I'm doing some research on Idols, Fans, and how to approach them in America. I've made a survey so if you can take it that would be great. http://goo.gl/forms/F3aPFx6w8B I already have some ideas due to watching the reactions online to AKB48 events and reading the forums here. As a fan myself I want to help expand the Idol Culture. I hope you do too. I would like to get a start on this by making appointments with my city mayor (as luck would have it they're looking to add to the downtown area and update it as well.), entertainment lawyers, and start auditions. I personally am already in the process of getting my talent agent certification. ~SakiMai Edit: If you want to keep up with news or other things related to this project, please check out my blog- http://minnadaisuki48.tumblr.com/ (the official website is in the works!) Thanks!
I feel some most of my replies came from here so I'll re-post my answers to the questions here as well. Question 1: "Where will you get the money to start this?" Answer: Firstly I’m glad someone is actually aware of the financial side of this project. This is what I plan on doing since I currently live in a semi-small town one of the biggest complaints from anyone that lives here is “There’s nothing ever going on here.”, funny right? So this can be seen as an opportunity for this project to work already. Also having the city back you up can really help a lot in getting the money. I already have a deal with one of the city’s mayors that if the trial works they’ll consider it. Meaning if I can get enough people interested I can get it fully funded but the catch is money for a start-up and audience. I thought maybe keep the start small and short that way it won’t cost as much, maybe even do a kickstart and market the hell out of it since I know personally it’s a market for it. As long as people show support for the trial then it will find funding. Results speak louder the words. They’re people willing to help and lend their services already. I don’t want another AKB48 where there are so many girls you can’t tend to each one like you should. I want role models for the future, AKB can be adapted from so that’s what I’m pitching. Question 2: "If this group takes off, where do you see them 5 years after debuting?" Answer: This sounds like one of those questions from my business plan template…lol. Very fair question though. I see expansion. International coverage is my goal, I won’t lie, I don’t plan to have them cover ground just in America but this will always be their home so most of their special events will only be accessible here in this country. I hope to get a series on Hulu with the girls as the main cast by then. I’m a horror buff so I wish it to be horror but it might be a supernatural drama. Have an English and Japanese version of the opening and ending. I also hope to already have Tier 2 and 3 of my plan in place so they can all tour together. Maybe even get the rights so we can make an official cover of a popular AKB48 song and do a collaboration with them. These are just some ideas for down the road but there is a festival this august I’m trying to get them in so let’s see what happens. Question 3/4: "What kind of idol group are you aiming for? Just a group of young girls that sing and dance on stage? A group of girls that you can possibly meet and can make a connection with to a certain degree?/What ideas do you have for possibly your future group? Answer: Both. I want to have the main group which is the one I’m thinking about making succession based since that would be a great opportunity for a nice ceremony and gorgeous dresses. Then having three subgroups that would do stages, plays, and such at a base theater while the main group does festivals and traveling shows. I have planned out three tiers of the company. The MG is the top tier, the SG is the middle tier and the trainees being the bottom tier. (Main Group-MG) MG would be the equivalent to AKB’s senbatsu but stable and consistent. It will always be the same 16 girls until one announces graduation and her position is put up for an under member to succussed. Each one of them will also be a part of a subgroup. When events come up like festivals, expos, and other big performances the MG would be the ones to go and do them. They would also be the ‘A’ side of each single. (SubGroups-SG) SG would be the equivalent to AKB’s teams. Each group would have its own music style and color palettes. None of the groups have to do with succession but would work by recruiting trainees equivalent to the AKB48 Group Draft Kaigi They will do stages, musicals, and most likely some kind of online show on home turf (wherever that might be). Trainees will be picked by generational auditions. I want to do meet and greets or like some have said handshake events but there’s this one idea someone mentioned I thought was pretty good too. Autograph sessions. Someone also mentioned Polaroid 2Shot event which is a nice idea too.
