{"id":1531,"date":"2015-12-06T18:31:36","date_gmt":"2015-12-06T18:31:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/?p=1531"},"modified":"2016-12-27T16:30:31","modified_gmt":"2016-12-27T16:30:31","slug":"marc-albert","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/marc-albert\/","title":{"rendered":"Marc Albert"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cwnHCPH0Weo?rel=0&amp;controls=0&amp;showinfo=0\" width=\"853\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fashion &amp; Celebrity photographer <a href=\"http:\/\/www.marcalbertphoto.com\/index.html\">Marc Albert <\/a>graduated in Advertising at the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nimeto.nl\">Nimeto, Netherlands<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Following a brief career as assistant-art director for Dutch advertising giant <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fhv.bbdo.nl\/nl_NL\/home\">FHV\/BBDO<\/a>, Marc traveled the world for years as a fashion model before finally giving way to a longtime passion:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Communicating Through Visuals\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Since 2000, he\u2019s done an array of high-profile assignments including Harper\u2019s Bazarr, Glamorous, Fader Japan, Brazil\u2019s Versatile Magazine, and shot the International A-list celebrities <a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyonce.com\">Beyonc\u00e9 Knowles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jenniferlopez.com\">Jennifer Lopez <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.avrillavigne.com\/us\/home\">Avril Levigne<\/a> one-on-one. He has also shot Japanese A-list celebrities <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bz-vermillion.com\/english\/\">B\u2019Z<\/a> (CD-jacket), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bonniepink.jp\">Bonnie Pink<\/a>, and actor <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ken-on.co.jp\/sawamura\/index.html\">Sawamura Ikki<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Most recently, Marc has been increasingly active as a director for music videos and short films through his very own production company\u00a0<span style=\"color: #0000ee;\"><u>RADIOACTIVE FILMS<\/u><\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><b><br \/>\nHi, Marc, It has been really great knowing you since 2007!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>I am glad that I get to interview you!<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>1.\u00a0 Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, you are well known for being a famous Fashion and Celebrity photographer.\u00a0 Tell me about your childhood life and why you decided to come to Japan to pursue this excellent career here?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/1931363_44152797707_4595_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-1777\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/1931363_44152797707_4595_n.jpg\" alt=\"1931363_44152797707_4595_n\" width=\"300\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/1931363_44152797707_4595_n.jpg 452w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/1931363_44152797707_4595_n-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>It\u2019s my pleasure Tomoko!<\/p>\n<p>We&#8217;ve definitely come a long way&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>My childhood was good, growing up in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with loving parents.\u00a0 As teenagers, my brother and I would often play bass and guitar respectively in my room. We always loved playing our music loud.<\/p>\n<p>The neighbors were not too impressed with it, especially on Sunday afternoons.<\/p>\n<p>Blessed but not satisfied, I followed my heart and traveled the world as a professional model.\u00a0 It has taken me carefully to the place I am now: Tokyo.<\/p>\n<p>Interesting how we get there. Led by the choices we make.<\/p>\n<p>One of these choices was the decision to move to Japan and become a successful photographer.\u00a0 It was a high-risk choice (perhaps mission-impossible ?) at the time. But as they say: no pain, no gain.<\/p>\n<p>Through hard work, sharp focus and determination I was able to gain remarkable success along the way.<\/p>\n<p>Feeling very blessed..<\/p>\n<p><b>2.\u00a0 Can you speak a little more about your time in the Netherlands?\u00a0 When you left, did you know you would be gone for so long?\u00a0 Did you leave and not look back, or do you think you may return some day?\u00a0 Have you been back to the Netherlands since you moved to Japan?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341068_10153752450957708_497137630662051806_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1800 alignright\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341068_10153752450957708_497137630662051806_n.jpg\" alt=\"12341068_10153752450957708_497137630662051806_n\" width=\"251\" height=\"345\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341068_10153752450957708_497137630662051806_n.jpg 582w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341068_10153752450957708_497137630662051806_n-218x300.jpg 218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I went to an art school in Holland wanting to be an art director for an ad firm.