Creating the 'one more work' that was meant to be born. Announcement of the establishment of Ciroci inc. [Pre-press release note]

On January 18, 2021, I established Ciroci inc.
It is a company for independent creators/artists.
Please keep us in mind from here on.

This is going to be a bit about myself, but I have written down what I want to do and how I plan to do it. I would be happy if you could read it.

1. 'Creation' takes you away

I think I was doing relatively well in 'society.' I did work that I liked and found rewarding every day, and I would fall asleep at night with a sense of fulfillment.

At such a time, I suddenly and unexpectedly became unable to do anything.

I don't really understand it myself. I didn't want to do anything. Even though I knew that what I was doing was socially important and urgent, I couldn't do anything. I was confused. I shed tears. I screamed.

Unable to do anything, I would wake up, eat, and sleep. Days like that.
Even following text was painful. Seeing strings of words like 'productivity,' 'excellence,' and 'impact' made me feel helplessly overwhelmed.

Even in that state, what I could do was 'connect with nature.'
Looking at the forest, touching trees, gazing at the water's surface, admiring black carp, and being surprised by white egrets.
Somehow, I could do those things.

There was one other thing I could do. That was 'connecting with art.'
My knowledge is not deep at all, so I don't really understand it, but I would look at old paintings by people with foreign names and think, 'Ah, that's nice,' or look at things like pottery or tea bowls and think, 'That's cool,' or look at highly detailed illustrations and think, 'That's good,' or be moved by someone's poem contained in a 5-7-5-7-7 structure.

I thought something at that time.

Art takes you to a world outside of 'society' properly.

In that way.
And I felt so much better.

Water Lilies
Date : 1906
Artist : Claude Monet French, 1840-1926

Around that time, I began to feel that art should not be used for the sake of 'society,' and that I wanted it to remain far outside of things like 'necessity.'

Also, I stopped seeking nobility in art, and it became a simple state of me engaging with it because I simply want to.

2 The situation of artists/creators

As I engaged with things I consider art—paintings, music, manga, illustrations, tanka poetry, pottery, etc.—and realized that in society, the people who create them are often called creators rather than artists (so I will refer to them as 'artists/creators' hereafter), I also began to see the environment surrounding them.

Among them, the biggest trend is

the increase in independent artists/creators

I think that can be cited.

There are several factors to consider,
・Increased opportunities for individuals to thrive due to the enrichment of platforms
・It has become difficult to make top players feel the benefits of belonging to an organization
and so on are likely major ones.

Therefore, I predict that the number of independent artists/creators will continue to increase as a trend of the times.

On the other hand, even for such independent artists/creators, there are functions they would like to rely on someone for if possible.
That is, back-office functions (legal, accounting, etc.).

This is a topic that comes up when talking to many people; it's hard to internalize, it's painful for creators to do it themselves as it reduces the time they can devote to their work, and amateur judgment is dangerous, so it makes perfect sense.

Ah, I'll do that.

I thought so naturally. When I did that,
my career as a lawyer, the fact that Ijoined Akatsuki from the very beginning, and the fact that Istarted and manage my own companyall began to shine brighter, which is strange.

3. From the form of affiliation to partnership

So, what I am starting is

Ciroci inc., a back-office partner company for independent artists/creators.

To put it simply, compared to traditional talent agencies or YouTuber management firms, this is the part of the business we will handle.

Moving from an affiliation relationship that tends to be hierarchical to a flat, horizontal partnership.

Therefore, it is fine even if you are already under contract with someone else, and the direction of creative activities can be decided by the creators/artists themselves.

In an affiliation relationship, there can sometimes be a conflict with the agency's interests, but by making it a horizontal relationship,Ciroci inc. becomes a business partner that works together with independent artists/creators to realize what they originally wanted to achieve.

4. Service details

Specifically, it is the provision of a one-stop service for back-office functions.

This includes legal, accounting, finance, labor, and general affairs.
(The relationship with the Attorney Act, etc., will be discussed at a later date)

We will establish a system where independent creators/artists can hedge risks as if they were running a single company and take on challenges more and more.

For example, Ciroci inc. exists as a place you can consult first when such concerns arise.

・I want to take on a new challenge, but is this legally okay...

・It might cause a backlash, so I want someone to look at it first...

・The amount is large, so I want to make a proper contract, but what should I do...

・I've been told I should incorporate and might be able to get funding, but is it really a good idea...

・What kind of contract should I have with other creators...

・What should I do about the rights to things announced in a guild...

・I don't really understand tax returns or taxes... etc

Becoming intimidated and failing to create the 'one more work' that should have been born. Ciroci inc. exists to avoid such things and to create that 'one more work' together with you.

5. The meaning behind the name

Ciroci inc. means 'Shiroshi'. The origin of 'white'.
'Shiroshi' is a word that originally came from 'itoshiroshi = ichijirushii' (remarkable/obvious).

As you can see from its origin, in the past, the Japanese word for 'white' was a word that expressed the possibility of something appearing suddenly, and it also meant the intention to head toward the opposite pole of chaos. Also, 'white' is the color that adds up all the colors of light.

I named it Ciroci because I want to be 'whiter' than anyone else as a partner to artists/creators who are colorful and show us a different world overnight.

The logo is finished!

6. The first step

I am continuously posting information on Instagram, Twitter, etc., so I would be happy if you could take a look.😊

https://twitter.com/kun1aki/status/1435445699508723713?s=20

7. Conclusion

Independent creators and artists work on their creations before they are released to the world, at a stage where the outcome is still uncertain. (In that sense, I think it's even more difficult than startups that have lean methodologies.)

It is truly sad that the 'one more work' that was supposed to be born from such creators and artists disappears from this world.
And this is not just me personally feeling sad; it is synonymous with the world of everyone reading this becoming just a little bit less interesting (please let me say that definitively).

That is exactly why I would be happy if we could properly create that 'one more work' that was meant to be born together!
Thank you very much for your support!

Ciroci inc. itself will be taking on various challenges, so I would be happy if you could keep an eye on our progress on Twitter. Also, for creators who might need us someday, please do reach out!