The Possibilities of the Entertainment Business as Envisioned by "spotlight," Pioneering a New Era of Entertainment (Part 2)

Launched in January 2021, "spotlight" is a live entertainment project team within Dentsu Live Inc. Bringing together top-tier creators from Japan and around the world, the team aims to spark mutual inspiration and create new entertainment content unprecedented in Japan. As live entertainment shows signs of revival, producers Naoto Yamada and Misato Kaneda from the team explain that various domestic and international projects are underway, including groundwork for initiatives several years ahead.

In the second part, the two discuss "spotlight's" actual initiatives, proposals for various partners, and the future potential of the entertainment business.

Leveraging international expertise to handle diverse projects globally

Q. What kinds of projects have you handled since launching in 2021?

Yamada: Initially, due to the pandemic, we couldn't progress to concrete actions. However, as restrictions gradually eased, inquiries increased, and we now have several projects underway. While many are pre-release and can't be discussed yet, we're actively involved in international events. Leveraging our team's international diversity allows us to meet client requests for "new live performances not previously seen in Japan."

Kaneda: Regarding overseas examples, we were involved in a project where a Chinese aquarium requested we develop an entertainment show featuring sea lions and dolphins, similar to what you'd see at theme parks. We also handle introductions from overseas creators, acting as a liaison for international "spotlight" entertainment teams looking to stage performances in Japan.

Yamada: We're also working to find production partners to bring prototype shows from overseas to Japan. We want to actively incorporate content that's still rare in Japan and shows potential for growth.

Using the power of entertainment to tackle challenges for companies and local governments

Q. I see. You seem to handle various large-scale projects. As "spotlight," do you have any goals regarding the types of clients you'd like to work with going forward?

Kaneda: We're eager to take on any project where live performances and entertainment can thrive, regardless of industry. In fact, I believe there are surprisingly many cases where live performances and entertainment can help solve problems faced by various clients.

For example, if there's a space that becomes vacant for a few years during the planning phase of a construction project, it's often used as a parking lot. But it could also be utilized as an entertainment venue. We've leveraged the domestic network of "spotlight" to transform an entire vacant wing of a historic hotel in Atami into a corporate event venue. People often assume you need a dedicated event space for entertainment, but with the right space, anything is possible.

Furthermore, I believe we can contribute significantly to town revitalization efforts. I want to be involved from the very start of launching such projects. I want to collaborate with others to figure out what kind of entertainment truly suits a particular location.

Yamada: From a live performance perspective, I believe there are things only possible because people physically visit that location. It's great to involve people from various local industries—traditional crafts, food and beverage—brainstorm ideas together, and collectively create entertainment unique to that place.

Of course, even within the entertainment industry, there are many specific needs. Artists might want to try different staging approaches or expand their expressive range. Rather than us providing everything, simply discussing and sharing ideas could yield significant mutual benefits.

Kaneda: Although it temporarily scaled back due to the pandemic, we also want to resume helping clients who wish to work with overseas performers.We learned as we progressed, but overseas, the underlying cultural context is different, so business practices and work methods are entirely distinct from Japan. In Japan, meticulous confirmation and careful progress are the norm, whereas overseas, while the pace is faster, major changes often occur midway. When direct communication feels overwhelming, we hope to serve as a helpful buffer.

Unlocking the Potential of Entertainment

Q. Finally, could you share what you aim to do next to invigorate Japan's entertainment scene?

Yamada: Whether individually or as a team , what we aim to do is create new live entertainment originating from Japan. We want to create Japanese live entertainment that can expand overseas and receive high acclaim, much like manga, anime, and games.

When you think of Japanese live entertainment, you might picture distinctly traditional arts like Kabuki, or subcultures like anime and idols. But I also think that if Japanese people created an acrobatic show like Cirque du Soleil, it could be even more meticulously crafted and intricately staged. I want to create great live entertainment that resonates globally, regardless of its country of origin.

Kaneda: For me, it's about cultivating an entertainment culture like that in Europe and America. Compared to the West, Japan's entertainment industry today tends to keep ticket prices low to reach a wider audience, even for high-quality content. This inevitably leads to poor treatment of creators like actors and staff. If entertainment can't sustain itself as a business, content quality won't improve, creators won't develop, and the industry risks falling into a vicious cycle of exhaustion.We need to properly establish schemes that make entertainment viable as a business. On that foundation, I hope the Western culture of enjoying entertainment as part of daily life—like "going out for dinner and casually catching a show on the way home"—takes root in Japan too.

As a first step, creating seasonal entertainment events, like Halloween events, could be one approach. Another possibility lies in sports entertainment, such as enjoying a show during breaks in a sporting event.

Overseas, environments exist where athletes can build second careers in the entertainment industry, like Cirque du Soleil. Japanese athletes have very limited options beyond coaching, so I'd be delighted if entertainment could expand opportunities in this direction too.

The international project team "spotlight" not only provides high-quality live performances through exchanges with overseas creators but also challenges itself to create new entertainment tailored to client needs. Furthermore, it is eager to leverage the power of entertainment to solve challenges faced by companies and society. It seems promising that real-world exchanges, including international travel, which temporarily diminished during the pandemic, will revive through entertainment and step onto a new stage.