\u00a0 I did that for four years.\u00a0 Someone approached me and asked me if I wanted to be a model.\u00a0 I declined it\u00a0and went into the army for a year and a half, which was obligatory in the Netherlands at that time.\u00a0 I hated it.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like to follow orders!\u00a0 When I finished that I remembered the offer from a year and a half ago.\u00a0 I visited a modeling agency but they declined me!<\/p>\n<p>So I started working for an advertising agency in Amsterdam.\u00a0 One of the models for a newspaper-ad shoot called in sick.\u00a0 My collegue asked if I wanted to do it.\u00a0 I was unsure but they said they would pay $500 for the afternoon so of course I did it.<\/p>\n<p>The stylist on the job &#8211; famous in Holland &#8211; took me to a the best model agency in Amsterdam two days after the shoot. \u00a0My first assignment was for Vogue \u2013 the whole issue was shot in Amsterdam. \u00a0After that\u00a0I spent a few years traveling the world and modeling.<\/p>\n<p>In 1999 I was married to a Brazilian lady \u2013 I had always intended to move to Brazil.\u00a0 Even as a young boy my mother told me I had a dream to travel to Brazil.\u00a0 We eventually separated and that is when I decided to make a decision to go to Tokyo.\u00a0 I knew some photographers and models there which meant I had direct bookings and was making money.\u00a0 Tokyo was the perfect place to get serious about photography.<\/p>\n<p>I had the time to learn the craft and invest in the equipment.\u00a0 Japan provided the perfect platform for me to get started.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12322468_10153752442437708_7649829209386793904_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1798 aligncenter\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12322468_10153752442437708_7649829209386793904_o.jpg\" alt=\"12322468_10153752442437708_7649829209386793904_o\" width=\"902\" height=\"595\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12322468_10153752442437708_7649829209386793904_o.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12322468_10153752442437708_7649829209386793904_o-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12322468_10153752442437708_7649829209386793904_o-1024x675.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>3.\u00a0 How do you think your life may have differed had you stayed in Amsterdam and never pursued your dreams abroad &#8211; especially coming to Japan?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Holland is a very small country with limited resources for fashion.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always had an open view &#8211; a \u201cborderless\u201d view of the world.\u00a0 If I had stayed in Amsterdam I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 Since I left Amsterdam it has been an incredible journey.\u00a0 As a model I have been able to travel to different places and even live there.\u00a0 I have made many friends all over the world.<\/p>\n<p>I have no regrets!!\u00a0 I\u2019ve made some bad decisions along the way but it all adds to the next chapter.\u00a0 I never look back.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309504_10153752464257708_2843416621360770457_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1790 alignright\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309504_10153752464257708_2843416621360770457_o.jpg\" alt=\"12309504_10153752464257708_2843416621360770457_o\" width=\"250\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309504_10153752464257708_2843416621360770457_o.jpg 750w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309504_10153752464257708_2843416621360770457_o-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>4.\u00a0 When did you start taking photos professionally ?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I started taking photography seriously in 2000, when I decided to settle down in Tokyo.\u00a0 Simply put, I needed two things. (1) Time (learning the craft) and (2) Money (to buy top-notch pro-equipment).<\/p>\n<p>At that time many modeling clients would book me direct (without an audition) as they all knew me well, therefore securing my funds.<\/p>\n<p>And not having to go on auditions freed up a huge amount of time for me to learn photography.<\/p>\n<p>I have worked with many photographers as a model, and witnessed many styles &amp; ways of working.<\/p>\n<p>I took the parts I like most and sculpted it into my own style.<\/p>\n<p>No doubt the experience I have on &#8220;both sides of the lens&#8221; helps me directing my subjects.\u00a0 I know how they are feeling, and I can usually tell what stimulation they need to perform.<\/p>\n<p><b>5.\u00a0 How do you get offers from celebrities such as A-list Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, Avirl Lavigne, Beyonc\u00e9 Knowles, Ne-Yo and others?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The celebrity assignments I booked came mainly through my photo agent.