David Chester is an accomplished writer-producer from Los Angeles who has lived in Tokyo since 1993. He is an alumnus of Writers Bootcamp, a Los Angeles school dedicated to helping screenwriters improve their craft. David’s feature film and TV spec scripts have consistently placed in (U.S.) national competitions, and his pilot-sitcom “Mix-Matched” has been optioned twice by Fox TV (U.S.). His short films “Isabel” (producer) and “Tomoko’s Kitchen” (producer/writer) have both won awards on the film festival circuit. David's screenwriting experience enabled him to establish "Screenwriters in Tokyo," an organization that helps Tokyo writers polish their scripts and hosts Tokyo workshops by notable Hollywood writers, such as Ellen Sandler, an Emmy-nominated writer for the hit U.S. sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond.” David produced Sandler's sold-out workshops in 2008 and 2009, and will be scheduling similar workshops in 2010.
David is also a journalist, voice actor, and songwriter. He has been a contributing editor for numerous Tokyo-based publications, most notably Metropolis and The Japan Times, has provided character voices for game software by Sega and Namco, and has written music/lyrics for over 80 songs released on major Japanese recording labels. In addition to original compositions, he has written the English lyrics for cover versions of Japanese pop hits, recorded by such artists as Richard Marx, Roberta Flack, and Phoebe Snow.
David recently published his first book, Freelancing in Tokyo: A Unique Guide to Achieving Financial Success in Japan’s Most Expensive City (Shining Hour Publishing, 2009). Freelancing in Tokyo offers essential information and advice on finding high-paying freelance job opportunities in Tokyo, most of which do not require special skills. The reader benefits from David’s personal experiences working jobs as varied as TV actor, French chef, voiceover artist, editor, and magazine model, all of which he was well paid for. In addition, Freelancing in Tokyo offers numerous cultural insights, Japanese 101, contacts, links, and invaluable Japanese phrases that cover everything from getting paid on time to doing business over the telephone. The book is supported by the "Freelancing in Tokyo" website, which also provides related news and events.
To attend David Chester's BookNotes presentation on 28 February 2010, you must purchase a copy of Freelancing in Tokyo from our shop. Paperback copies of Freelancing in Tokyo are available at Good Day Books for two thousand sixteen yen (¥2016) each, tax included.
www.davidchester.com
www.freelancingintokyo.com
www.screenwritersintokyo.com
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