Hello, this is the ZAIKO Blog editorial department.

The theater industry has suffered a severe blow due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making performances at theaters difficult. While new style performances using Zoom, such as those by the theater company No Meets, have emerged, many theater companies remain in a dire situation.
Amid this, the Africa Theater Company has been working on conducting live-streaming performances without an audience since last year.

In this article, we interviewed Hiroshi Nakayama, the head of the Africa Theater Company, Yū Sugiyama, the director of the group unit Yūyū Company, and the support provider for the streaming, Exa International Co., Ltd., about live-streaming theater performances.

Africa Theater Company
This theatrical company has been actively performing since 2008. Based on Africa Theater, the members independently manage organizations such as "u-you.company" and "Ranchike STARTER," as well as the unit "VIVID COLOR," which is planned and produced by Africa Theater. All the productions of these organizations and units are directed by Hiroshi Nakayama.

Hiroshi Nakayama
After working with JAC and Gekidan SET, he has been active as an actor in many plays and musicals directed by Kohhei Tsuka and Yukio Ninagawa. Currently, he focuses on directing at the Africa Theater Company.

Yū Sugiyama
The director of u-you.company. She oversees project performances at Africa Theater, acts as the producer for VIVID COLOR, and is responsible for the costume plan for Africa Theater performances. She also handles scripts for her own theater company, u-you.company, and VIVID COLOR.

Exa International Co., Ltd.
They own studio facilities and provide comprehensive video-related services, from post-production to content creation and broadcasting equipment rental.

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Triggering the Pursuit of Live Broadcasting in Theater

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
Africa Theater started working on streaming-only performances relatively early, in July 2020. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue streaming when there were very few organizations within the theater industry (small theater groups) addressing live streaming?

Nakayama:
Of course, we understand that live performances are the best.
However, due to the state of emergency declared by the government in April last year, many events, concerts, and stage performances were canceled, and we predicted that this situation might continue for a long time. Considering the options we had under those circumstances, we concluded that performing on stage without an audience and live-streaming was the way to go.

Sugiyama:
Nakayama strongly stated at an early stage last year that we will pursue live streaming in light of the crisis awareness towards the theater company's activities!
In that context, I remembered a friend who worked in video-related fields (Exa International). Having that friend who had also come to watch our performances was incredibly helpful as I could consult with them easily.

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
Specifically, how did you proceed with streaming the stage performances?

Sugiyama:
To be honest, I really didn’t know what live streaming was at all, so I was taught everything from scratch by Exa.
They guided me on what steps to take and what kind of equipment to use for streaming, going into really fine details.

Exa International:
We supported Africa Theater in establishing a structure for continuous streaming performances.
We provided advice on purchasing necessary equipment for streaming, selecting and operating a streaming platform, and supporting the installation of internet lines for the theater to enable streaming.

Sugiyama:
It was thanks to the support from the Exa International staff that Africa Theater was able to decisively pursue streaming at an early stage last year. We started from a state of wondering, "What is streaming?" (laughs)

Exa International:
We supported Africa Theater using the know-how gained from the management of studio facilities and the rental of filming equipment. I believe it was the enthusiasm for live streaming Africa Theater had that made this possible.

Moreover, there was the way Africa Theater plunged into streaming. In pursuing streaming, I communicated the necessity of continuing this effort and they also purchased streaming-related equipment, including cameras compatible for streaming. The initial bold investment in streaming equipment has significantly eased their subsequent actions.

Nakayama:
In the face of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic ahead, we thought that if we just waited for the pandemic to subside without doing anything, not only our theater company, but also the theater allowing us to perform and the staff involved would not survive. Therefore, we took action.

Exa International:
If it became necessary to rent equipment and arrange staff for each performance, it may have been difficult to continue while doing trial and error. When we initially began streaming, I never expected that the company members would learn to use streaming equipment and be able to perform switching (changing screens) tasks by themselves… (laughs)

In July 2020, a special project performance by the Africa Theater Company was streamed, titled "I Am Here: Project 'The True Stories That Happened - OL Edition'"

"Sharing Time" with the Audience is Possible Through Streaming

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
In the theater industry, where "live performances" are emphasized, there still seems to be a negative image toward streaming. How do you feel about that?

Nakayama:
Our theater company primarily focuses on comedy, but… During the COVID-19 pandemic, even if people want to laugh when they come to the theater, can they really enjoy the performance while being conscious of the people around them?
If they cannot fully enjoy the performance, I would rather they enjoy it from the comfort of their home. Above all, I believe the most important thing is that "customers can enjoy themselves without any reservations."

Sugiyama:
We are not simply recording stage performances to stream but are committed to live broadcasting. Therefore, we include the phrase "live streaming exclusive theater" in our performance announcement images.

Nakayama:
We believe that, like us, when watching a play in front of an audience, there is an excitement of not knowing what will happen next, and a possibility of failure involved. With recorded streaming, I understand that this tension cannot be experienced. That is why we are particular about doing it live. For instance, it is the same as the excitement one experiences when watching live sports broadcasts, right?

