Ride on Time (2018) s01e05 Episode Script

1
There was once a famous movie called
There's No Business Like Show Business.
The excitement and emotions that are felt
when we all come together
is what captivates people.
There are people
who work to make that happen.
Water.
Light.
All the components implemented
to entertain the audience
would not stand without the technique
of these individuals.
They work behind the scenes
to create the stage.
The tour staff.
This time we will zero in on
stage facilitators
special effects
sound
and special mechanics.
We'll focus on four young individuals
from these sections,
and follow them as they work
to prepare the concert stage.
Unexpected trouble.
Time ticking away.
What will they be able to see
at the end of the road?
This is documentary series Ride On Time.
MUSASHINO FOREST SPORTS PLAZA MAIN ARENA
August 31st.
The first day of Hey! Say! JUMP's
concert tour is about to begin.
-Did everyone stretch?
-First day!
All right!
Channel your nerves into energy.
Are you crying?
Be careful not to injure yourself.
That's right.
-Okay.
-Keep control.
Right!
-Let's go.
-All right!
Among the staff watching over the members,
are four young,
nervous-looking individuals.
STAGE FACILITATOR
MASAHIRO UEDA (AGE 27)
Making sure the concert runs smoothly
and on time is a rookie stage facilitator,
Masahiro Ueda.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
MICHIRU YABE (AGE 21)
Lighting up the arena with special effects
is the youngest member of the team,
Michiru Yabe.
SOUND
TAKUMA KURAMOCHI (AGE 22)
Working in sound,
the key feature of a concert,
as his first time being the stage chief
is Takuma Kuramochi.
SPECIAL MECHANICS
SHOICHIRO FUKUDA (AGE 24)
Operating complex stage equipment
in special mechanics,
is Shoichiro Fukuda.
They each have different job descriptions
and positions, but what they share
is the desire to give the fans
the time of their life.
The duration of the Hey! Say! JUMP tour
is about five months.
Even rookies are expected to
work like professionals.
-Hey.
-Yes.
-Come here right now.
-Yes.
I feel like I could've done more.
But it's difficult.
I'm constantly exhausted.
I don't have a clear picture
of the end result,
so I'm very worried.
It's spilling.
There's been some trouble,
so that has set us back.
I've never been this nervous before.
The flashy world of entertainment
sells dreams to its consumers.
But it's a harsh world behind the scenes.
We will follow four individuals
chasing after their passion.
AUGUST 8, 2018
MUSASHINO FOREST SPORTS PLAZA MAIN ARENA
Three days before the tour's opening day.
SETTING UP
DAY 1
As the stage is being set
by over 150 staff members,
these four individuals take position
with their own goals in mind.
I was hired three months ago.
It's the first time I'm joining a tour.
This is my first day.
There's a stage director
and a choreographer,
and each has their own image and ideas
of how they want the stage
to look for each performance.
Our job is to bring that into fruition.
My job is to care for the needs
of the group members.
I also mark the stage so it's easier for
them to take their positions when dancing.
That way, when it comes time
for the concert,
they can perform exactly the same
as they did during rehearsal.
Each circumstance, location,
and arena has its own characteristics.
So we make sure we adapt
to those differences.
STAGE FACILITATOR
The stage facilitator team,
to which Ueda belongs,
is in charge of everything from
preparation to dismantling.
Their main role is to make sure
the concert goes on without a hitch.
With the stage manager in the lead,
the team is made up of ten members.
Ueda is the newest member,
so he must listen to his seniors
and do everything from running errands
to assisting stage production.
What is the difficult part of being
a stage facilitator?
Can you come here for a second?
From building the stage to overseeing
the concert and then dismantling,
the most important thing
is safety management.
That includes the way we work,
and also making sure
there are no problems with the equipment.
We're also responsible
for time management.
As for the actual day of the concert,
we're in charge of the moving props
and the placement of each member.
We also help to connect
the various sections.
As stage crew,
we take the stage director's image
and try to figure out which sections
can take on certain responsibilities,
and together we discuss
how we can bring that image to life.
That's our main role.
Have the lighting crew do
that part all at once.
All the cables here will be the same,
so gather it to that side.
Gather it together once it's done,
and that will connect the lighting.
Once you finish checking it,
lift it up and do this area.
-Can you do it?
-Yes.
They're all placed over there.
Even though Ueda is new to this field,
he must remember all the technical terms.
More than the terminology,
it's difficult to keep up with the pace.
It's very fast-paced,
so I have a hard time catching up
and understanding.
I just have to get used to it.
I have to do my best.
I can't slow down the team.
Why did Ueda choose to become
a stage facilitator?
The main reason is,
when I would hear the audience cheering
and having a good time during a concert,
I thought it would be nice to create
something like that as part of my job.
It looked cool.
This is my first tour.
