We provide location coordination and production services for our Japanese clients all over the North American continent.
From the early stages of preproduction to the actual shoot, experienced producers and coordinators support all aspects of productions for TV shows, commercials and video content being shot in the U.S. and Canada.
We believe meticulous research and preparation are essential for a successful production. From negotiating an interview to securing the most suitable location for the project, our bilingual staff will conduct quick, on point research for your video project.
With a solid network of production crew all across America, we can put together a team of industry professionals prepared to take on any project regardless of size and nature. We can provide vehicles and equipment that a project calls for.
From city streets to national parks, we have a wide range of experience obtaining permits for all kinds of locations, and can find locations to suit the needs and budget of any production.
We understand that the talent is often the most critical aspect of a video production, and we strive to bring the best possible cast to every project we work on. Our team is equipped to handle every step of the process, from researching, negotiating, and booking agency models, talent, influencers, professors, and everyday Americans.
Accompanying VIPs and attending to high profile talent is an important part of production. To ensure that our important clients and talents have a comfortable stay, we handle transportation, meals, and lodging, providing discreet, attentive support.
Even when creative team from Japan cannot be present due to scheduling or budget constraint, we are able to handle the shoot ourselves, based on the desired creative direction, and deliver the raw footage electronically regardless of genre ranging from interviews, B-roll shots, and scenes on location involving cast and extras.
We are equipped to act as agents on behalf of our Japanese clients in procuring permission and licensing to use published footage, articles and photos, which can play an essential role in telling a compelling story.
We’re ready to assist with recording video and live-broadcasting US-based talent and interviewees for live or non-live events, online or offline. We’ll take care of every step along the way, including contract negotiations, location arrangements, building multi-camera streaming systems, procurement of crew and equipment, and on-site operations and execution.
We are equipped to distribute live video and audio feeds from the camera to overseas clients via Zoom, Skype, or the video conference application of the client’s choice. We can also accommodate video feeds from multiple cameras, on location, and with composite backgrounds.
Ginza Sony Park organized an exhibition called "Manga in New York" in the Chelsea area of New York, bringing together Japanese manga artists and illustrators. We arranged equipment and vehicles for crew from Japan and assisted with still photo and video shoot on site.
The New York Comic-Con 2023 was hosted at the Javits Convention Center where anime creators and fans from across the globe gathered. Creators of Dragon Ball made a long anticipated announcement that a new series is in production and to launch in 2024. We assisted with still photo and video shoot on site, covering the panel presentation and filming of Toei Animation / Bandai booth.
This is an award winning documentary series that records the lives of people around the world living through the COVID-19 pandemic through self-recorded videos. The October 2023 edition followed a 3rd grader living in a rural part of New York who spent his crucial formative years during the COVID-19 lockdown. We assisted with research and remote shoot with the family.
This is a long running corporate documentary show on TV Tokyo, "Cambrian Palace" hosted by award winning writer Ryu Murakami and actress Eiko Koike. We conducted an interview with Colin Angle, the CEO of iRobot, the creator of the Roomba vacuum robot, at the iRobot headquarters in the suburbs of Boston. We assisted with the shoot and translation on site.
SIBOS is one of the world's premier financial events, and the 2023 edition was hosted in Toronto, Canada. We supported our client in the preparation and coordination of a social event in downtown Toronto. Our responsibilities included venue booking, contracting, organizing local crew members, and on-site coordination.
We conducted a location shoot for a commercial featuring L'Oréal's make-up brand, Maybelline New York, in collaboration with popular YouTuber and creator Heisei Flamingo in New York. We provided support throughout the production, starting from pre-production tasks including location scout, procuring vehicles and equipment, and recruiting the production crew, to the shooting on location.
The most influential TV documentary show follows reputable global companies to reveal the behind the scenes of how a popular product or service becomes available to the public. We followed the challenges of Imuraya, a long-established Japanese confectionery manufacturer, to expand their traditional sweets products in the North American market. We were responsible for the research and on-location cordination of the U.S. portion of the show.
This educational TV show on NHK E (NHK Education) introduces the admission exams of some of the world’s most prestigious universities, with this episode focusing on the admission essay questions of Stanford University. We were responsible for recruiting the participating university student and filming the participant’s interview in New York City.
The documentary closely follows the life of Miyo Yoshida, a former WBO Junior bantamweight champion known as “Fighting Single Mother”, who has recently relocated to New York City in pursuit of regaining a championship. We were responsible for securing the shooting permit and broadcasting rights for Miyo’s debut fight in the United States.
