"FUKUYAMA MASAHARU LIVE FILM@NAGASAKI Moonlight Always Connected to This Light," a film adaptation of Fukuyama Masaharu's free live concert "Great Freedom," which he held as the opening day of Nagasaki Stadium City (Nagasaki City) on October 13, 2024, is now showing nationwide. The film explores Fukuyama's vision of the "ideal live sound" and "ideal live visual world." We spoke to him about the attention to detail he put into filming the live concert, his thoughts now that he turned 57 on the release date, and his future plans.
◇We focused on creating a three-dimensional sound space
Fukuyama himself oversaw the overall direction, video, and sound of the "Great Freedom" live performance. Filmed in 360° from 52 cameras, and using Dolby Atmos technology for the sound, he pursued the ideal expression with meticulous attention to detail.
The film adaptation revolves around Dolby Atmos sound sources reconstructed specifically for the film and exquisite live footage, and also includes newly filmed footage of the young boy Fukuyama (Yota Hiiragi) "days when he had not yet even dreamed of the future," as well as the real events that took place across Nagasaki on that day.
Hiiragi, who played Fukuyama as a boy, also appeared in the previous live film "FUKUYAMA MASAHARU LIVE FILM Kotodama no Happiness Natsu @NIPPON BUDOKAN 2023" (released in January 2024). Furthermore, he will play the childhood of Minami Hiromi (played by Fukuyama) in the TBS Sunday Theatre drama "Last Man - The Blind Investigator" (2023).
This is Fukuyama's second live film. As a director, he says, "What I was able to shoot at the live performance was just raw material. I wanted to elevate it into a film that could be experienced in a cinema." He paid particular attention to the sound production, in addition to the visuals.
"We're always particular about the sound source work, and in this case it was Dolby Atmos. Sound comes from various angles. It's not 360 degrees, but the experience is more than 180 degrees. We pursued what kind of sound to place at ear height for the audience, and how to express a sense of presence that doesn't exist in reality."
"At an actual live concert venue, the way you hear the sound is completely different depending on where you sit. But by filming a live performance, I thought I could use the Dolby Atmos system to realize the ideal way of hearing that I have in my head, even though it doesn't exist in reality. I positioned the cheers, percussion instruments, guitar sounds, etc. to the left and right, front and back, creating a three-dimensional sound. I think I was most particular about creating such three-dimensional sound."
The result is a highly immersive soundscape.
"It was like being in a sea of sound, with sounds coming from all directions, and we were able to create a space where you were surrounded by so many different sounds that for a moment you lost track of where you were," he says, exuding a sense of fulfillment.
◇Rest is also important. Maintain an average of 6 hours of sleep.
Last year marked the 35th anniversary of his debut, and in addition to his musical activities, he was active in many areas, starring in two films ("Black Showman" and "The Last Man - First Love"). With such a busy schedule, how much time does Fukuyama have to relax?
"I'm probably not relaxed except when I'm sleeping. Even when I'm sleeping, I'm probably not completely relaxed. It's been like that for the past few years, my thoughts won't stop. I don't think it's very good for my body, but I'm going to keep trying as much as I can."
Regarding sleep, he revealed, "Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, but I try to get six hours."
The release date of this film, February 6th, was also his 57th birthday. When asked how he would like to spend the coming year...
"You need physical strength to realize the live performance you envision, and in order to persistently create the ideal live film, you also need the physical strength to keep your nerve working on editing and sound production.The key is to maintain your physical strength, improve the areas where you can, and continue working towards the expression you want to do," was the answer he received.
At the completion ceremony, he also made a statement that "I can lift 100 kilograms three or four times through weight training," which became a hot topic.
"I want to beat my yesterday self, it's the ultimate 'sore competitive spirit.' In work, school, or entertainment, you don't always get the results you want. But with weight training, the more you do it, the better your numbers go. It's very rewarding. Of course, you'll get muscle pain, and you shouldn't push yourself too hard and get injured. In order to improve your numbers, it's important to get proper rest and sleep. That's all part of training. I continue because I know I can get solid results."
In response to comments such as "It's surprising that you can lift 100kg," he analyzed, "I think it's surprising. Almost no one around me can lift it either. It all comes down to persistence. Muscle mass is important, but by continuing, you will acquire the correct form."
In response to the reaction "I can't believe it," he added, "So that means the world is suspicious of me, right? (laughs) Being suspected is mysterious, and I think it's actually a good thing in terms of entertainment."
After the main feature, "FUKUYAMA MASAHARU LIVE FILM@NAGASAKI Moonlight - Always Connected to This Light" includes a special track (recorded last November) of Fukuyama playing and singing "Moon," a track from the album "Calling" released in 1993. So even if you think it's over, you'll want to stay in your seat and enjoy the world of music that flows through Fukuyama's head until the very end.
(Interview and text: Naoko Hosoda/MANTAN)
