“Outdoor cinema is taking root in Japan”

Hiroshi Mishima from POPUPTHEATRE ,Fukuoka (Japan)

To begin with, can you tell us something about your company?
My name is Hiroshi Mishima. I’m the representative of HISTORY INC. Our company is a PR agent and is an event planner. We are in charge of the PR of such as Hollywood major films or the drink maker etc.. And, by the name of POPUPTHEATRE, I offer event service using AIRSCREEN.

How did you come into the open-air cinema business?
I had worked in the Japanese film industry until several years ago. I was in charge of the distribution of many movies there. I always thought that there might be a way of enjoying movies as well as in a movie theatre, on a TV or on a digital device.
I wondered whether I could create a certain environment. It is the environment that makes many people open their hearts. And I checked the movies environment in European countries and America. Therefore, I arrived at an idea called outdoor screening that did not yet take root in Japan.

Why did you contact AIRSCREEN in the first place?
The AIRSCREEN is advantageous to the organization, which is not big economically, and this is because it was attractive on a technical mark. And I liked design characteristics of the screen above all.

What AIRSCREENs do you have?
We have an AIRSCREEN airtight 16ft (4,88m) and 24ft (7,32m).

What are the major advantages of AIRSCREEN?
The major advantage is to be able to set it up and remove it in a short time.

Which types of events do you organize most of the time?
We perform the screening at the location to be able to make use of the advantage of the AIRSCREEN. For example, it is a shopping mall without a movie theatre or a hangar of an airplane.

What was your favourite event with AIRSCREEN so far?
The screening always gets favourable receptions from the audience.

What is your feedback from your customers who use the screen for their events
The customer appreciates very much that the set-up and the removal of the screen are possible within a short time.

Are there any downsides to the product?
This is not a downside, but there is the rainy season, the typhoon, in Japan and we have to be very careful when setting up the screen in that time.

Talking about windy conditions, is there a problem with wind when using an AIRSCREEN?
The screen waves a little.

How would you describe the open-air cinema culture in your country? Are there any specific challenges?
It is the present condition in Japan that there are still little numbers of outdoor screenings implemented. In addition, outdoor screenings on the turf in a park are difficult from various reasons.

How have you experiences the support by AIRSCREEN over the years?
I got much advice from the AIRSCREEN staff. In addition, they reply to our questions quickly.

What screen sizes would you recommend for starting an outdoor movie business?
I recommend the 16ft size to be able to make use of mobility of the AIRSCREEN.

What is the future of open-air cinema?
Outdoor screenings are taking root as a new Japanese lifestyle, and I expect that this is connected to Japanese movie viewing population growth.