This art documentary TV show explores the appeal of “Early Color,” a body of photographic work by Saul Leiter, who captured the streets of New York City in the 1950s and 1960s with vivid color film and bold composition. We handled the filming of the interviews at the late Saul Leiter’s apartment and relevant streetscapes in New York City.
Takaaki Ishibashi, one of the most famous Japanese comedians, and Hideki Matsui, former New York Yankees legend got together to have an in-depth conversation about Major League Baseball at a rooftop studio in Manhattan. We were in charge of organizing the production, which included arranging the interview venue and hiring the local crew.
Gutto Chikyubin is a long-running documentary TV show that follows the lives of professionals living abroad away from their families in Japan. We assisted in research and location coordination for the filming of Mai Yamamoto, an accomplished aerial performer for Cirque du Soleil's popular show "Mystére" in Las Vegas.
NHK’s acclaimed documentary series revisited Montgomery, Alabama in May 2023, a state with one of the lowest U.S. vaccination rates, to chronicle the ongoing challenges faced by its residents three years into the pandemic. This sequel episode focused on Christina Thornton, Director of the Emergency and Crisis Management Agency in Montgomery, for which we facilitated remote filming.
This popular NHK food show delves into the history and anecdotes of famous sweets, simultaneously recreating their recipes in the studio. This episode focuses on "Cold Lemon Pie," a beloved dessert of Walt Disney. We were responsible for on-site filming at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, as well as conducting interviews with the museum director and a Disney food expert/author.
The educational TV show, hosted by TV personality Kazlaser, invites experts from various fields to explore cutting-edge technology, science, and research aimed at enhancing our lives. We assisted in fact checking and obtaining permission to use images from an academic publication on dermatology.
This sequel documentary explores the fentanyl crisis in San Francisco's infamous Tenderloin district, known for its unregulated open drug market and widespread homelessness. Our responsibilities included pre-production research, casting a local guide, and engaging a former fentanyl addict to guide the film crew through the heart of Tenderloin, in addition to coordinating on-location filming in San Francisco.
Breaking is a style of dance and a new sport at Paris Summer Olympics in 2024. The documentary closely follows Shigekix, breaking’s star out of Japan, who is aiming to become the first gold medalist in the Olympics. We have helped film the U.S. portion of the documentary, including interview of El Niño, a judge for the 2021 Red Bull BC One, the world's leading break dance competition, and the B-roll shoot in Bronx.
Shiseido's 150th Anniversary message film "From life comes beauty". This global commercial was shot in 7 cities in 4 countries and we were responsible for the U.S. portion (NY and LA) of the shoot including locations, casting, hiring of production crew, execution and direction on site.
This is a popular talk show hosted by Hiroiki Ariyoshi and Sho Sakurai of Arashi, two of the most popular TV personalities in Japan. Naomi Watanabe was the guest and introduced her favorite places in New York City. We were in charge of the location shoot in NYC.
In this special episode of Matsuko Kaigi, a popular talk show, NY-based Japanese comedian, fashionista, and influencer, Naomi Watanabe (@naomiwatanabe703) was invited to Nippon TV studio in Tokyo, and four of her Japanese friends in NY joined the conversation remotely. We were in charge of the research, multi-camera streaming / recording, and on-site coordination in New York.
An acclaimed global documentary series that asked people to record segments of their lives with smartphone and tell their own Covid stories. We helped cast a California couple who drove their truck to Washington DC to participate in the People’s Convoy campaign, and a young Ukrainian woman who fled Ukraine across the border to Poland as Russia invaded the county.
BS1 Special documentary featuring businesses and practices where beloved pets are cloned and given “a second life.” We were responsible for research, negotiation, and location shoot with ViaGen Pets, a leading clone tech company headquartered in the suburbs of Dallas.
An acclaimed documentary series that reveals how John Lennon's "Imagine" has become one of the most iconic songs of all time. Among the interviewed were Tom Brook, a BBC journalist in charge of the on-site coverage immediately after John’s death, and Bob Gruen, rock music photographer and a close friend of John. We were responsible for research, interview negotiations, and location shoot.
Maasa Ishihara (@maasaishihara), the back dancer of Justin Bieber was featured In this episode of a popular talk show hosted by Matsuko. We helped set up a multi-camera streaming and recording on location in Lancaster.
An NHK (PBS) documentary consisting of interviews with a former MIT blackjack team that challenged Las Vegas casinos and made a fortune using a Blackjack technique called "card counting,” made famous by the 2008 Hollywood film "21". We recruited and interviewed the former MIT student, professor, and a former Casino security officer involved in the actual incident in the 1980s and 90s. We handled everything from the research to booking interviewees to conducting the interviews.