Announcement image for the 20th main performance of the Africa Theater Company, "KEIJI", held in September 2021, with the phrase "Multi-Angle LIVE Streaming Exclusive Theater" indicated at the top right.

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ZAIKO Editorial Department:
However, it seems like Africa Theater is very particular about conducting this "live" streaming.

Sugiyama:
It is costly to stream each performance live, after all! (laughs)

What are the Unique Directing Methods for Streaming Stage Performances?

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
What do you find attractive about streaming for Africa Theater?

Nakayama:
In real theater performances held at venues, there are seats from which it is difficult to see the actors’ detailed expressions on stage, but through streaming, you can see all the expressions of the actors, which I find very appealing.

Just as we experienced, typically when performing in front of an audience, the actors perform toward the audience. When capturing them on video, the camera naturally follows the actors. However, since we are now doing it specifically for streaming, instead of having cameras that follow the actors, we place cameras at fixed points with height differences, basically in front of the stage, with the actors appearing within the frame of the cameras. This way, the sensation feels the same as when an actor unexpectedly comes onto the stage from the audience’s perspective.

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
Has starting streaming led to any changes in how the works are created?

Nakayama:
Regarding scripts, for re-performances, we carry them out without changes, and the new works are developed with the premise of performing them as a regular stage play; we have not specifically crafted scripts for streaming. However, we do sometimes change directing methods, such as adjusting positions to make them visually interesting in the filming, but overall, the way of creating works and the performance itself have not changed significantly.

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
What kind of ingenuity do you apply to the video?

Nakayama:
The most important thing to keep in mind is to not lose the feeling of being on stage.

Sugiyama:
In order to maintain a realistic feel, when actors switch places on stage, we also switch the video, but we intentionally film the moments when actors depart to enhance the transition.

This helps prevent the video from appearing overly edited and maintains the sensorial experience of watching the stage. Nakayama decides the timing of switching the video, and the switching operation is handled by a cast member who is not currently performing. The cast member responsible for switching has also rehearsed using the streaming equipment the same number of times as the actors. This way, they work together with professional sound and lighting technicians to create a single, live video.

Nakayama:
When it comes to technical matters, if we set the cameras at the same height for streaming, the video will become flat and uninteresting. Therefore, we vary the heights of each installed camera to create a sense of visual distortion in the stage set. This approach prevents the video from becoming flat by incorporating tension and a sense of immediacy, achieving the unique feel of live theater in streaming. Of course, lighting and sound effects previously implemented during live performances are also incorporated into the streaming version.

Video shot from a low-height camera positioned on the left side of the stage to create a distorted visual effect.

Exa International:
Africa Theater has truly been experimenting and working hard to ensure that audiences watching the performances through streaming leave satisfied.

Sugiyama:
Since it was a start from zero, and we are particular about live streaming, it has certainly been demanding! (laughs)

Nakayama:
In order to stream theater performances, it is essential to incorporate directing that aligns with that; otherwise, there is a risk that "streaming will be seen as a mere bonus to the real experience."
Since we receive ticket fees from our customers, we need to create works that are commensurate with that.

There is Hope in Theater Streaming Performances!

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
What is the budget like for small theater companies when performing in a venue with a capacity of around 100 people for streaming?

Exa International:
In terms of expenses for streaming equipment, Africa Theater invested several hundred thousand yen in the initial stages for purchase. For the streaming staff, it would be roughly several tens of thousands per person, depending on the number.

Sugiyama:
As a reference, for performances that are not streaming in a typical venue with a capacity of about 100 people, the approximate total production cost (theater costs, costumes, etc.) is around 2 million yen. This does not include the additional costs for filming equipment, streaming equipment, and streaming staff, as mentioned by Exa. Renting equipment is also an option.

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
How can we compensate for the costs of streaming?

Nakayama:
It may sound simple, but I think it comes down to providing works that customers want to pay to watch through streaming. Simply put, if we can fill the seats by 30% more than during in-person performances, we can solve the streaming cost issue. Conversely, if we can sell tickets at a rate of 30% more, we would be able to earn more than during in-person performances. Unlike having limited seating at venues, streaming does not have an upper limit on ticket sales, which I believe carries hope.

Sugiyama:
I want those involved in theater who used to believe that "live is best" like we did to understand that streaming indicates possibilities to reach audiences nationwide and globally based on our own methodologies.

Nakayama:
Furthermore, this is something I realized only after personally undertaking streaming performances, but with streaming, we can also reach those who live in rural areas or who cannot easily come to the theater due to childcare, work, or other reasons. This was a significant discovery.

ZAIKO Editorial Department:
Finally, could you please share some advice for those who wish to pursue streaming theater performances?

Nakayama:
I think it boils down to the simple message of just trying it out!

Sugiyama:
We also started from zero; of course, we encountered many challenges and relied on many people, but as Nakayama said, experiencing it in practice brought many realizations and hopes.
Therefore, I believe that those who want to take it on should take their first step. We will answer anything we can, so feel free to ask! (laughs)

Exa International:
We also provide support regarding streaming, so please feel free to reach out to us.

In the next installment, we will discuss utilizing social media for communication with fans, promotions, and the currently underway subscription video service “Africa Theater PLUS.”

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