Talking Sensu

In this episode of Talking Sensu, we sit down with Koshi Uehara, a Japanese actor, known for his performance as Taro in HBO's Tokyo Vice. Koshi reveals the reality of his grind in LA, from working dangerous seaweed boats to fund his dream, to the 3 AM self-tapes in Melbourne that eventually caught the eye of Michael Mann.We talk aboutwhy Koshi ignored the "normal" path to start acting at 27working on dangerous seaweed boats to fund his dream in LAthe "fake marriage" advice he received in Little Tokyohis 3 AM self-tape in a Melbourne cafe that landed the HBO rolethe gamble of flying to Tokyo for a "maybe"the viral Canva commercial and the "cute" Yakuza conceptgetting painted blue for a role in Megan Thee Stallion's "Mamushi" videoCHAPTERS00:00 Intro04:41 Starting an acting career 09:46 Moving to LA20:33 Acting classes and influences23:58 Melbourne and Tokyo Vice audition31:51 The Tokyo Gamble33:32 Set culture38:25 Filming Tokyo Vice46:00 Canva commercial48:53 Mizuhara Sisters MV51:30 Megan Thee Stallion Mamushi MV53:42 OutroMENTIONED IN THE PODCASThttps://www.instagram.com/reel/C5zIjv2So9v/https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5wjtxKS9Ry/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdxSbc0ap-shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLxa-jEgAgYABOUT TALKING SENSUTalking Sensu is a relaxed, long form podcast hosted by Hai & Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors, and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work, and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SOCIALS:Koshi Uehara: https://www.instagram.com/koshi_ueharaTalking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHosts Hai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/, https://www.youtube.com/@jeremysnaps_______________________________________________________________________________________________PRODUCED BY SENSU STUDIOSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudio_______________________________________________________________________________________________Subscribe for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.

In this episode of Talking Sensu, we sit down with Erjol, an Albanian-born filmmaker and 1st AC. Erjol shares his story from the quiet neighborhoods of Hakone to working "pirate" jobs at Tokyo Tower, eventually landing at Capsule Rentals where he handled $90,000 cinema cameras. We dive deep into the technical jump from vlogging to feature films, the logistics of 15-camera concert productions, and his debut documentary "Living Art."We talk aboutthe culture shock of moving from Albania and Korea to Japanthe “Pirate” era: Working at Tokyo One Piece Towerhow a chance meeting with a neighbor launched his film careerthe technical differences between 1st and 2nd Assistant Camerasessential advice for aspiring ACs entering the industrymanaging 15+ cameras for massive 8K concert productionsdirecting “Living Art,” a documentary on bonsai master Daisuke MarikoCHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:32 Why Japan?05:02 Survival jobs16:17 Vlogs and Photography18:47 First time on set20:57 Capsule Rental27:40 First job as a 2nds AC30:34 Stepping up to 1st AC32:27 Difference between 1st and 2nd AC38:45 Focus Pulling47:28 Camera Chief: managing large-scale concerts53:53 Documentary “Living Art”01:04:19 Future projects01:08:21 OutroWATCH “LIVING ART” HEREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbVTTiSdz68ABOUT TALKING SENSUTalking Sensu is a relaxed, long form podcast hosted by Hai & Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors, and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work, and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/you_need_an_ac/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ERJOLTalking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHosts Hai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/, https://www.youtube.com/@jeremysnaps_______________________________________________________________________________________________PRODUCED BY SENSU STUDIOSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudio_______________________________________________________________________________________________Subscribe for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.