I'm so anxious.
"Full of anxiety."
True to those words,
stage facilitators receive requests
from various departments,
so they must deal with trouble every day.
Each time, they must assess
the situation accurately.
In other words,
it requires resourcefulness.
At two in the afternoon,
a team of women arrive on site.
It's the special effects team,
and this woman is one of its members.
My name is Michiru Yabe. I'm 21 years old.
This is my second year on the job.
I belong to the section
called special effects.
Their role is to brightly
light up the stage.
What we're using this time
is called a scroller.
It's a device that hangs up above
and scatters gold and silver confetti.
We also use theatrical smoke,
and sparklers
which shoot sparks into the air.
There's also a piece of equipment
called a color flame
that shoots out green, blue
and red flames.
We also use silver streamers.
Our job includes all of those
stage productions.
This job involves stage production,
so at first glance it may seem flashy,
but it's a series of
slow and steady tasks.
We draw up the cables,
and we also set up the address codes
that are necessary
to operate these pieces of equipment.
One misprinted number
can ruin the entire production.
Nikami, her senior, is also on the team,
but everyone else is support staff.
She doesn't have much strength,
but she must carry heavy equipment
by herself.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
ASAKI NIKAMI
At first, you're like Yabe
and don't have much strength.
But you build muscle over time.
We have to be as strong as the boys.
"We have to be as strong as the boys."
That's what Nikami says.
Why did Yabe choose a job
that requires hard labor?
I've always played the piano
and wind instruments,
so ever since I was young
my dream was to work with music.
The first time I went to a concert,
the atmosphere left a big impact on me,
and it made me want to be
part of this field of work.
Special effects like the flames and
silver streamers at the end of the show
made a strong impression on me.
That's what made me want to be part of
the special effects team.
This is the world she's always admired.
But
these women are about to face a setback
that will crush their high spirits.
At four in the afternoon,
we can see a man helping
the sound team carry in their equipment.
My name is Takuma Kuramochi.
I turn 23 this year.
I believe this is my third year.
During the concert, the PA is in charge of
the sound that comes from the speakers.
The sound that comes through the speakers
is picked up by microphones
or made on the computer.
There are various methods,
but the main role
of a PA is to create sound.
For the first time ever,
Kuramochi has been assigned
the position as stage chief.
It's a heavy responsibility.
During the concert,
we have to give and receive the mics.
There are also ear monitors
that we have to put on and take off.
So, during the rehearsal
and the actual performance,
our main job is to personally attach
the equipment on the members
and collect them when they're done.
Passing the audio equipment to each artist
may sound easy,
but unless they are aware
of the artist's every move,
it could end up causing a delay.
Today, we did something new
and put lights on the speakers.
So, it took a little longer than usual.
We had to wait a bit,
then add the lights,
then connect the speaker.
It wasn't our usual day,
but it went smoothly.
I'm still a newbie, but
as I watch the concerts,
I notice that there are times
when the audience is excited,
and times when they're moved.
These concerts provide
many emotional moments,
so I don't want to get in the way of that.
When they're supposed to feel moved,
the sound should convey those feelings,
and when it's a more exciting part,
the sound should give them energy.
In other words,
I think this job requires us to make sure
that nothing feels out of place.
5 P.M.
One hour later,
the special mechanics team begin
to carry in their equipment.
My name is Shoichiro Fukuda.
I'm 24 years old.
This is my second year.
Not many people have heard
of "special mechanics."
This team is responsible for creating
a stage that goes up and down,
and rotates around.
This shifting stage is a big attraction
for the concert this time.
As a second-year employee,
Fukuda's role is
Within my team right now,
I hold the lowest position.
So, I mainly do wiring and connect cables
so that everything works properly.
This time, he has been placed
in charge of operating
one of the apparatuses called a lifter
that's attached to the main stage.
I feel like I'm part of a big project.
It feels as though
I'm dealing with a large amount of money.
Even from a financial point of view,
I feel like we're placed in charge of
something very big.
I'm saying this in a very broad sense.
Eight in the evening. All the teams have
brought in their equipment.
It's finally time to begin preparation.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Yabe is connecting equipment for
special effects
onto the large structure that will
hang over the center of the arena.
Ms. Nikami, can I tape up
all the connectors?
No, not yet. I'll attach it
over here first.
It's my very first arena tour.
I've always wanted to be part of
a tour group,
so I'm filled with nerves and anxiety.
I want to do all that I can
and give my very best.
It's only the first day, but there
is no end to the workload.
Until the tour ends,
they can neither get much sleep
nor take any time off.
But they are happy to be
involved in this work.
This is baby powder.
Static electricity makes
the confetti stick together.
This is to prevent that from happening.
This is the secret to prevent the shiny
confetti from sticking together.
This opening is too small.
My arms won't fit.
