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Motorcycle Boy

Directed by James Coton & Masato Riesser

Documentary | 8 minutes | France | 2018 | Japanese

SHOWTIMES

Part documentary and part music video, Motorcycle Boy looks at Japanese biker crew, The Specter Gang and the underground Bōsōzuku style and culture. The film is set against a song by Portuguese artist Paulo Furtado aka The Legendary Tigerman. When airplay for this video was scheduled in Japan, it raised some questions by the government causing promoting brands to remove their support, citing that the individuals in the video were wanted criminals.

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DIRECTORS'S STATEMENT

We have always been fascinated by the Bōsōzuku world with its unspoken rules and the mysticism that is behind the secrecy. We were waiting for the perfect project to dig into it and when “Motorcycle Boy” came along, it was obvious for us. It had all the elements we were looking for to pay respect to this almost extinct gang of bikers that once dominated the roads of Japan, just a few decades ago.


​Nothing was staged. The styling, the engines, the locations and the characters are authentic. What was revealed in those few days provided an exclusive and rare look at the Bōsōzuku world.


ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

James F. Coton belongs to a generation that has been influenced by the Japanese manga of the 80s and the emergence of Hip Hop. They give his images a combination of vibrant and electric identity that evokes a very dynamic, entertaining and trendy style. With a background in production and art direction for television and branded content, he is able to have a global view of any kind of project, giving him a very distinctive touch and approach. He has worked on many commercials and music videos worldwide and has been recognized with several Video of the Day and Vimeo Staff Pick awards for Motorcycle Boy.


French/Japanese director Masato Riesser has started his career in London working on films, commercials and music videos and won a number of awards for his direction. He has recently moved back to Paris where he continues directing and exploring his artistic inspirations.

CREDITS

Directed by

James Coton, Masato Riesser

Written by

List of writers

Produced by

Morgan Prêleu, Rémi Sello

Cast

Takayuki Kaneoya, Kokoro Tanaka, Kohei Osawa

Cinematography

Alexandre Jamin

Editing

Zoé Sassier

Colour

List of colorists

Music & Sound

Paulo Furtado, AKA The Legendary Tigerman

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