We wanted to make something beautiful: a short film capturing the unique, moody atmosphere of Japan’s rainy season. Instead, we got a typhoon.In this episode of Talking Sensu, we're pulling back the curtain on the "June in Japan" origin story. We explore the brutal reality of planning a shoot around Japan’s "5th Season," where cultural expectations of perfect weather collide with typhoons, and technical limitations of 8-bit footage clash with artistic vision.We talk aboutwhy we chose the rainy season for a spec projectour pre-production procedureshooting in a Typhoonthe 8-Bit Nightmarethe experience of recording with a non-professionalreshooting narrationCHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:44 June in Japan origin08:32 Creating scripts, storyboards, treatments13:50 Typhoon production chaos18:02 Covid restrictions20:59 Challenge of 8-bit footage23:22 Filming during the rain26:50 Getting additional footage34:26 Narration recording40:34 Reflection43:32 OutroWATCH ‘‘JUNE IN JAPAN’’ HEREhttps://sensustudio.com/june-in-japanABOUT TALKING SENSUTalking Sensu is a relaxed, long form podcast hosted by Hai & Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors, and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work, and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SOCIALS:Instagram:Youtube:Talking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHosts Hai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/_______________________________________________________________________________________________PRODUCED BY SENSU STUDIOSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudio_______________________________________________________________________________________________Subscribe for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.

In this episode of Talking Sensu, we sit down with Steven LeFever to talk about building a creative life in Japan. It’s a conversation about craft, culture, and commitment.From Guam, to Los Angeles, to navigating the realities of acting in Japan, Steven shares his journey through film sets, imposter syndrome, and the moment he realized acting alone wasn’t enough to sustain a career. We discuss what it really takes to survive in Japan’s creative industry, the importance of identity in storytelling, and why playing the long game matters more than chasing quick success.If you're a creative, filmmaker, actor, or anyone trying to build a creative life in Japan, this episode is for you.We talk aboutgrowing up in Guam and cultural identitymoving to Japan and starting in the film industrythe realities of acting in Tokyowhy acting alone wasn’t sustainablelearning sound recording on the jobimposter syndrome on setwriting for over 20 yearsbuilding a sustainable career in Japanbalancing family and creative workCHAPTERS:00:00 Intro01:51 Why Japan?04:02 Becoming an actor in Tokyo12:38 Growing up in Guam15:13 Directing the first short film24:22 Learning sound on set32:31 Favourite actors and films37:43 Discovering motion capture46:14 Voice acting and video games54:00 Acting in Japanese productions58:02 Writing your own scripts01:01:58 Upcoming projects01:04:25 OutroMENTIONED BY STEVEN IN THE VIDEO:Short FilmsHåyi Gaitano Este: or [What Does God Smell Like]: https://vimeo.com/170149857GAIKOKUJIN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVuHEAPjC9UBookMariana Sky: https://a.co/d/09ifpSOKVoice ActingDreams of Another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAdoJXfLzgEInazuma Eleven: Victory Road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8MDQRe5b7sABOUT TALKING SENSU:Talking Sensu is a relaxed, long-form podcast hosted by Hai and Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SOCIALS:Steven LeFeverInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesteze/Talking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHosts Hai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/_______________________________________________________________PRODUCED BY SENSU STUDIOSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudioSubscribe for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.

In this episode, we talk about Hai’s first short film, Dating Game.Dating Game explores modern dating through the perspective of a foreign woman living in Japan, where cultural differences, language barriers, and stereotypes add another layer of complexity to already fragile connections in the age of smartphones and dating apps.Hai explains why he wanted to try narrative work in the first place, and what it was like to produce and direct a short film for the first time. He talks honestly about the mistakes he made, the things he underestimated, working with actors, managing a set, and what surprised him most during the process.If you’re a filmmaker, creative, or someone thinking about making your first narrative project, we hope this episode is helpful.We talk aboutWhy Hai decided to make his first narrative short film, Dating GameProducing a short film independently and funding it personallyLearning screenwriting through books, friends, and researchMaking the film with a limited budget and relying on friendsMistakes and things that were underestimatedWorking with actors and directing performanceLessons learned and what he’d do differently next timeChapters00:00 Intro01:59 Why Hai made a short film15:50 From idea to production31:43 Mistakes and lessons37:53 Guerrilla shooting and limited control44:16 Creating the dating app51:54 Film festivals01:00:07 OutroWatch ‘‘Dating Game’’ herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkEMon9FmJcAbout Talking SensuTalking Sensu is a relaxed, long-form podcast hosted by Hai and Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SocialTalking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHostsHai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/Produced by Sensu StudioSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudioSubscribe for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.