<\/p>\n<p>I always enjoy shooting celebrities because of the immense pressure that comes with it. You never know what`s going to happen.<\/p>\n<p>You have to be able to adjust (or even abandon) your plan at the very last minute whilst forced to improvise at very short notice.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/99504511\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>6.\u00a0 If you do not mind, I would like to ask you about your band SUPERFUNKTION.\u00a0 I know that you have been been a singer with this band because you have worn clothing on stage sponsored by my apparel store.\u00a0 Why did you start being a singer and are you still planning to be a singer in your future.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>My girlfriend calls it it my &#8220;midlife crisis&#8221;.\u00a0 I was doing really well at the time shooting celebrities etc.<br \/>\nI got an opportunity to do something I\u2019ve always wanted to do since my adolescence: writing music, performing music, \u201cbreathing&#8221; music.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11218456_10153752462522708_7295663325212222500_n-e1449422908608.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-1781\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11218456_10153752462522708_7295663325212222500_n-e1449422908608.jpg\" alt=\"11218456_10153752462522708_7295663325212222500_n\" width=\"360\" height=\"270\" \/><\/a>With my music-partner at the time I formed a highly energetic 8-piece groove\/funk band playing our own original material.<br \/>\nIt was pretty intense.\u00a0 I gave up everything in photography.\u00a0 It was a childhood dream and I have no regrets.\u00a0 It was an experience that money can`t buy.<\/p>\n<p>It is an incredible experience playing live.\u00a0 I remember waking up in the middle of the night \u2013 waking up and singing a melody into my iPhone.\u00a0 Six months later I\u2019m playing it live and nine months later hearing it on the radio.<br \/>\nNowadays I do a jam-session from time to time with like minded musicians, and have written an array of songs that are ready to go.<br \/>\nBut when?\u00a0 Haha. I dunno.\u00a0 I have set different priorities at this time.<br \/>\nI needed to get it out of my system.\u00a0 And I did!\u00a0 After four years we were very close to some success.<br \/>\nDue to artistic differences, my music partner and I decided to go our separate ways and I went back to photography.<\/p>\n<p><b>7.\u00a0 You have also modeled for a variety of famous and popular magazines in Japan.\u00a0 You look like an actor, when did you start modeling?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Thank you Tomoko. Unfortunate for me, \u201clooks\u201d alone don`t make you an actor in-demand.\u00a0 I`ve seen myself in numerous TV-commercials and never liked my acting.\u00a0 Maybe deep down I think as a director, and not as an actor?<\/p>\n<p>Modeling has taken me on an extraordinary global trip, one that very few people get to experience.\u00a0 Everything I do or think today is based upon that experience. It made me into who I am.\u00a0 I must say, it`s been quite a ride !<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/129633563\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>8.\u00a0 Where did you get the inspiration for all of your incredible jobs?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Everyday surroundings inspire me.<\/p>\n<p>Situations, people, reactions, colors, lines, shadows, lights, refections. The list goes on.<\/p>\n<p>It`s all right in front of us really. We just have to notice it..<\/p>\n<p><b>9.\u00a0 How do you choose clothing for your models &#8211; how do you make wardrobe decisions during your fashion shoots?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I have two kinds of work \u2013 one is to make money, one is for personal satisfaction.\u00a0 For any project I am meticulous in details.<br \/>\nOn commercial assignments a professional stylist usually decides what clothes the model is going to wear. I just fine-tune any detail on the spot if I think something`s not working.<\/p>\n<p>For my personal projects I do make all the wardrobe decisions myself.\u00a0\u00a0It`s fair to say that I`m a\u00a0&#8220;black -or- white&#8221;\u00a0kind of\u00a0person \u2013 no grey area.\u00a0\u00a0I\u00a0either like or I don`t\u2026 I guess that`s why choosing the right clothes is pretty easy for me.<br \/>\nMy work is always very fashionable.\u00a0 Style.\u00a0 You can say a lot with style.\u00a0 For example, if you are making a movie\u2026.if you have a homeless man laying on the street in Gucci it is not really believable.\u00a0 You rough him up a little, etc.\u00a0 For a business man you find an Italian suit.\u00a0 Personally I always want to look my best.\u00a0 Style is important.\u00a0 Working with Tomoko was amazing.\u00a0 We were lucky to always look cool on stage when I was performing with Superfunktion.