Nice to see you, my name is Nerudora.

I have produced video clips using MikuMikuDance(MMD)^[1] and posted them on Nico Nico Douga.

Some of you might know about it already. My name came from "Akita Neru", a derivative character of Hatsune Miku, and I used to post videos of "Akita Neru Plays Drums". Nerudora=Neru+drums(dora). At first I used to use another pseudonym, but Nerudora sounds unique and easier to remember, so now I'm working using current pseudonym. There's no special reason why I use Hiragana when I write my name.

I am often asked, "Why Neru?", but to tell the truth, it was Neru which I happened to load on MMD, that's all… Now she is something like a part of me. Personally, my favorite is Neru because her personality sounds the most human-like among all characters. She is sometimes Tsundere^[2] , and sometimes a part-time worker whose wage is 700 yen an hour… Wage means nothing, though…

Please let me to tell you a bit different story. Also I am often asked, "Why not Miku nor Rin/Len?" or "Why majority of band members are derivative characters?". Miku, Rin/Len and Luka have "voice" but derivative characters don't. So I think "I can have them play instruments on my video if they don't have voice." I like characters themselves no matter if they are Vocaloids or derivative characters. In particular, I love derivative characters among them.

I'd played a musical instrument for 10 years. It was drums which became the derivation of my pseudonym. So I think I've been engaged in music itself enthusiastically. I haven't touched instruments for ages recently, though…

Regarding the video, I used to think "I want to try making something like short movie" at the same time as when I started playing drums, but computer graphics were not so easy then and there were a lot of restrictions such as preparing equipment and everything else for live-action films. I only kept on playing drums keeping vague interest in video in my mind.

Meanwhile, I found MMD. It was something like Christmas and a birthday feast rolled into one for me when I found I could create 3D computer graphic movies easily on my PC. So my history of using MMD is the same as my history of movie production.

I never thought, "I want to produce video clips" at all when I started MMD, so I just made simple videos of "the outcome of moving characters on MMD". At first I couldn't do more than just moving characters, but I felt the blank background was so dull, so I tried changing atmospheres of the movie having a stage there temporarily.

At that time, the final round of "the 4th MMD Cup" was held and I saw a MMD PV "I Sing for You" by cort there, then I started devoting myself to MMD-Band Edition. It was one of the works I have ever get influenced. I don't think I would do such a thing without the video clip.

At first, I just kept making motions of playing drums, but gradually, I worked on other instrumental parts such as bass and electric guitars. Finally I wanted to see a whole band moving so I made "[MMD] Ding-Dong [PV]" which took the second place in the 5th MMD Cup. Since then, I became conscious of my videos as "works".

MikuMikuEffect's debut made my consciousness on my "works" stronger. It enabled me to do what I wanted because I was able to make a vast change of the textures or lightings using it.

1. "The original song comes first". As long as it is a PV, I must make one not to destroy the song's good points or style, but to add spice to it. It is the first priority as long as I call my videos "PV".

2. As my PVs mainly feature musical performance, I must produce images which look as if the music is played on the scene. I mean, I'd like to express something like atmosphere. This is my personal idea. I think the image which synchronizes the music the most is "musical performance part" of the video.

3. Characters should be vigorous. It doesn't matter if their movement is realistic or anime-tic. It is fun to see or make videos if the characters are lively.

Basically self-teaching plus something extra. My attitude for making videos is something like "it's alright as long as it looks cool, not weird". "Something extra" means what I obtained a little from the way of productions in various works or MMD courses. It is like bringing in others' methods and digesting them in my own way.

Regarding the technique of moving characters, it is layers of my experience since I started using MMD. It is too long to explain about it, but it is the layers of my ideas like "it should work if I do it like this, shouldn't it?" as I move characters on MMD.

About the cut edit and camera blocking, I do them in the final stage because the "flow" of the video is the most important for me. What I do is that I turn the camera around and around where characters are moving first of all and find nice angles or nice flows in each cut. To be honest, the most interesting process is operating cameras.

Probably I think myself at amateur level of "how to make movies". I still feel difficulty in editing…

It is "glow" (red) , the title, and "grow" (growing). Also "time". There is a phrase, "I have grown into adult without realizing" in the lyrics and the age of Miku in the video was determined to be around eighteen (The model I used is also "Animasa Formula Eighteen Miku"). I thought it would be great if I would be able to express Miku who gets confused and struggles as she grows up mentally and physically as time goes by. I had Miku play such a role according to the lyrics. Did she do it well? lol

Miku's official age is sixteen but eighteen this time. It may be only 2 years but girls this age dramatically changes in 2 years, don't they? I wanted to describe something like that. I want characters to grow up, in my opinion, not only in this video "glow" but all other works. I want them to grow up to be human, not only become old. I want them to get lots of knowledge, consider and anguish. We've had Hatsune Miku 4th Anniversary, and if she really had become older and was around nineteen, how would she be like as a woman? I thought it was fun to think about things like that.

