![\"***Image***\"](\"http:\/\/i2.cmail20.com\/ei\/r\/EB\/659\/0EE\/073732\/csimport\/2021-10-05-1_1.jpg\")
maintain the volume of new titles, but this tough time has also made us eager to tell stories that need to be told,\u201d says Noriko Aratani, executive producer for global content development at NHK.<\/p>\nFactual programming has long been one of the main pillars of Japan\u2019s NHK, and the genre has proven to be a strong seller on the global market for its business arm, NHK Enterprises. \u201cThe Covid-19 pandemic has made it difficult for us to maintain the volume of new titles, but this tough time has also made us eager to tell stories that need to be told,\u201d says Noriko Aratani, executive producer for global content development at NHK.<\/p>\n
Among the latest releases is Heirs of the Red Gene: A Century of Chinese Communist Rule<\/em>, an in-depth look into the workings of cell branches that reveals the unknown reality of the Chinese Communist Party. \u201cThe production crew consistently focused on China from the perspective of ordinary villagers and party members of each branch,\u201d Aratani explains.<\/p>\n REGENERATION: From Bullets to Brotherhood<\/em> focuses on an Australia-born investment banker turned \u201cgang pastor\u201d in one of Cape Town\u2019s most dangerous townships. \u201cYou may know his story from news outlets around the world,\u201d says Aratani. \u201cThis documentary features previously unreleased footage shot by the pastor himself, exclusively for NHK.\u201d<\/p>\n Fukushima Monologue<\/em>, a finalist for the 2021 Jackson Wild Media Awards, tells the story of the one man who chose to stay behind in the no-go zone near the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. \u201cWe are overwhelmed by the beauty of Fukushima and, the next moment, devastated by the reality of the town,\u201d Aratani says.<\/p>\n Hideaki Anno: The Final Challenge of Evangelion<\/em> has proven very successful on the international market for NHK Enterprises. It has been licensed non-exclusively to Amazon Prime Video and other services.<\/p>\n \u201cNHK has long been known to have a strong selection of human stories that depict ordinary people with positive messages,\u201d Watanabe says, pointing to REGENERATION: From Bullets to Brotherhood<\/em> and Fukushima Monologue<\/em>. This also includes The Professional: Garbage as a Calling<\/em>, a documentary that follows a garbageman who is so devoted to his work, not even the coronavirus deters him. \u201cWhen the city needed someone to collect garbage from a hospital that had a cluster of Covid-19 cases, he eagerly volunteered,\u201d Watanabe explains. \u201cAn NHK crew spent 150 days with him to find out what it takes. His story is so inspiring, he was interviewed by overseas media after NHK\u2019s broadcast.\u201d<\/p>\n In terms of factual acquisitions, NHK has three dedicated slots for these global stories. Some of the titles that have performed well with its audiences include RBG<\/em>, from Storyville Films, Magnolia Pictures and CNN Films; Inside the Mind of Agatha Christie<\/em>, from Knickerbockerglory; On Thin Ice<\/em>, from Altayfilm; and Britain in Colour<\/em>, from Arrow Media and Smithsonian Networks.<\/p>\n \u201cWomen\u2019s stories, global environmental issues and history from new angles work quite well,\u201d adds Aratani. \u201cAnniversary years are also strong points to highlight,\u201d with The Mole<\/em> and The Diana Interview: Revenge of a Princess <\/em>drawing considerable attention.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are quite open about genre and style,\u201d Aratani says. \u201cAlso, we try to be as flexible as possible so that our audience can sense global trends and the timeliness of stories.\u201d The October broadcast schedule includes BBC Studios\u2019 Vaccine: The Inside Story<\/em>, alongside In Search of Monsters<\/em>.<\/p>\n NHK has made considerable investments in 8K programming, becoming a pioneer in this cutting-edge area. \u201cCreating new broadcast technologies and services is an important mission for a public media organization such as NHK,\u201d \u201cThe coronavirus pandemic has imposed constraints on the lives of viewers, but it has also enabled people to rediscover the greatest advantage of 8K programs: a degree of realism that gives viewers the sense that the things they\u2019re watching are actually right there in front of them,\u201d Takahiko continues.<\/p>\n In the area of entertainment, NHK has done live broadcasts of concerts by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and prerecorded broadcasts of musicals. It also aired an arts documentary series called Fresh Encounters with Our Cultural Heritage<\/em>. This program originated from NHK\u2019s cross-sector collaboration with the Tokyo National Museum. It all started in March 2020, when a national treasure Buddha from the 7th century was transported to Tokyo to be exhibited for the first time in 23 years. NHK took this opportunity to test a newly developed imaging technology called photogrammetry. The statue was scanned using lasers to acquire highly precise data on its shape, color and texture. The system converted the data into UHD 3D CG images, enabling the statue to be shown in hyper-real definition with more detail than could ever be seen with the naked eye and from any angle. Due to the pandemic, the exhibition of the statue had to be canceled. Turning adversity into opportunity, NHK thought it could use its new 3D CG technology to create a new kind of exhibition.<\/p>\n \u201cGalleries in Japan and overseas can hold exhibitions simultaneously by sharing the same digital replica,\u201d Takahiko says. \u201cAlso, researchers around the world can investigate the same treasure together. The production team\u2019s dream is to facilitate cultural communion all around the world using 8K technology.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"***Image***\"](\"http:\/\/i3.cmail20.com\/ei\/r\/EB\/659\/0EE\/073732\/csimport\/2021-10-05-2_2.jpg\")
One of NHK\u2019s most acclaimed factual offerings this year is Hideaki Anno: The Final Challenge of Evangelion<\/em>, a documentary that follows filmmaker Hideaki Anno during the creative process for the final installment of the legendary Evangelion<\/em>anime franchise. \u201cHayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli describes him as one who sheds blood for his films,\u201d says Afumi Watanabe, chief manager for the content distribution department in the content development center at NHK Enterprises. The documentary was one of the most-watched programs on NHK\u2019s video streaming service after its March broadcast debut.<\/p>\n![\"***Image***\"](\"http:\/\/i4.cmail20.com\/ei\/r\/EB\/659\/0EE\/073732\/csimport\/2021-10-05-3_3.jpg\")
says Hakuno Takahiko, 8K channel controller at NHK. \u201cOne of NHK\u2019s major achievements is our 8K satellite channel (the first in the world), which we launched in 2018. Notably, we devoted great efforts to deliver the highest possible level of broadcast services for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games this year. Within the constraints imposed by the one-year postponement and the absence of spectators at venues, we broadcast 210 hours during the Olympics and 90 hours during the Paralympics, enabling a lot of people to enjoy live sports in ultra-high definition.\u201d<\/p>\n