Q/A #5 Question: What about Sister groups, even in Europe? Answer: Sister groups is a tricky thing. They require a lot of planning and resources just like the original group but they also have the advantage of starting ahead of the curve since they're a sister group. Once this group is up and running in full swing I'll be able to better answer this question but if we do make it sister groups then Europe would be the ideal place. I love the french language and it has a certain harmonious sound to in music so France might be where the first sister group will be. Thanks for asking! ~SakiMai
Q/A #6 Question: What'll be done with this info? Answer: All the info I get from the survey is used to write up business plans, talk to potential partners and so forth. Some of the questions help me to figure out what events I should plan for, for example, a lot of people are interested in SSK and Fan interactions. SSK and Fan interactions are both big events so they take more money and more time to create. Please be patient with me as I continue to work towards these ventures. Thanks for asking, SakiMai
This isn't a normal Q&A so bare with me! Someone asked for an ending summary for the survey but I'm not sure what exactly they're asking so I'm going to summarize Arcoiris. Project Arcoiris will consist of 10 Divisions plus Elite Division AA (Senbatsu) & Trainee Division CV (Canvas). Each Division has its own name, color scheme, strength, floral insignia and fashion/musical style. Each Division will function as each of 48G's teams but with the added benefit of Hello! Project's independence of different small groups. 11 of the 12 Divisions (Division AA does not get stages) get stages but depending on the division's strengths the stage will vary in style. For example Division X's strengths could be variety and comedy so their stages would be chaos stages. This is my vision. Hope you enjoyed my summary. Keep asking questions, ~SakiMai
Sorry for taking so long with answers. I've been busy with school and a business plan. Q: What kind of idol group are you aiming for? Just a group of young girls that sing and dance on stage? A group of girls that you can possibly meet and can make a connection with to a certain degree?/What ideas do you have for possibly your future group A: I'm aiming for a group with 10 divisions (or teams), that will act as a whole under the umbrella name "Arcoiris". Each division will have it's own name, flower insignia, division color, and style. Legacy Division (equivalent to AKB's Senbatsu) will not have a team color, stage, or assigned style instead each member will have an assigned color and only 12-16 (haven't decided on a number) will be allowed in this division at one time as this division works on a Succession System as well as a Graduation System. Canvas Division (Trainees) will work as such: They will never have a song on a single or album unless it's a chorus song. They will have a stage and their division color is Black & White to symbolize they're yet to be colored state. Their stages will be the only stages that will be a mixture of styles due to them being trainees and do not have an assigned style. (They need to try out everything to see where they will fit in.) All members of the Canvas Division will be required to do a predetermined number of stages within their year of probation, as well as attend lessons, and (if in school) be passing all classes in order to be deemed ok to draft. (During this time any Canvas member is allowed to leave or "dropout" from the group.) Draft Trainees will attend the bi-annual draft where all divisions' Captain, Co-Captain, and Ace Member (expect Legacy Division) will pick their incoming "freshman" girls. (No shuffles are allowed/You live and die in your chosen division.) All other divisions will work as such: Each division will have its own name, flower insignia, music/fashion style, and team color. Along with its own personally designed stages depending on its style/image and strengths. While all members will be allowed to perform in stages, concerts, and other events, there will always be a selection for those who will be performing on singles and albums. This is because there is no limit to how many girls can be in a division at once, so it can grow to 30 and up if it wanted to. In order to make sure each girl gets screen time, there have to be selections. I hope to have a version of Elections, Janken, Sports Festival, and another event every year for the girls as well as 2-shots, HS, and other Fan Events. This is what I currently want to have. Thanks SakiMai (Edit: I just read back and I saw I answered this question before, sorry, it's late...)
New International Sister Group announcement in the 48G Franchise causes friction in my schedule- For those who have not been in the loop of AKB and their agency’s stupid decisions. AKS has announced another international sister group, MUM48, that will be in India. Nothing else has been announced outside of this info though. Some people are ok with the idea of having an Indian idol group, others are upset about MNL48 not working right but I’m more so on the fence. I honestly don’t care if it works out well for India. I care about how these sister groups are being handled. Like someone has said about the new gen AKB being one huge cover group of its former self but now they’re extending their cover group status to other countries and I feel very twisted in some way. Actually, I’m pissed. I enjoy watching the process of TPE and BNK but I’m hoping for more. Knowing they won’t get anything new. So yes I’m pissed. Everyone doesn’t need a 48 group especially if you’re not gonna take care of them afterward. Now for my schedule. I’ve been in the process of developing an idol group within America (United States). However, since I’m also in school certain things such as campaigning and earning money has been pushed back. I had scheduled to take a year off school to work full time on this project because I believe very much in it. Originally I thought it would be better and easier to just move to Japan and work from there since I did get an offer to transfer schools to one in Japan but after thinking about it I felt that America would better benefit from it. Now since I also write, I was gonna spend January and February working on writing projects before going back to Idols in March however after this news of MUM48 I don’t think I can still and wait any longer. I will be switching up my schedule and cancel my writing to work on my Idol project starting January. I have a long list of things to get done before I can pitch or campaign so I better get to work.
List Related to my ‘Idol Project’ -Design new Website -Hire concept artist for theatres and ‘teams’ concepts -Register official business name -Find official first office -Register business email -Finish gathering current music trends info -Finish gathering current idol trends info -Graph out all trends -Graph out wants and needs from Idol fans -Interview people who have already agreed to work on the project for the website -Finish business plan -Finish Mission Statement Will upload new survey link for the new info I need soon, thanks!