<\/p>\n<p><b><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341546_10153752462057708_7817885142297943445_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1803 alignright\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341546_10153752462057708_7817885142297943445_n.jpg\" alt=\"12341546_10153752462057708_7817885142297943445_n\" width=\"350\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341546_10153752462057708_7817885142297943445_n.jpg 960w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341546_10153752462057708_7817885142297943445_n-300x229.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a>10.\u00a0 And your photo assistants?\u00a0 How do people get the chance to work with you?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I started directing videos about 3 years ago.\u00a0 I always wanted to do that.\u00a0 I truly believe that video will take over from photography in the years to come, and of course I need to stay ahead of the pack.<br \/>\nVideo\/Film is much more complicated than photography. You`ll need more time, more funds, more crew and more equipment to get results.<br \/>\nSo far I have directed three music videos for three very different artists, a Fashion video, an interview with golfer Mika Miyazaki for the Festaria brand and a 7 min-long arty short-film called \u2018<a href=\"http:\/\/www.reverseforward.net\/\">REVERSE FORWARD<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>It`s tough for me to single out my favorite of the videos I`ve directed. They are all so different and serve their own purposes with their visuals complimenting each song.<br \/>\nThat said, I\u2019ve been fortunate to work closely with this legendary UK band. The film is entirely shot in Tokyo and it`s a direct homage to their Japanese fan base. \u00a0The \u201cDirector`s Cut\u201d of the video features the Peach John`s mixed American\/Japanese supermodel Melody Yoko.<\/p>\n<p>Music videos and celebrity photo-sessions are two completely different beasts.\u00a0 This might surprise you, but most celebrities don`t enjoy photo-sessions very much. It`s part of their job and sure they are professional, but in the end they are artists, not models. They\u2019re usually more in their original environment when filming music videos. Singing, dancing\u2026<br \/>\nSeemingly, they enjoy that type of experience much more.<br \/>\nAs for me, I try to enjoy everything I do. You could say that I direct my life that way.\u00a0 The recipe is quite simple: create your own opportunities and love life.\u00a0 Put yourself where you want to be.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309608_10153752454192708_4546975088695907863_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1792 aligncenter\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309608_10153752454192708_4546975088695907863_o.jpg\" alt=\"12309608_10153752454192708_4546975088695907863_o\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309608_10153752454192708_4546975088695907863_o.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309608_10153752454192708_4546975088695907863_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12309608_10153752454192708_4546975088695907863_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>11.\u00a0 You are also the Director and Producer of three great music videos, \u2018Hands Up If You Wanna Be Loved\u2019 by Incognito, \u2018Prayer\u2019 by Bishop-XL and \u2018Fr. (Francium)\u2019 by Damiana Terry.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Those were awesome video clips. Which one is your favorite?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the difference between making music video`s and taking celebrity photographs ?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Do you enjoy both of them?\u00a0Tell me more about this a little.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I started directing videos about 2 1\/2 years ago.\u00a0 I always wanted to do that.\u00a0 I truly believe that video will take over from photography in the years to come, and of course I need to stay ahead of the pack.<\/p>\n<p>Video\/Film is much more complicated than photography. You`ll need more time, more funds, more crew and more equipment to get results.<\/p>\n<p>So far I have directed three music videos for three very different artists, an interview with golfer Mika Miyazaki for the Festaria brand and a 7 min-long arty short-film called \u2018<a href=\"http:\/\/www.reverseforward.net\">REVERSE FORWARD<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>It`s tough for me to single out my favorite of the videos I`ve directed. \u00a0They are all so different and serve their own purposes with their visuals complimenting each song.<\/p>\n<p>At the moment I am very exited about the upcoming INCOGNITO music video release of course. \u00a0I\u2019ve been fortunate to work closely with this legendary UK band. The film is entirely shot in Tokyo and it`s a direct homage to their Japanese fan base. \u00a0The &#8220;Director`s Cut&#8221; of the video features the Peach John`s mixed American\/Japanese supermodel Melody Yoko.<\/p>\n<p>The official release for this video will be very soon.. Stay tuned.<\/p>\n<p>Music videos and celebrity photo-sessions are two completely different beasts.