In this episode of Talking Sensu, we sit down with Robert Kirsch, a Tokyo-based documentary photographer who has worked with brands such as On Running, Adidas, Mikimoto, IKEA, and Google. We talk about his journey into photography and how it helped him reconnect with himself and with others.Robert shares his path from growing up between Venezuela, Colombia, and Germany to moving to Japan, studying at Sophia University, and eventually building a photography career in Tokyo.The conversation dives into film photography, the importance of physical prints, personal projects, and why sharing your work is essential for it to truly be alive.Alongside photography, Robert also talks about his second career as a certified personal trainer, a long standing passion he now pursues professionally.We talk about- What first drew him to Japan- Discovering photography and being influenced by Japanese photographers- Instagram’s role in launching a professional career- Learning darkroom printing in Tokyo- Creating and exhibiting his first solo photo exhibition- Personal work vs commercial work- Working with global brands in Japan- Why taking care of your body is essential for sustaining a creative careerChapters00:00 Intro01:36 Why Japan?09:09 Discovering photography13:20 Instagram, community, and early influences21:20 First paid photography job24:11 Blowing up on Instagram25:45 Poweredby.tokyo, Inspiration Cult Mag31:31 Going freelance and building a network35:08 First solo exhibition36:59 Darkroom printing45:55 Themes and meaning53:47 Working with brands01:05:56 Advice to my past self01:10:46 Working as a personal trainer01:19:07 Future plans01:22:55 OutroMentioned by Robert in the video:Talking Sensu Ep 001: https://youtu.be/UlFxvvHWH-U?si=AcJ_30qkVG-N9JikAsakusa x Cinestill 800T: https://youtu.be/t9q7llzqxns?si=V44ESip8IOuZ9FNAAbout Talking SensuTalking Sensu is a relaxed, long-form podcast hosted by Hai and Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SocialRobert KirschPhotography: https://kirsch.jp/Fitness: https://www.kirsch.fitness/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertkirsch/Talking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHosts Hai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/Produced by Sensu StudioSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudioSubscribe for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.

In our very first episode of Talking Sensu, we introduce ourselves and talk about how we each ended up living and working in Japan. From working holiday visas and corporate jobs to freelancing, filmmaking, and eventually starting the production company Sensu Studio together.We talk aboutWhy we started Talking Sensu and what the podcast is aboutOur backgrounds and first experiences coming to JapanWorking holiday visas and arriving without a clear planJapanese corporate work culture vs freelance lifeEntering the creative world through graphic design, illustration, and storyboardingOur first real collaborations and experiences in the video industryHow these experiences eventually led to founding Sensu Studio and building a company togetherChapters00:00 Intro00:40 What is Talking Sensu?01:44 Introducing Sensu Studio02:24 Why we started this podcast04:38 Jeremy’s story10:04 Hai’s story17:06 Becoming a freelance editor33:28 Teaching English in Japan39:25 Illustration + storyboarding55:24 Our first real collaboration59:44 Naming Sensu Studio01:07:31 Starting a companyAbout Talking SensuTalking Sensu is a relaxed, long form podcast hosted by Hai & Jeremy and produced by Sensu Studio. We have conversations with filmmakers, photographers, actors, and other creative professionals working in Japan, focusing on personal journeys, creative work, and the realities of building a career in the creative industry.SocialTalking SensuInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingsensuHosts Hai: https://www.instagram.com/timpas15/Jeremy: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyhannigan/Produced by Sensu StudioSensu Studio is a Tokyo-based creative production company specializing in video and photography that helps brands and organizations tell their stories, connect with audiences, and bring their vision to life through engaging content and rebranding projects.If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, check out our work at https://sensustudio.com/.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensustudioFollow for more conversations about creative life and work in Japan.