A mini-TV series by AXN Japan featuring American TV dramas filmed in NY and beyond. We made 14 mini travel shows featuring restaurants, shops, parks, museums, and the latest attractions in NYC. We were responsible for parts of the script, direction, shooting, editing, motion graphics, and titling for all 14 episodes.
We helped with the casting for the acclaimed PBS global documentary series. It consisted of self-recorded videos taken on participants’ smartphones that showed segments of life greatly impacted by the pandemic. Featured in this episode was a North Carolina father suffering from Long Covid.
We filmed a live commerce video with Kazuma Mitchell for sitrana (@sitrana.jp), a Tokyo based skincare brand. Our crew shot it in a studio in Manhattan, joined remotely via Zoom by the creative agency in Tokyo and Shanghai.
We helped with this NHK documentary project by getting permission to use and license official footage of Japanese ski jump star and Olympic gold medalist, Ryoryu Kobayashi.
We helped cast this acclaimed PBS documentary series consisting of self-recorded videos taken with smartphones. The series shows segments of people’s lives affected by the global pandemic, and featured in this episode was a Yale University student who opposed vaccination for religious reasons.
This is a long-running documentary series about Japanese professionals who excel in various fields outside of Japan. This episode featured an interview with a paper cut artist in Jacksonville. We sent a NY-based film crew to film the interview with our host, Gussan, joined remotely from Japan.
We got to collaborate with Mr. Hideki Matsui, former NY Yankees MVP and current GM special advisor, for a Komatsu anniversary event. We filmed his interview in a hotel suite in Manhattan while streaming the video for our clients via Zoom.
We had the honor of working with Niall Ferguson, a TED speaker and respected historian who is a senior fellow at Stanford University and Harvard University for the filming of his key-note presentation and interview at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. We sent crew from Los Angeles and New York to execute the filming in and around the campus in Stanford, CA.
We had the pleasure of working with Ms. Naomi Watanabe, most followed instagrammer in Japan, for a key-note speech at Adobe MAX 2021, an annual creative conference hosted online by Adobe. Our team rented a loft studio in Soho, Manhattan where we brought 3 cameras, crane, and a multi-camera streaming system. Our client joined remotely from Tokyo.
In this acclaimed PBS series, people around the world whose lives were impacted by the pandemic documented themselves via self-recorded smartphone videos. Featured in this episode was a disaster management director working for the city of Montgomery, Alabama’s capital, when the Covid vaccination rate there was the lowest in the U.S.
We sent a video production crew to an Los Angeles residence where we connected to our show host Matsuko in Tokyo via Skype. From there, he interviewed Shion Kaji, creator and mastermind of one of the most subscribed YouTube channels in the U.S., Ryan’s World.
This acclaimed PBS documentary series consists of videos self-recorded with smartphones. Each segment shows a segment of a real person from around the globe whose life was greatly impacted by the ongoing pandemic. In this episode, we followed the life of an Asian woman in Seattle, WA. Her head was seriously injured in a horrific attack alleged to be an anti-Asian hate crime.
We were commissioned to make an online business conference video for JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization), a Japanese government related organization that works to promote international trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. We were responsible for the remote shoot via Zoom and post production including video editing, motion design, and original music.
The popular documentary series, called “Real Voice,” involves casual conversations with people eating at American diners where they’re asked for their opinions on current political and social issues. In this episode we sent Double 3, a self-driving, two-wheeled video conferencing robot, to Times Square as well as two diners in New York City. There, we connected Bakusho Mondai, a popular comedian duo, to real people, allowing them to speak to them about American politics.
This is an acclaimed PBS documentary series consisting of self-recorded smartphone videos showing segments of real people’s lives and how they were impacted by the global pandemic. In this episode, we followed a Brooklyn woman who was terminated from her job because of her hesitancy to get vaccinated due to concerns over the vaccine’s long-term effects on fertility and pregnancy.
As part of a 25 year anniversary promotional video chronicling the history of Pokémon, we were asked to shoot the segment for “Pokemon Go” in Los Angeles. We filmed young people with smartphones playing in such iconic locations as Venice Beach and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
This Jan – Feb 2021 episode is from the acclaimed documentary series consisting of self-recorded smartphone videos showing people around the world whose lives have been impacted by the pandemic. In this episode, we followed a paster and his involvement in the heart of Harlem, New York. At the time, COVID-19 was hitting the community hard, but vaccine skepticism remained high.