\u00a0 This might surprise you, but most celebrities don`t enjoy photo-sessions very much. It`s part of their job and sure they are professional, but in the end they are artists, not models. They&#8217;re usually more in their original environment when filming music videos. Singing, dancing&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Seemingly, they enjoy that type of experience much more.<\/p>\n<p>As for me, I try to enjoy everything I do. You could say that I direct my life that way.\u00a0 The recipe is quite simple: create your own opportunities and love life.\u00a0 Put yourself where you want to be.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/53197583\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/53197583\">Fr. (Francium) Artist: Damiana Terry. Director: Marc Albert.<\/a> from <a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\/radioactivefilms\">RADIOACTIVE FILMS<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/vimeo.com\">Vimeo<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>12.\u00a0 Can you talk a little more about working with video?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>You can see in my photographs there is a lot of movement. Eyes direct movement or there is motion in the picture.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always been drawn to motion pictures.\u00a0 I knew when I started photography it would be a stepping stone to film.\u00a0 Recently, over the past few years there is a trend \u2013 Youtube etc.\u00a0 Ten years from now print and still photos will be 85% obsolete I believe.\u00a0 Video will take over\u00a0in a similar way digital took over.\u00a0 There will be LCD screens where there were posters.<\/p>\n<p>The main reason for this shift is that video-equipment is much more affordable nowadays.\u00a0 I use 5D Mark II and a 2.5 K Blackmagic Design as my movie camera`s.\u00a0These are $2000-3000 camera bodies with a $2500 lens. It used to be you\u2019d need $40,000-50,000 \u00a0worth of camera equipment to shoot motion pictures.\u00a0 Everything is much more affordable now.\u00a0 It used to be reserved for big companies with big budgets.\u00a0 Now video \u00a0is accessible to smaller clients.\u00a0 Four years ago I got back into photography after leaving my band Superunktion.\u00a0 That\u2019s when I got into film. \u00a0 I\u2019m autodidactic \u2013 self taught in film and photo.\u00a0 You can\u2019t \u201cfake&#8221; things like in photography.\u00a0 It\u2019s 1\/125th of a second (photography) vs. a 10 second scene in video.<\/p>\n<p>In film you have to be more accurate. \u00a0Camera movement, choreography, timing, exposures etc.<br \/>\nI love challenges.\u00a0 This is the challenge for the past four years.\u00a0 I\u2019m almost doing more film now than photography. \u00a0 I\u2019ve done various \u00a0aspects in film making like Director, Producer, Grip, Editor, Colorist, and so on. For a Director it is important to have a bit of knowledge of all aspects of film making.\u00a0That way you can direct everyone on the team. In photography it is just me and my assistant. \u00a0In photography I think I have reached a plateau\u2026I can shoot it all \u2013 relax and say \u201csmooth sailing\u201d.\u00a0 But I like to push myself.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/96656062\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>13.\u00a0 What film projects are you currently working on?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve shot some short films, music videos \u2013 I did the video for the band called Incognito \u2013 an acid band from London.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been a fan for 20 years.\u00a0 Also shot some commercial promotional videos.\u00a0 This year I worked on an American indie feature film shot half in SF, half in Tokyo and some scenes in Myanmar.<\/p>\n<p>It is being edited in LA right now.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been working on the project since February.\u00a0 The project is basically a film about an American street performer who gets recognition in Tokyo.\u00a0 A documentarian is following the performer to see how he ended up in Japan.<\/p>\n<p>We are hoping for a world premiere at the Toronto film festival next year.\u00a0 Toronto is more receptive to films of this kind than<br \/>\nThe editing should take until March.\u00a0 Then we will shop it around.\u00a0 Its going to be one of the craziest movies you will see \u2013 definitely original.\u00a0 I\u2019ve wanted to make it so badly \u2013 it is incredibly original.\u00a0 I\u2019m happy to move on though, 9 months is a long time to work on any project.<\/p>\n<p><b>14.\u00a0 How did you get your start when you first came to Japan?\u00a0 Was it hard to get to the place where you are right now?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/16457_10152949615512708_1055773826718704720_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-1768\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/16457_10152949615512708_1055773826718704720_n.jpg\" alt=\"16457_10152949615512708_1055773826718704720_n\" width=\"250\" height=\"375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/16457_10152949615512708_1055773826718704720_n.jpg 640w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/16457_10152949615512708_1055773826718704720_n-200x300.jpg 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><\/a>Success doesn\u2019t come easy. You have to believe in yourself.