My Name is Hiroshi Nohara, Star of Neon Film and Television!

Chapter 276: The Launch of Diverse Documentaries! The Impact of Future Generation Techniques!

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Kanto TV's revitalization plan, while advancing the subsequent episodes of "A Bite of Neon," simultaneously kicked off the filming of science, education, and humanities documentaries.

Nohara Hiroshi finalized three key series: "Kanto Nature Code," focusing on the natural ecology of the Kanto region;

"Artisan's Heart: Passing the Torch," digging deep into the inheritance of traditional crafts;

and "Ecological Corners in the City," recording the coexistence of the city and humanities.

In just a short week, the three filming crews were formed one after another. Bringing the new equipment provided by TV Tokyo, they rushed to the filming sites around Kanto.

Nohara Hiroshi almost didn't touch the ground. Today he was in the forests of Chiba Prefecture guiding the filming of "Kanto Nature Code," tomorrow he would rush to a pottery workshop in Saitama Prefecture to check on "Artisan's Heart," and the day after he would appear in an urban park in Tokyo Metropolis to adjust the filming plan for "Ecological Corners in the City."

The notebook he carried with him was densely packed with filming key points and technique notes. These concepts, which integrated the essence of future generation documentaries, were bit by bit overturning the inherent filming mindset of the Kanto TV team.

"Hiroshi-san, for the moss and ferns here, we originally planned to use wide shots to capture the overall environment. You said we should switch to macro lenses—won't that be too detailed?" Sato Kenta, the young cameraman of the "Kanto Nature Code" crew, looked at the macro lens in his hand, his face full of doubt.

They were filming the primeval forests of the Boso Peninsula in Chiba Prefecture. The previous plan was to show the grandeur of the forest, but Nohara Hiroshi told them to focus on the microorganisms under the fallen leaves, the dewdrops on the moss, and the crawling paths of insects.

Nohara Hiroshi took the camera, adjusted the parameters, aimed it at a patch of moss, and pressed the shutter: "Sato-kun, look at this photo. Macro lenses can capture details the naked eye cannot see—the sunlight refracted by the dewdrops, the texture of the moss, the small beetles hidden under the leaves. The audience is used to seeing grand natural landscapes;

the vitality of these microscopic worlds can bring even more novelty and shock."

He paused and continued: "Furthermore, we can cross-edit these macro shots with wide shots of the forest. For example, first film a close-up of a beetle carrying food, then cut to an aerial shot of the entire forest, forming the visual logic of 'small lives supporting the great ecology,' making the documentary both scientifically rigorous and story-driven."Looking at the image on the camera, Sato Kenta's eyes instantly lit up: "This is amazing! You can actually see the reflection of the forest in the dewdrop! Hiroshi-san, this line of thought of yours is too wonderful! Previously when we filmed nature documentaries, we only thought about filming grand scenes, and never thought macro shots could have such strong expressive power."

Director-editor Suzuki Nanako beside them also signed with emotion: "Hiroshi-san, you even asked us to add anthropomorphic narration for these small insects, like 'In order to survive the winter, the little beetle has to carry food three times its own body weight.' This not only popularizes science knowledge but also makes the film vivid and interesting. Children will definitely love it!"

Nohara Hiroshi smiled and nodded: "Science and education documentaries shouldn't be boring knowledge instillation;

we must give the audience a sense of substitution. We can use a 'following' narrative, such as following the journey of a small beetle to show the forest's ecological chain, or following the hands of a pottery shokunin to show the inheritance of the craft, making the audience feel like they are not watching a documentary, but experiencing a journey."

At a traditional pottery workshop in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture, the "Artisan's Heart: Passing the Torch" crew was filming around the old shokunin, Matsumoto Kiyotaka.

Master Matsumoto inherited three generations of pottery skills and specialized in making wood-fired pottery. But his personality was introverted;

facing the camera, he was always so nervous he couldn't speak, and the filming reached an impasse for a time.

"Hiroshi-san, Master Matsumoto is too shy. We asked him why he insists on 'wood-firing,' and he only said 'I'm used to it.' We fundamentally can't dig up the deeper stories." Director-editor Yamada Takashi said with a bitter face. After half a day of filming, there was very little usable material.

Nohara Hiroshi didn't immediately make Master Matsumoto face the camera. Instead, he pulled the team aside and let Master Matsumoto continue the work in his hands.

He himself brought a small stool and sat next to him, chatting casually with Master Matsumoto—from controlling the heat of wood-firing, to past memories of his father teaching him the craft, to the regret that young people today are unwilling to learn this craft.

"Master Matsumoto, when your father taught you how to fire pottery, was there any event that left a particularly deep impression?" Nohara Hiroshi asked softly.

The wheel in Master Matsumoto's hand spun continuously, and his gaze softened: "When I was sixteen, I fired the kiln independently for the first time. Because I didn't control the heat well, an entire kiln of pottery cracked. My father didn't scold me;

he just took me in front of the kiln, made me touch those cracked potteries, and said, 'Wood-firing is like being a person. You can't be impatient;

you must understand the heat, understand patience'."

