Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Shimojima

Hi Chris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

The act of creation must feel expansive and adventurous..

It began with a love for Indiana Jones and other films that my dad shared with me…

I then started writing/drawing my own comic books…

And I learned classical piano. One of the best things about it is it teaches you to listen for and track the development of themes. That led me to dabble in composing my own orchestral works..

During high school, video editing became a way to synthesize all my creator interests. Editors are the sculptor of a story, messing with music and moving images… with timing, with emotion, with structure…

The skills I learned on my own are what helped me secure my first “real job”. After college, I was a production intern at ad agency R/GA’s digital studio, and when a positioned opened up for a video editor, I was able to jump in. I stayed there for a good 6 years — becoming a go-to creative partner on various types of video campaigns — until I went freelance so I could grow into directing commercials, as well as take more time to focus on my own projects. That’s what I do now. The personal projects have changed over the years as I continue to explore new horizons.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

Once I started directing branded work, I realized two things.

One — the creative control was not what I thought it’d be, as you’re pretty much always reporting to the agency creatives and/or client.

Two — those jobs alone were not going to be a way to make a living. My first reps that signed me exclusively said a lot of good things and were a bit over-excited, but because my style and choices don’t quite fit in a box, I soon understood that I wouldn’t get selected to bid that often.

This used to annoy me more. But when everything shut down in 2020, I started to become grateful that I could fall back on video and film editing from home. I became much more at ease with that remaining a source of my identity and my day work, versus being “the director” all the time. After all, I’d still always be the top creative of my own passion projects.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

I’ve spent many years calling myself a filmmaker (which encompasses writer, director, editor, and often producer). I’ve always loved film because it pulls together so many artistic disciplines. I get a kick out of matching moving images to sound and music, and using that in tandem with performances to communicate a story and message. There’s a thoughtfulness and uniqueness to my messaging that I hope I’m known for — commentaries about society, from a perspective that Hollywood isn’t exactly taking. I can’t make something of my own, until I have something to say with it.

I do this with a stylistic and rhythmic intensity, and a sophisticated mix of tones.

With client work, there isn’t really an opportunity to express an insightful personal message — it’s more about the tone and style. Playing with the camera and choreography, and winking at the audience, is how I make that fun for myself.

Many of us in visual storytelling are experiencing major changes. We’re being forced to question what exactly we’re into, what audiences are into, and how the system is set up.

I’m now exploring other modes of drama and performance. I’ve recently released an audio drama — which is basically a film without the visual component. And I’m trying to dive into immersive theater. It seems audiences are currently more excited by live experiences. Those have retained a certain level of thrill and importance, while film is stuck competing with so much streaming content on small screens. Immersive theater offers an opportunity to do dramatic things using many of the same disciplines — even potentially incorporating camera/film work.

So I guess this would make me a mixed media writer/director?

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?

Doing something that you feel can impact the world, and actually achieving that impact to a level that you feel appropriate. It’s a constantly shifting target, and it depends how you choose to perceive it at any given time.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://chrisshimojima.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cshimo