Drawn to the world that creates
these techniques,
she chose this career for herself.
These are scrollers.
They're devices that hang up above
and scatter gold and silver confetti.
But soon after,
unexpected trouble befalls
Yabe and the special effects team.
Don't block this side right here.
It will block people out.
The special mechanics team
operates the moving stage,
which is necessary to create
a dynamic stage performance.
Fukuda, the youngest team member,
is busy carrying and assembling
heavy steel frames.
SPECIAL MECHANICS
FUKUDA SHOICHIRO (AGE 24)
Let's place this over there.
My rank within this team is low,
but since I'm working with
all sorts of people,
I want to make sure to inform them
about things I have to do,
or things I know how to do,
and make sure I don't slow down the team.
That's my goal this time around.
At the same time,
Kuramochi is conducting
a meeting with the sound team.
They are discussing how to pass
the microphones during the concert.
When the performance ends,
go to the GL stairs
and these four members will come
to retrieve the handheld microphones.
As for who will retrieve them
He explains the microphone schedule
for the entire two-hour concert
one performance at a time.
It's hard to do everything perfectly.
But because they strive for perfection,
even the smallest of details
do not go unnoticed.
But even then
During the encore,
we'll take the microphones
and go toward the main stage.
-And also remove the headsets?
-Yes, that's right.
He receives a reminder
from an experienced member.
This is his first experience
as a stage chief.
It's a heavy responsibility.
Ever since I started this job,
I've been preparing myself for this,
so instead of panicking,
I feel like this is
a great challenging opportunity.
And then, at 9:30 p.m
trouble arises.
An apparatus called the rounded truss,
used for attaching lights
and special effects,
will not go up.
It might be the weight.
STAGE FACILITATOR
MASAHIRO UEDA (AGE 27)
The calculation should be correct, but
it's overweight and won't go up.
-We're taking two units down.
-Two units?
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Are some pieces of equipment
over the weight limit?
They decide to test it out
by dismantling the heaviest equipment
which happens to be the scroller.
Yabe and her team are called.
-Hey.
-Yes.
-Come here.
-Yes, sir.
The stage manager takes command,
and they decide to take down
two of the four scrollers.
Will this resolve the issue?
-Let's test it once.
-Okay.
Sorry, we're going to raise
it one more time.
Okay.
We're going to raise the inner section.
It's not working.
We took down 100 kilos.
That truss is hanging on four lines.
Those four lines
have a maximum weight capacity
of 800 kilos.
That was our calculation.
We placed 770 kilos of equipment on it.
When we tried to pull it up,
it could not raise 770 kilos.
MAXIMUM WEIGHT = 800 KILOS
PREPARED EQUIPMENT = 770 KILOS
The scrollers should be within
the specified weight limit,
but it still won't rise.
They will have to make some changes.
One by one, they remove the scrollers
to find out what the problem is.
We'll test it again
and call you if we need you.
-What?
-Special effects team!
We're taking them all down?
I'll lift it up.
Okay.
They ended up taking down
all four scrollers,
but it still won't go up.
All Yabe can do is stand back and wait.
As the investigation continues,
the special effects team comes to a halt.
We're sorry!
It feels like I just set up
four concert arenas.
Ueda, the rookie stage facilitator
is frozen in place.
This is life.
It's 10:40 p.m.
Ueda and the stage facilitator team
receive a message from the stage manager.
Attention everyone.
As for the center circle,
we got in contact with the truss engineer,
and he will be here around 11:10.
After he gets here,
we can decide what to do.
Personally, I'd like to
revert back to the original plan.
So, whether that's possible
or if it would require extra procedures,
is something we'll have to wait until
after 11 to find out.
Then we'll decide if
we'll do it today or tomorrow.
Okay.
The special effects team has to wait for
further notice from the stage manager.
That's the most important thing.
When they have creases,
the air resistance makes them
drop slowly.
The dimensions will sparkle
against the lights too.
That's why it's better to crease them.
To think that this blows away
in an instant.
Welcome back.
-Tomorrow?
-Tomorrow.
In the end, each team must carry
their work over to the next day.
It's the first time experiencing
weight issues.
So, these six parts are not done yet.
Will the special effects team have to
give up on using the scrollers?
It's been a long day.
Signs of fatigue are showing on
the faces of these young workers.
You need to be sharp. You're not sharp.
Okay.
Let's clean up, and we'll go home.
In order to create a special stage,
they must overcome big obstacles.
There were lots of issues.
But I think
tomorrow will be even more difficult.
Time is ticking away.
The countdown to showtime won't stop.
The time left until the first day
of the concert is
two days.
On the next Ride On Time
As we get to the end,
we're shorter on time,
so it's very tiring.
Four youths are striving to create
a special concert.
What awaits them
on the road ahead?
Subtitle translation by Lili Morita