Just as Master Matsumoto was immersed in his memories, Nohara Hiroshi shot a meaningful glance to the cameraman hidden to the side.

The cameraman immediately turned on candid camera mode, capturing the tears in Master Matsumoto's eyes and the skillful movements of his hands.

After Master Matsumoto finished chatting, Nohara Hiroshi finally said: "Master Matsumoto, the words you just said are more moving than any propaganda. We don't need to do a deliberate interview;

we'll just film how you work and these stories you told, letting the audience see the true artisan's heart."

In the subsequent filming, the team completely followed Nohara Hiroshi's line of thought. They didn't disturb Master Matsumoto's creative rhythm, only using tracking shots to record the entire processes of him kneading clay, throwing on the wheel, trimming, loading the kiln, and firing the kiln. At the same time, they interspersed it with interactions between him and his apprentice, and narration recalling his father.

"Hiroshi-san, the material filmed this way is too infectious!"

Looking at the playback, Yamada Takashi said excitedly, "Master Matsumoto's focused gaze when trimming the clay bodies, his tense expression when firing the kiln, his gratified smile when seeing the finished products—these details touch people more than deliberate interviews!"

Nohara Hiroshi added: "We also need to add sound design. Like the 'rustle' of kneading clay, the 'buzz' of the potter's wheel, the 'crackle' of the wood fire burning in the kiln. These ambient sounds can make the audience feel immersed. Paired with background music of the shamisen, it both fits the atmosphere of traditional crafts and enhances the film's infectivity."

Watching from the side, Matsui Yuichi was full of awe: "Hiroshi-san, you not only understand the camera but also understand people's hearts. Before when we filmed shokunin documentaries, we always thought about making the shokunin say 'I love this craft very much,' yet we didn't know that true love is all hidden in the movements and details. This 'non-intrusive, capture-focused' filming method of yours completely completely subverts our cognition!"

At Korakuen Park in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo Metropolis, the "Ecological Corners in the City" crew was filming the birds and vegetation in the park.

Nohara Hiroshi's proposed concept of an "urban ecological diary" made everyone's eyes light up—they would no longer simply record the ecology of the park. Instead, they selected three "observation spots": a century-old pine tree, a patch of wetland, and a bird-feeding station. They filmed at fixed times every day to record the ecological changes amidst the changing of the four seasons.

"Hiroshi-san, we originally planned to film the park guide explaining ecological knowledge. Why are you having us film ordinary citizens' interactions, like old people feeding birds, children observing insects, and gardeners pruning vegetation?" Director-editor Kobayashi Kijiro asked.

"Because the core of urban ecology is the coexistence of humans and nature."

Nohara Hiroshi pointed at an old man feeding birds. "This old man comes to feed the birds every day and has persisted for ten years. The tacit understanding between him and the birds is the most vivid ecological story. What we need to film is not 'ecological knowledge,' but 'ecological life,' making the audience feel that ecological protection is not a distant slogan, but small things right by their side."

He also proposed the combination technique of "time-lapse photography + character interviews": "We use time-lapse photography to record the changes of the ancient pine through the four seasons from sprouting to shedding leaves, and then intersperse it with interviews of citizens who come to the park in each season, like couples coming to enjoy flowers in spring, old people coming to cool off in summer, students coming to sketch from nature in autumn, and volunteers coming to feed birds in winter. This not only showcases ecological changes but also conveys humanistic warmth."

The team filmed according to this line of thought and quickly collected a large amount of vivid material.

Kobayashi Kijiro sighed with emotion: "Hiroshi-san, your ideas are too far ahead! Before when we filmed city documentaries, we always thought about filming high-rise buildings and bustling streets, and ignored these ecological corners hidden in the city. Now looking at it, these corners are the soul of the city, possessing both natural vitality and humanistic warmth."

Nohara Hiroshi's filming techniques and creativity not only won over the Kanto TV team, but the news also spread within the industry through various channels.

At an industry conference, Section Chief Hashimoto Ichiro of TV Tokyo inadvertently mentioned the new documentaries Nohara Hiroshi was guiding, instantly causing a sensation.

"Section Chief Hashimoto, you're saying Nohara Hiroshi used a macro lens to film small insects in the forest and even added anthropomorphic narration? That is too fresh!" NHK's senior documentary director Miyazawa Kenji asked, his eyes full of curiosity.

Hashimoto Ichiro smiled and nodded: "Not just that! When he filmed the shokunin documentaries, he didn't do deliberate interviews, only tracking and filming the details of the shokunin working, and using ambient sound and narration to tell the story. For urban ecology, he focused on the interaction between ordinary citizens and nature, making science and education films as moving as narrative films. I saw their sample clips;

the camera language and narrative method completely exceed the current industry level."

Independent documentary director Kuroda Akihiko also said: "I've heard! The documentaries Kanto TV filmed before were all very conventional. Since Nohara Hiroshi went there, they've completely changed. 'A Bite of Neon' was already very stunning, and now their newly filmed science, education, and humanities series is said to be even more groundbreaking. I really want to see the finished films earlier!"