In addition, I added a taste of PVs of bands which would exist and the texture of old films. The video was edited featuring the singer more than band members. The heroine is Miku and members are Comprimario or supporting characters.

I'd been working on remodeling of MMD to move characters on a regular basis, so it took about a bit more than three months except that. Managing the motion of characters on MMD movies takes the most of the time and 4 out of 5 characters were made over once. Once I finished the motion, it didn't take so much time for production such as effect. The drawback is that I can't publish so many works because it usually takes several months to finish my work and also need a long preparation period.

Basically I use only Animasa (an exclusive model producer for MMD) model for my videos and each character has got certain part at the band. For example if I talk about guitarists, KAITO is a rough and rocky guitarist and Honne Deru is a guitarist who looks good at jazzy music. So I define the characters as players like that. The reason why I used only Animasa model is that "I wanted to integrate the atmosphere" and "it is recognized as MMD movie at a glance".

About Miku as a main character, I chose a model which suits the voice of AppendDark^[3]. I took "Animasa Formula Eighteen Miku" because I thought only she can match the mood of a little adult and dark voice. The model has actually been remodeled a lot. I fixed her fingers to show them neatly, and fixed her face as well having make-up slightly to show it beautiful when she is in the light. Also I coordinated her costumes… Coordinating model's costumes is fun next to operating cameras.

All the movements were operated by hand (moving the movable parts called "bones" one by one, changing angles and striking keyboard). I didn't use any movies as a reference for the movement, but I do it imagining movements of those who I have played with and experimenting with them, thinking "is it like that?". It is very hard work to do. But only Neru's drumming motion is exactly the same as the way I play drums. Everyone who knows my drumming often sees her drumming and tells me, "It is you! lol". When I operate movements, especially when it doesn't work very well, it sometimes takes 1 or 2 weeks just for one stroke of an arm by trial and error.

I was honestly happy, but on the other hand, there was a question like "is my work good enough?" inside me. I wondered if my work should get included in the DVD with other videos although I hardly have video production skills and the work was made in a year and a half since I started video production. However I think it has become good experience for me because it was a rare opportunity. Also I think I was able to present an example like, "even videos which are made only with MMD and MikuMikuEffect can be included in such DVDs".

Making some videos is sometimes a pain and troublesome… But of course, I feel happy when people tell me "it was fun" to see my videos. In addition, I became acquainted with so many people - I think I feel happier about it than what I said earlier. I have befriended with those who I wouldn't have ever met in my life unless I had made videos, I think.

It's so much fun to see "chains of creativity" which means that someone who saw my videos create something inspired by my works.

It's difficult for me to mention specific styles. My policy is to pursue things I get interested whatsoever lol. For example, something like the way of expression in @Masataka's videos. It's difficult for me to specify the part of his works. His approach to music, sound, rhythm and lyrics is opposite to mine, I think… I don't know what to say lol. It may be sensuous thing.

I often think that how I can absorb things I get interested in, for example, animated PVs, filmed PVs or non-PV videos. The fact is I have hardly absorbed anything lol.

I think I'll keep on working in my way I currently do (band videos) for a while. I'd like to try various styles other than band videos but I'd rather save them for later. It's important for me to pursue my current style.

Personally, I'd like to compile my past PVs and make them into a single presentation. So-called portfolio, isn't it? I want to pack up my work then. After that, I'd like to express myself in a different way. I'm not sure if it will be videos, music or drawings at the moment. Maybe I'll find it then. Another thing I want to do in future is to hold something like MMD courses much more and encourage many people to create MMD band videos.

As for near future plans, now I've been working on a full remake version of "[MMD] Ding-Dong [PV]". It will take a long time to finish it but I hope you look forward to it. The image will look much richer than the one I made a year ago, I think.

To those who are going to start MMD from now on: It is hard to move characters but please "enjoy" without a fear. Everyone who enjoys MMD is a winner. You must work on it patiently, but the characters will respond to your expectations as much as you work.

And one more thing. Now the 7th MMD Cup is held on Nico Nico Douga (the final round is starting on Friday 19th, August). It's a festival of MMD videos and you can enjoy songs, dances, laughter and actions there. Come and join us! See you there!