<\/p>\n<p>It`s a mix of hard work, practice, persistence, vision, timing (all in your control) and a tiny dose of luck.<\/p>\n<p>When I came to Japan for the first time (modeling) it was relatively easy to break into the new market.\u00a0 With photography (and film) it`s a much slower and different process. \u00a0It&#8217;s word of mouth when establishing yourself. It`s so much more \u201ctrust-based&#8221;.\u00a0 The client wants to be very sure that you can translate their image into a fruitful campaign.\u00a0 Clients will loosen up a bit after you`ve worked with them and produced the necessary results.<\/p>\n<p>In Japan you also have the strong cultural differences and the language barrier. It is difficult for both parties.\u00a0 There are literally only a handful of successful foreign Photographers &amp; Directors in Japan. And that really says it all.\u00a0 Compare it to New York, London and Paris for example where 70% of the photographers working there are foreigners, not locals.<\/p>\n<p>You`ll definitely have to speak a decent amount of Japanese to be able to make it here.\u00a0 No different from the US, where you will have to speak English to be successful.\u00a0 Proper communication with clients, artists, photographers and art-directors is of utmost importance.<\/p>\n<p><b>15.\u00a0 What is the big difference between working with Japanese celebrities and international celebrities?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p>That`s a good question. And yes, there is a difference.\u00a0 With the caliber of International Celebrities that I shoot (Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Avril Lavigne) I have to expect (and deal with) unexpected drama, mood swings, and an occasional diva attitude.\u00a0 You can just count on some last minute complications. It`s always a challenge !<\/p>\n<p>The Japanese Celebs I have worked with, like the megaband \u00a0B`Z \u00a0and singer Bonnie Pink are all super professional.\u00a0 They don`t seem to take their personal-life &#8220;luggage&#8221; with them into the studio.\u00a0 They just do their job, without complicating things. I would say that is the biggest difference really.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12316344_10153752462787708_5743720743987159309_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1796 alignright\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12316344_10153752462787708_5743720743987159309_n.jpg\" alt=\"12316344_10153752462787708_5743720743987159309_n\" width=\"400\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12316344_10153752462787708_5743720743987159309_n.jpg 637w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12316344_10153752462787708_5743720743987159309_n-239x300.jpg 239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a>16.\u00a0 What has been your favorite assignment or pieces of work as a photographer?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been on both sides of the camera.\u00a0\u00a0\u2028Having been on shoots where there is no communication I like to make people feel secure.\u00a0 All of my shoots are pretty memorable really.<\/p>\n<p>One of the shoots I really enjoyed was Jennifer Lopez.\u00a0 Some unexpected things happened.\u00a0 There was a 20 minute lunch break in the middle of a 1 hour photo shoot.\u00a0 5 different settings, wardrobe, hair,\u2026.it takes time.\u00a0 On average it takes 30 minutes to take one real good shot.\u00a0 So take 5 shots in an hour minus 20 minute lunch break, wardrobe changes, etc.\u00a0 That leaves 3 minutes per shot.\u00a0 I had maybe 3 or 4 minutes for each shot.\u00a0 And no chance to reshoot it.<\/p>\n<p>Management from J Lo was upfront with me and told me I had to let them know what I would be using.\u00a0 From rug to props it all had to be pre-approved.\u00a0 She was the first big celebrity I worked with.\u00a0 The lens amplifies.\u00a0 Imagine me looking into the lens, seeing J Lo flirting with the camera, staring into lens \u2013 very intense.<\/p>\n<p>I was the first photographer to shoot Avril Lavigne with her new hair style \u2013 she had curls and blondish hair.\u00a0 I was in a hotel room with 15 minutes to shoot and one hour to set up.\u00a0 Her agent arrived and said \u201cno punk\u201d.\u00a0 I had intended to use some hard lighting but had to change everything at the last minute.\u00a0 When shooting a celebrity if they say \u201cstop\u201d I have to stop.\u00a0 Even if I only have 10 shots.\u00a0 While my assistants were chaining the lights I had the opportunity to speak to Avril. \u00a0I managed to put her at ease and relax.\u00a0 After everything was set up I managed to get 60 shots rather than the 10 I might have normally.\u00a0 Having the five minutes to speak to her made all the difference. Things always change last minute.\u00a0 Its like walking on eggshells.<\/p>\n<p><b>17.\u00a0 What is the difference between a Japanese vs. Western audience?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>People book me because I have a different vision.