This is an acclaimed, bi-monthly documentary series consisting of self-recorded videos with smartphones showing the lives of people around the world whose lives have been impacted by the pandemic. Featured in this episode was an Ohio-based stand-up comedian who is a die-hard Trump supporter and no-mask advocate.
In our feature for Takara Belmont, a global barber chair manufacturer out of Kansai region of Japan, we got to work with Hyde Park Hair Salon, the iconic barber famous for being former president Barack Obama’s go-to. We were responsible for the research, interviews, and filming of the segment.
As a part of the annual business conference “Company Forum 2020,” hosted by Works Human Intelligence, Inc. Mr. Hideki Matsui, a former NY Yankee MVP and current special adviser to the General Manager, did a live interview in a Manhattan studio. We were responsible for executing the live stream with Mr. Matsui amidst of Covid outbreak in NYC.
In this BS1 Special documentary, we followed five millennials with differing political beliefs for about a month leading up to the presidential election. In addition to coordinating filming and translating for the subtitles, our team was responsible for casting the participants from California, Florida, Ohio, Tennessee, and New York.
We were honored to help with this global documentary series consisting of self-recorded smartphone videos from around the world. Each segment reveals a piece of a participant’s life that was greatly impacted by the pandemic, and in this episode, we featured a young “Blasian” dancer in Brooklyn who actively supported the Black Lives Matter marches.
We assisted with the U.S. portion of the launch video for Pokemon Company’s highly anticipated new game, “Pokemon Unite.” We were in charge of arranging and delivery of the equipment for the remote shooting in Seattle. We were also responsible for casting extras and assisting the filming remotely.
Haruka Ayase, brand ambassador and Japan’s most recognized actress, and Simone Biles, America’s most decorated gymnast and Olympic gold medalist appeared together in SK-II’s brand PR event in NYC. The campaign’s message #NoCompetition (in beauty) has filled billboards of Times Square. We helped with coordination and attending to Ms. Ayase and her crew.
TBS’ special program featuring the latest technology that may be realized in near future. We helped with the testing of Tempur-Pedic’s technology packed bed that prevents from snoring at New York City studio. We were responsible for research, booking of the studio, cast, and coordination on site.
Fuji Oil’s corporate branding video touching on the company’s history and recent acquisition of Blommer Chocolate, world’s third largest industrial chocolate producer. We assisted in coordination of the filming at Blommer’s chocolate factory in Greenville, Pennsylvania.
Sony had a booth at 2020 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, showcasing latest technology. We helped book a LA-based photographer and reporter to appear in the promotional video.
Music video of talented singer songwriter, Fujii Kaze’s (@FujiiKaze) debut single, “Nan-Nan.” We formed solid production team and assisted in expressing the unique visual world of FujiiKaze. We were in charge of booking of the featured dancer and extras, equipment, vehicles, over-all production support and execution of the storyboard.
An episode featuring famed ramen hotspots in NYC, Ippudo (@ippudous) and Nakamura (@nakamuranyc), revealing their secret recipes for success. We were responsible for securing film equipment, and coordinating transportation and language assistance on site.
We coordinated the filming of Mr. Yusaku Maezawa, the former CEO of Zozotown and famed entrepreneur and billionaire, while buying art in New York. We were responsible for obtaining permission from art gallery, hiring of local crew, and providing language assistance on and off-set.
We assisted with the video shoot of the final show of Hyde’s (@hydeofficial) U.S. tour at Live Express! in Columbus, OH.
A reality TV show featuring the famed “Birkin girl,” Noni, at her family home in the suburbs of San Francisco. We were in charge of hiring of local camera crew, camera equipment and location coordination.
A branding film for Repro, a mobile/web marketing software company based in Tokyo. We were in charge of arranging camera, lighting, and grip crew, equipment and vehicles, location scouting and permits for scenes in apartment, cafe and Central Park, and for finding local talent and extras for the shoot.
The street style reality TV program that asked the question “what kind of place will you end up if you follow a fashionable person in New York?” We were in charge of permits application, negotiating interviews and location coordination on site.
An intimate documentary of Naoya Yoshida, who runs a thoroughbred ranch in Lexington, KY, a place considered sacred for thoroughbreds. We were in charge of permits at the Kentucky Derby, hiring of a drone operator and location coordination onsite.
Extensive coverage of iRobot, Boston-based robotics company that builds the robotic, automatic vacuum, Roomba. We assisted with interview of iRobot CEO, location coordination including vehicles, equipment and hiring of camera operator.
