Why Not Create an Original Film for Your Theater Troupe?

The Power of Video as a Medium

People involved in theater generally fall into two categories:

• Those who perform for live audiences
• Those who simply love the art of acting

This proposal is for those who are interested in more than just live performance.

Unlike stage plays, which can only be seen in the moment and place they’re performed, films allow audiences to watch at their convenience. Especially now, when videos can be easily viewed on smartphones, a compelling film can spread far and wide in unexpected ways.

From a creator’s perspective, a finished film can gradually build an audience over time—something that’s hard to achieve with live theater alone.

Theater Troupes Already Have What Filmmaking Requires

I’ve been making films as a personal hobby for years, and I often envy theater troupes.

Why? Because they already have:

• Writers
• Directors
• Actors

These are the very roles that filmmakers struggle to fill for each project. And in a troupe, these members already know and trust each other.

Compared to a team assembled just for one film, a troupe has the potential for stronger collaboration and higher-quality productions.

If such a group decides to make their own films, they could produce remarkable work consistently.

No Need to Follow Industry Norms

Financially, a film can be made for less than 1/20th the cost of a stage production.

Of course, hiring professional crews for everything would be expensive—but that’s not the goal.

The aim is to create films as part of the troupe’s creative assets and share them with fans.

There’s no need to mimic the professional film industry.

I recommend forming an in-house “film unit” within the troupe, where members can practice shooting and build their skills.

Let Film and Theater Enhance Each Other

The troupe’s main activity is live performance.

Alongside selling recordings of past shows, why not also sell original films through your website or venue?

Film and theater have:

• Similarities
• Differences

Even with the same actors, their appeal can shift dramatically between the two mediums.

Low-budget films offer a great opportunity to experiment and test new ideas.

For fans of the troupe, these films could become rare and treasured items.

Leave the Editing to Us!

At Masuda Planning, we offer editing services.

(For those in Kanagawa—Yokohama, Fujisawa, Yamato—we can also consult on filming.)

Creating the story and directing the performance can follow your usual stage production process.

From there, we’ll help with:

• What kind of footage to shoot
• How to schedule the shoot
• How to record dialogue

We also offer training in filming techniques.

Once you learn these skills, they’ll be useful for recording your stage performances too.