\u00a0 I work with an independent film production company here in Tokyo, since\u00a0the beginning of this year.\u00a0 One of the producers was talking to me about the difference between Japanese films or clips and western ones.\u00a0 The Japanese like more static shots with less hand held shooting \u2013 somewhat predictable.\u00a0 The difference for me and part of my success is that my vision is completely different.\u00a0 The Japanese still are very locally minded.\u00a0 They always say \u201cThis is Japan\u201d.\u00a0 I think globally \u2013 I have a global mind.\u00a0 I want people to like what I do everywhere.\u00a0 Its not specifically for the Japanese market.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11816335_10153473425487708_627359135680201722_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1782 aligncenter\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11816335_10153473425487708_627359135680201722_o.jpg\" alt=\"11816335_10153473425487708_627359135680201722_o\" width=\"900\" height=\"589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11816335_10153473425487708_627359135680201722_o.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11816335_10153473425487708_627359135680201722_o-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/11816335_10153473425487708_627359135680201722_o-1024x670.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>18.\u00a0 Are you planning to stay in Japan rest of your life?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Haha, it`s impossible to answer that question. Life takes me where ever it takes me.\u00a0 No matter how much you plan, tomorrow could bring very unexpected changes..\u00a0 But, that`s precisely what keeps it so real and exiting!<\/p>\n<p><b>19.\u00a0 What do you love about Japan?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341508_10153752450862708_1985617771301552717_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1802 alignright\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341508_10153752450862708_1985617771301552717_n.jpg\" alt=\"12341508_10153752450862708_1985617771301552717_n\" width=\"350\" height=\"482\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341508_10153752450862708_1985617771301552717_n.jpg 581w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12341508_10153752450862708_1985617771301552717_n-218x300.jpg 218w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve developed a love relationship with Japan. When I ran out of money whilst modeling I\u2019d call \u00a0up my agency here and two months later I\u2019d walk away with $20,000.<\/p>\n<p>The first time I came to Japan was in \u201987.\u00a0 Initially taxis wouldn\u2019t pick you up if you weren\u2019t Japanese.\u00a0 Foreigners were unique \u2013 blonde hair would draw stares.\u00a0 Living in Japan gives me a sense of freedom and safety.\u00a0 There\u2019s a certain paranoia abroad.\u00a0 You have to be careful when walking the streets when visiting other countries.\u00a0 This is not true in Japan.\u00a0 You can go to a convenience store at 2 am with no concern for your safety.\u00a0 You can see little children going to school by themselves.\u00a0 This is unheard of elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>What is the perfect place?\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t exist.\u00a0 Every place has good things and bad things. \u00a0I look for the place that has more good things than bad.<br \/>\nI must say, Japan has always saved my butt.<\/p>\n<p><b>20.\u00a0 What is your goal, and what do you want to become?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>My goal is not a professional, but rather a personal one:<\/p>\n<p>I constantly strive to be a better person. Being nice to people. Bringing a moment of joy into peoples day.\u00a0 It gives me enormous satisfaction to know I just made somebody happy, even if it was for a spilt second.\u00a0 As humans we have many social boundaries. I feel they are there to be stretched wider and into the positive.<\/p>\n<p><b>21.\u00a0 You also do advertising and tie-up`s for Rolex, FaderMag, Glamorous, and other magazines. I think this is wonderful as people know that you are already a famous photographer in Tokyo.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>It is just amazing that you are doing tie up`s for brands like Rolex.\u00a0 Are you getting more offers from other countries?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Big brand names have luckily become a part of what I do.<\/p>\n<p>Advertising assignments, in general, are quite difficult and extremely technical.\u00a0 You have to be able to understand, and work with, high level art-directors, materializing their visions and idea`s for each particular project.<\/p>\n<p>And when it`s a big brand name, the stakes are naturally higher. But, like shooting celebrities, I thrive on that kind of pressure.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aL-YdX3EZNc?rel=0&amp;controls=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>22.\u00a0 How do you make everyone look so beautiful and handsome, Marcel?\u00a0 Is it your techniques that draw talent from all over the world?