Discussions within the industry increased. Many directors inquired about the progress of Kanto TV's new documentaries through various channels, and some TV stations even proactively contacted Kanto TV, wanting to pre-order the broadcasting rights.

Nohara Hiroshi's talent was not only reflected in filming techniques, but more so in his deep control over the content.

Whenever an filming crew encountered a problem, he could always hit the nail on the head, pointing out the core and giving practical and feasible solutions.

When the "Kanto Nature Code" filming crew encountered the difficult problem of "how to explain the ecological chain," Nohara Hiroshi proposed using the method of "animation demonstration + live-action filming": "For example, explaining the food chain of 'insects → birds → birds of prey', we first film live-action of insects being preyed upon by birds, then use concise animation to demonstrate the circulation of the food chain, and finally film images of birds of prey soaring in the sky. This is both scientifically accurate and easy to understand;

both adults and children can understand."

When the "Artisan's Heart: Passing the Torch" filming crew struggled with "how to showcase the difficulty of the craft," Nohara Hiroshi told them to use "slow motion + close-up details": "For example, the process of loading the kiln for wood-fired pottery, Master Matsumoto needs to accurately control the position of every piece of pottery to ensure even heating. We use slow motion to film his hand gestures as he places the pottery, use close-ups to film the beads of sweat on his forehead, and then add the 'crack' sound of the kiln fire. The difficulty of the craft and the shokunin's focus are naturally manifested."

The team members of Kanto TV, from initial surprise and doubt, to later conviction and admiration, everyone grew rapidly under Nohara Hiroshi's guidance.

Sato Kenta's macro filming techniques became increasingly proficient, Yamada Takashi's narrative ability greatly improved, and Kobayashi Kijiro's camera language became more and more rich.

"Hiroshi-san is truly a genius!" Suzuki Nanako sighed with emotion at a team dinner. "He not only understands filming and narration, but also the psychology of the audience. Every time he proposes an idea, we all find it unbelievable at first, but the filmed results are amazingly good."

Matsui Yuichi said with deep feeling: "I've filmed documentaries for twenty years and always felt the industry's ceiling was right there. It wasn't until I met Hiroshi-san that I realized documentaries could be filmed like this! What he brought were not just new techniques, but new ways of thinking. Now everyone at Kanto TV is holding onto a burst of energy, wanting to film better works and not let down his guidance."

The attention from the industry also gave Kanto TV tremendous encouragement.

The Ministry of Education proactively contacted Kanto TV, expressing their willingness to increase support funds to support them in filming more science, education, and humanities documentaries;

several well-known enterprises also sent their sponsorship intentions to cooperate with Kanto TV to promote traditional culture and ecological protection;

even overseas TV stations contacted them in advance, wanting to simultaneously import these new documentaries.

"Hiroshi-san, right now the industry is saying that Kanto TV is going to be different!"

Yamada Takashi excitedly told Nohara Hiroshi this news. "Everyone is saying your talent is too terrifying. Not only did you breathe life back into 'A Bite of Neon,' but you also brought out so many innovative new plannings. Now when Kanto TV is mentioned, no one feels it's a 'backward local station' anymore;

instead, they are full of expectation!"

Looking at the smiles on the team members' faces, Nohara Hiroshi's heart was full of gratification.

He knew that Kanto TV's changes were not to his credit alone, but the result of the entire team's joint efforts.

He only brought over the documentary concepts and techniques of future generations;

what truly made these concepts land were the team members' execution and creativity.

"This is just the beginning."

Nohara Hiroshi's tone was steady. "These documentaries we are filming now must not only be good-looking and easy to understand, but also have impact. I hope that through these films, more people will pay attention to the nature, traditions, and humanities of Kanto, so that traditional culture can be passed on, and ecological protection can become a consensus. This is the meaning of us making documentaries."

In the following days, Nohara Hiroshi continued to run around the various filming sites, guiding the team to polish every shot and every segment of narration.

The subsequent episodes of "A Bite of Neon" advanced smoothly. The post-production for Episode 7, "Changes of Chiba Fishing Port," was completed. As soon as the sample cut was screened internally, it received unanimous praise. The forest portion of "Kanto Nature Code" finished filming, and the natural world under macro lenses was stunning to people. The material collection for the pottery chapter of "Artisan's Heart: Passing the Torch" was completed, and Master Matsumoto's story was deeply moving. "Ecological Corners in the City" also filmed quite a few vivid scenes of citizen interactions.

Inside Kanto TV's office building, the dead silence of the past was gone, replaced by a busy yet orderly atmosphere.

Everyone was working hard toward the same goal. Everyone believed that under Nohara Hiroshi's leadership, Kanto TV could definitely rise again and become the focus of attention in the industry.

As Nohara Hiroshi stood at the filming sites, looking at the vivid lives, the persisting shokunin, the warm citizens in the camera lens, he secretly nodded in his heart.

To him, the current state of things was very good, and everything could still get better.

The distance to him becoming a star of the film and television world was...

Not far either!