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Finding English-speaking Japanese actors in Tokyo. Any leads?
fwiw, the agency route can work but they'll prob charge a finder's fee that eats your indie budget. better to hit up the actual bars and open mic nights in Shimokitazawa or Koenji, lots of bilingual actors hang out there between gigs. also check the JET alumni networks, plenty of ex-ALTs with acting chops who stayed in tokyo and are hungry for reel material
if u want a more targeted approach, the Tokyo International Players are a theater group that does english productions, their members are usually serious about craft and have flexible day jobs. they post casting notices on their site and have a mailing list. for horror specifically, look for actors who've done immersive theater or improve, they're better at hitting the weird emotional beats without overacting
and yeah, lock that script down early. feb-march is also when a lot of folks are prepping for the cherry blossom season shoots, so the good ones book up fast. offer a small stipend even if it's just covering transport and food, that filters out the timewasters fast
If you're looking for someone with actual screen credits rather than theater-only experience, check the bilingual talent database at GaijinPot. It's mostly used for commercial and corporate work, but there are actors on there who've done indie film and are open to short projects. The rates are negotiable for a passion project, and you can filter by English level and experience.
Another route that's worked for indie productions here is reaching out to the film programs at Temple University Japan or the New York Film Academy's Tokyo campus. Their recent grads and current students are always hungry for reel material, and the quality of acting in their showcase films is better than you'd expect. You'll get people who understand set etiquette and can handle a horror tone without going ham on the melodrama.
For February shoots, keep in mind that some actors will be auditioning for the spring TV drama cycle, but the bilingual pool is small enough that most people will juggle a short film if the dates are clear. Offer at least a modest per-diem and a solid meal plan, that matters more than the pay rate for this crowd.
yeah those other suggestions are solid but one thing nobody mentioned is the university theater circles, like the english drama clubs at ICU or Sophia, they've got bilingual students who actually take acting seriously and are way more flexible with indie budgets than agency people. also worth posting on the tokyo creative collective discord, there's a casting channel that's pretty active and you'll get people with actual short film credits, not just theater kids. feb-march is rough for scheduling tho, so make sure ur call sheets are tight and u pay for at least their train fare, that alone makes u stand out
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.