<\/b><\/p>\n<p>It`s an interesting time and age where everybody owns a &#8220;super-intelligent&#8221; pocket camera and can shoot nice, though &#8220;automatically controlled&#8221; photo`s.\u00a0 The pro`s strictly shoot in manual mode which gives us significantly more control over the outcome of the photo.\u00a0 People often mistake good photographers for magicians.\u00a0 We are definitely not magicians. We apply certain techniques to certain visions to obtain certain results.<\/p>\n<p>The interesting thing though is that I do professionally, what everybody does almost every day of their life: taking photos and video`s.\u00a0 You can`t say that about most other professions like lawyers, doctors, etc.<a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12308670_10153752449322708_1319678488085119448_n.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-1788\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12308670_10153752449322708_1319678488085119448_n.jpg\" alt=\"12308670_10153752449322708_1319678488085119448_n\" width=\"350\" height=\"315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12308670_10153752449322708_1319678488085119448_n.jpg 714w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12308670_10153752449322708_1319678488085119448_n-300x270.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>23.\u00a0 What made you live in Japan for such a long time, what do you like about Japan, and if you have some message to the readers, i would love to hear it.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Japan is an amazing country and needless to mention; it had a major impact on my life.\u00a0 The Japanese spirit of community and helping each other is unparalleled on this planet.\u00a0 In addition, the street-safety found here, in my opinion, is &#8220;true-freedom&#8221;, quite refreshing from the 24\/7-paranoia forced upon us in the US, South America and Europe nowadays.<\/p>\n<p>There you have to keep your &#8220;radar&#8221; on for potential trouble at all times outdoors. It`s sad, but true.<\/p>\n<p>And last but not least, here is my message to your readers:<\/p>\n<p>Remember, you can be anyone and anything you want to be.<\/p>\n<p>I regularly get reactions like: &#8220;You are sooo lucky. I would love your exiting life. Mine is so boring..&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Well, as the \u2018ol saying goes: if you can imagine it, you can do it!<\/p>\n<p>Give it your all. Make it happen. Create your own luck.<\/p>\n<p>True determination. And&#8230;..keep believing!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Official Websites:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Photography<\/strong>: <a class=\"_553k\" href=\"http:\/\/www.marcalbertphoto.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.marcalbertphoto.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Video &amp; Film<\/strong>: <a class=\"_553k\" href=\"http:\/\/www.radioactivefilms.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.radioactivefilms.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12356691_10153752450707708_5349603889571587684_o.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-1804 aligncenter\" style=\"padding: 5px 5px 5px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12356691_10153752450707708_5349603889571587684_o.jpg\" alt=\"12356691_10153752450707708_5349603889571587684_o\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12356691_10153752450707708_5349603889571587684_o.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12356691_10153752450707708_5349603889571587684_o-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/12356691_10153752450707708_5349603889571587684_o-1024x683.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>edited by <a href=\"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/anthony\/\">Anthony Heller<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fashion &amp; Celebrity photographer Marc Albert graduated in Advertising at the Nimeto, Netherlands. Following a brief career as assistant-art director for Dutch advertising giant FHV\/BBDO, Marc traveled the world for years as a fashion model before finally giving way to a longtime passion: &#8220;Communicating Through Visuals\u201d Since 2000, he\u2019s done an array of high-profile assignments [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1808,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[92,93,14,19,80,94,91,88,90,89],"class_list":["post-1531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-avril-levign","tag-beyonce","tag-celebrity","tag-featured","tag-film","tag-interviews","tag-jlo","tag-model","tag-photo-shoot","tag-photography"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"ja","enabled_languages":["en","ja"],"languages":{"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ja":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1531"}],"version-history":[{"count":49,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2360,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531\/revisions\/2360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1808"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ninjagirl.net\/ja\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}