We assisted with the still photo shoot at the Cambridge performance of Hyde’s (@hydeofficial), Japan’s leading rockstar.
We arranged for photographer and interpreter to be sent to the annual SXSW festival, one of the world’s greatest creative business technology festivals.
We coordinated filming of a documentary of Tomomi Terada, a cheerleader for one of the NBA’s top teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers. We were in charge of obtaining permits to shoot and negotiating the terms of coverage with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the NBA.
We aided in the licensing and research of historical footage from the 1930’s, including speeches made by President Roosevelt and Fumimaro Konoe, a Japanese diplomat instrumental in trying to prevent the US/Japanese war.
Filmed music video of “It Could Have Been Another Way,” a gospel song by Sony Music-represented NY singer, TiA (@tia_singer). We were in charge of the full production, including shooting her performances in Central Park and at church in Harlem, and post-production.
An intimate documentary of New York based shoe designer Piro Takako (@circle3nyc). We handled obtaining permission to shoot and location coordination.
Extensive coverage of top American vacuum maker, SharkNinja, unveiling deep inside of the Boston headquarter for the first time as broadcasting media. We were in charge of interviews of key players at the company including CEO, and location coordination on site.
Reality TV show with Walter Martino “Million Dollar Celebrity Chef” in Miami. We were incharge of research, interview negotiations, location proposals and permissions, hiring of local crew and casting, arrangements of equipment and vehicles as well as constructionof large-scale sets on location.
With bilingual influencer Meg (@megumi_tyo) as a show host, we did court coverage of San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center, and captured the charm of the city of San Antonio. We handled shooting permits, research, and vehicle, crew, equipment and location coordination.
On and off court coverage of the 2017 and 2018 NBA champions, Golden State Warriors, with bilingual influencer Maya Miyagawa (@maya_m0901). Also filmed throughout the city of San Franco, featuring city’s best attractions. We were in charge of research, shooting permits, and vehicle, equipment, crew and location coordination.
Mini web series featuring Rakuten’s NBA 32 key members (bilingual influencers), at the New York Knicks home arena, Madison Square Garden, and the Brooklyn Nets’ Barclays Center. We handled location permits within NYC, crew/ talent transportation, and location coordination on site.
For a comprehensive list of the works and production companies we’ve worked with, feel free to contact us.
The company name Dear Ocean embodies our desire to be a strong partner in North America to clients across the Pacific. During research work, we use our experience and network to pursue the best result, often times in a creative, unconventional way. On location, we’re flexible and agile enough to respond to the unique needs of each project and aim to get the most out of the budget.
In addition, we provide extensive support outside of shooting, such as meals, transportation, and accommodations, so our client can be comfortable and enjoy their visit to North America. We aspire to be a trusted collaborator who deeply cares about the craft and always goes out of their way to maximize the quality of the end video product while hitting budget goals and meeting tight deadlines.
Originally from Chiba, Japan, Taka relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area for high school and went on to earn a degree in film production (CTVA) from California State University, Northridge. After graduation, he has worked for bilingual production companies based in Los Angeles and New York and travelled all around North America shooting documentary TV shows, commercials, and various video assignments.
With extensive experience and a robust network in production, coupled with a passion for crafting compelling stories and stunning visuals, he has founded Dear Ocean LLC, a New York-based bilingual video production company specialized in serving major TV networks and production companies from Japan.
Born and raised in Osaka, Aki graduated from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver with a major in Film. After working with a Tokyo-based film distribution company, she relocated to Toronto where she took a position in the programming department for the Toronto International Film Festival. At the same time she was organizing the Toronto Japanese Film Festival at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. In 2022, she founded Momo Films Inc., a specialized film distribution company focusing on Japanese cinema.
In addition to her work in distribution and programming Aki has extensive experience working as a production coordinator and on-set interpreter for companies such as Netflix, Apple TV+, PBS, and CBC.
We are always looking for new talent and hiring production crews on a freelance basis. We are especially in need of bilingual (Japanese-English) researchers, coordinators, production managers, and producers. Also, we love hearing from any production professionals, experienced or not, including DP, AC, gaffer, grip, audio, VTR, hair stylist, make-up artist, wardrobe stylist, art director, and PAs (on-set or office).
We do a variety of video projects big and small, and the only required qualification is a work visa for the United States. Please send a resume and/or portfolio.
We are a bilingual company- please feel free to contact us in English or Japanese!
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