Blog

Two weeks into the new year, my message on this website and in my book remains the same: It's up to you. I still meet people here in Tokyo who seem completely unaware of other job opportunities that they are most likely suitable for, such as voiceovers, editing, commercial/model work, magazine/newspaper writing. It's not a big mystery, folks; it's all there waiting for you if you want to take the time to explore the options. So, again, FIT offers all the information you need to hit the ground running in Tokyo, and if you don't want to read the book, at least check out the Helpful Websites section to see the myriad ways you can interact with this wild 'n crazy city, make your presence known and get going.

FIT was written to help people find excellent freelance job opportunities in Tokyo, especially those that do not require specialized or technical skills. Since the 3/11 earthquake and all the insanity that has followed, I have questioned whether FIT continues to have value. That said, I can only share my truth: even now, three years after FIT was released, and after all that has transpired since the quake,  I continue to experience almost everything I wrote about on a daily basis. 

Is it that time yet? I'm afraid it is. Another year is nearing an end. It's been a rough one for many of us, with the 3/11 earthquake defining almost every step we've taken since. For those of you who are in Tokyo, it may seem as if nothing at all happened. Everyone still seems to be rushing around, wrapped up in their own private worlds, jabbing at their phones, oblivious to all other realities except the glowing screen in front of their faces.

I have never done two blogs in one day, but I have to add to the one I posted earlier.

Hello, Japanese entertainment industry! You want to hire foreigners to appear in your commercials, your TV shows and your films (of course, only as extras or support people; never as stars). But for some reason, you (meaning agencies, agents, production companies, ad nauseam) do not feel any obligation to pay us within a realistic amount of time. Why is that? 

For those of us roughing it out in Tokyo this summer, we've exchanged stories of how "tough" it is: Jobs being canceled, not enough work coming in, phones not ringing. Yes, it is true; things slow down in August in Japan as everyone flees the heat. But for those of you who braved it and who may be surviving by your wits, I say: Go a step farther.