have time to stroll through the website? Let me know what you like...don't like.

I'm going for a Grass Roots, hand made feel. But, I don't want it to be too "folksy." I want it to be smart-assed, cyber-punk and edgy too. And Tokyo seems to be missing from the feel. Or, maybe that's just me. Since Tokyo is multi-color neon, I'm thinking of color coding the site. Cheesy?

About to go down the rabbit hole. We start shooting on Monday...

Cheers,

Daneeta

Homeless

I think the landlord is blowing us out completely. He showed me the flat w/ office, and it was a shambles--the basement office won't be ready for months, and the room was smaller than what we are in now. It just won't do. He also wants to charge for it...more than we are paying now, which I think is really cheeky.

Patrick suggests we become homeless...sell everything, buy and ibook to edit on and move around from friend to family member to friend. It's how Charlie is living at the moment, and he's glamorizing it so much. I don't think I could become homeless...not sure if I could handle it. But it might be our only option.

As for logging...loads of Ken and Aki these past few days. They inspire me.

Met up with Brad (contact from Gavin). He's an IT American who lived in Tokyo. He's trying to help us out with funding.

Been working loads of hours at the night job, so my time schedule is all messed up. Don't know what day it is.