GEMSTONE
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The GEMSTONE Creative Label is a Japanese digital content label operated by Toho Co., Ltd. It is an expansion of the GEMSTONE Creators Audition (GEMSTONEクリエイターズオーディション, a series of auditions put on by Toho in partnership with AlphaBoat LLC Jemusutōn Kurieitāzu Ōdishon)[a] to discover artists in the fields of film, music, and illustration.[1] The first of these auditions, launched in 2018, was themed around Godzilla, with participants challenged to create their own original piece of Godzilla artwork or media. First prize winners were given a cash prize as well as the opportunity to work with Toho in an official capacity. Projects which have arisen from this arrangement include the web series Godziban and the short films Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex and Godzilla vs. Megalon.
Godzilla audition
The first round of the GEMSTONE Creators Audition, given the theme of "Godzilla," was held from November 8, 2018 to February 28, 2019. Its total prize pool was ¥3 million,[2] with ¥300,000 awarded to each winning video submission and ¥200,000 to each winning illustrated submission.[3] Winners would also be put in contact with Toho producers to develop official projects for the company.[2] Shin Godzilla co-director Shinji Higuchi was among the judges.[4] Six video submissions and six illustrated submissions were ultimately awarded.[3] These included:
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As of late 2023, four winning directors have participated in projects for Toho. The first of these was Hideyuki Kobayashi, whose short film Godziban was adapted as a YouTube web series of the same name for Toho's Godzilla Channel. Premiering in August 2019, it continues to run to this day, spanning four full seasons and numerous specials. Next, in August 2022, Toho released the YouTube-exclusive short film Change, a teen drama written and directed by William Sinclair, whose GEMSTONE submission Godzilla Trailer he made at just 14.[5] Later that year, a 3D-animated short film directed by Takuya Uenishi, a sequel to his G vs. G entitled Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex, premiered at Godzilla Fest 2022. Uenishi returned for another film at Godzilla Fest 2023 that November, directing a Gigan Rex sequel entitled Godzilla vs. Megalon, which also featured portions of live-action footage shot by Gifu Godzilla and DRESS director Akihiro Shibata.
Gallery
Videos
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Trivia
- Hiroto Yokokawa, director of indie kaiju films The Great Buddha Arrival and Hoshi 35, submitted a film entitled Hedorah Silent Spring to the Godzilla audition.
- The film's title echoes the famous 1962 environmentalist book Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson, from which Godzilla vs. Hedorah director Yoshimitsu Banno took inspiration.[6]
- Two-time winner Akihiro Shibata participated in a total of four submissions for the Godzilla audition; besides Gifu Godzilla and DRESS, he co-directed HOPE and directed CELL.
External links
- Official website
- Former Creators Audition website (archived)
- Official YouTube channel
- Official Twitter account
Notes
References
This is a list of references for GEMSTONE. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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