Interview with Filmmaker Hiroki

Tell readers about your background, where are you from?

Was there a particular event or time that you recognized that filmmaking was 

not just a hobby, but that it would be your life and your living?

I wanted to make great films which would give impact for audiences. It was 

because I read novels about Samurai who evolved history of Japan. They 

sacrificed themselves just for making their society better. I thought I could make 

it better, too, and I found that I could make films which would stimulate 

audiences and make them consider about their life. I didn’t have any 

experience about making films at that time, so I started to study acting in 

Japan. I believed that acting was one of the most important parts for films.

 

What projects are you currently working on?

Is it harder to get started or to keep going? What was the particular thing that 

you had to conquer to do either?

Now I am working on a story about a husband and wife. It is a drama about life 

and identity. They are confronting very harsh situation and have to make a 

choice for each others. I am looking for great actors who can live in the very 

harsh situation. Also I have to research about medication. Otherwise, the story 

cannot be believable. In this film I want to give a question of life to audiences 

and let them think what they will choose for their life.

Acting is reacting. That is my favorite phrase and what I really need for this film. 

I met many actors, but I haven’t found actors who can play the roles yet 

because this story needs very strong emotions.

What advice would you give to someone who wanted to have a life creating 

film?

I want to see their point of views. That will make their films very unique and 

special. Actually it is really hard to make unique films, but it is worthy to create 

own films, no matter how many audiences saw and how many awards they get. 

Even if they could stimulate only one audience, It would be a great film for the 

audience. That is why I want them to create their own film which we have never 

seen.

What was the most important lesson you had to learn that has had a positive 

effect on one of your films? How did that lesson happen?

There are many techniques to stimulate actors. In one of my films, I had an 

actor who couldn’t be free from his self conscious. He was very close to the 

role but not close enough to reach the role. I realized that he was thinking 

about his appearance and movement, so I gave him direction that got rid of the 

self conscious from him. It was an exercise which actors use their imagination.

I asked him to imagine that he would behave as an animal or a vegetable. At 

first he couldn’t get rid of the self conscious and reach the role, but finally we 

found the specific material which tempted him to the role. He just follow the 

sensory of the material and behaved as the role organically. Because of the 

technique, I could guide him and see his great acting. 

What type of films do you make? What is your favorite film genre?

What makes a film great for you? Are there certain qualities that make a film 

better for you?

I made actions, comedies, thrillers and dramas. I like all of them; however, In 

any genre I want to see a great reactions because it is the most important part 

of acting for me. Always I put my characters in very harsh situations in order to 

see their choice. And only actor's reaction can make audiences believe the 

situation is real. Because of it, I love to see actor’s reactions in any genre.

What films have been the most inspiring or influential to you and why?

My special film is Star Wars. It was the first film that I saw as a American film in 

the theater. It was so unique and innovative. It changed the standard of Si-Fi 

films. I was just dragged in the story and let me travel in the world. It showed 

the world with very beautiful sets, spaceships, creatures, props and 

supernatural power. All of the aspects were combined together very elegantly. 

Since then I haven’t seen any better Si-Fi. The film taught me that there is a 

potential that film can tempt audiences to anywhere which they have never 

seen before. I want to make films which drags audiences into the stories.

When you get angry at a movie, what sets you off? Are there common qualities 

in cinema today that you dislike? Is there something you try to subvert or avoid 

or rebel against in your work?

I dislike stories which don't show strong and believable motivations of roles. 

They never bring audiences into the story because no one can believe it. 

And another part that I dislike is too much CGI. CGI is a magical tool for film 

making, but if it is used, audiences get bored because we can know it it fake. 

CGI should be used very carefully, so that we do not notice where it is used. 

Sometimes I use CGI, but I try to limit it. In Star Wars, special effects were 

used a lot but not CGI. Film makers created the film with their creativity and 

great efforts. I can feel their body temperature. That is why I prefer old Star 

Wars rather than new one. 

What role have film festivals played in your life so far? Why are they 

necessary? How do you get the most out of them?

I have participated film festivals as a competitor. We need to entry films to 

sharpen our films each others. That makes our films better.

I am a big believer in the importance of social media in many aspects of the 

film process. Are you on social media and do you use it in your work? Why or 

why not?

I use social media to spread information of my films to many people. It will 

make new audiences and give me feed backs from them. 

Also I can know films that others create, so I can be inspired by their works. 

Do filmmakers have any responsibility to culture? Do you feel that being a 

creative person requires that you give back or tell a particular story or not do 

something else? Why or why not?

I am making films in order to make the society better. That is why I don't make 

films which are anti-society or just shocking or violent. We should make 

something which helps audiences who exhausted in their life. I want to 

stimulate audiences with my films. I believe that any genre can do it. Just we 

need strong core which can effects audience’s hearts. 

If there is one or more thing you think would make the film industry better, what 

would it be?

Nowadays, we can see many super hero films, but audiences want to see 

dramas in the films more than CGI. We should make stories which require 

actor’s emotions rather than CGI.

Thank you for your time and to wrap this up tell readers something personal 

about yourself that they can only learn here. Hobbies, favorite food, pet peeve 

etc…

I love to ride motorcycle. It is a great tool to practice of relaxation for actors on 

stages and sets. When actors on the sets, they have to be relaxed and focus 

on the situation. In order to do it, they have to control their emotions which are 

fear and self conscious. It is same as riding motorcycles because riders have to 

relaxed, control fear and feel the circumstances, otherwise they get accidents. 

That’s why it is a great exercise for me.