GODZILLA MINUS ONE Exclusive Talk with Director Takashi Yamazaki

  

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Ever since its release, the 2023 film “GODZILLA MINUS ONE” has captivated audiences and critics worldwide with its powerful storytelling, sweeping emotion, and stunning visual effects. In honor of the film’s recent Oscar nomination for Best Visual Effects, JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles was proud to host an exclusive talk with Takashi Yamazaki, the film’s director, screenwriter & VFX visionary. Moderated by LA-based animator and VFX artist Peter France, the event granted guests a rare glimpse into Yamazaki’s illustrious career, personal creative process, and also the intricate VFX production workflow unique to the Japanese film industry. Through his insights and stories, Yamazaki candidly shares the challenges and triumphs of working with a lean team and modest resources to create this beloved cinematic experience.

Documented on video and now available to view online, we invite you to experience a truly “behind the scenes” conversation that celebrates not only the magic of visual effects, but of the boundless creativity and resilience of Japanese cinema today.

About GODZILLA MINUS ONE

In postwar Japan, Godzilla brings new devastation to an already scorched landscape. With no military intervention or government help in sight, the survivors must join together in the face of despair and fight back against an unrelenting horror.

The film stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki, with music by Naoki Sato.

About the Speakers

Takashi Yamazaki
Born in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture in 1964, Takashi Yamazaki is a Japanese filmmaker and visual effects supervisor, counted as one of Japan's leading film directors. He credits childhood viewings of "Star Wars" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" with influencing his pursuit of a career in special effects. After graduating from Asagaya College of Art and Design, he joined Shirogumi Inc. in 1986. 
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Through working on SFX and digital compositing in films directed by Juzo Itami, such as "The Last Dance" (1993) and "A Quiet Life" (1995), he made his debut as a film director in 2000 with "Juvenile" and became a leading figure in visual expression and VFX using computer graphics in Japan.

"Always: Sunset on Third Street" (2005), using VFX to depict the streets of Tokyo in the late 1950s, won 12 awards, including Best Picture and Best Director at the 29th Japan Academy Film Prize. His films " The Eternal Zero"(2013) and " Stand by Me Doraemon "(2014) won Best Picture and 8 other awards at the 38th Japan Academy Film Prize, as well as the Best Animation Film in the same year.

Peter France
Peter France is an animator and VFX artist from Los Angeles, California. His VFX credits include Saturday Night Live, Netflix’s Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, and Adult Swim’s Off The Air. Peter has also worked with Corridor Digital, a popular VFX-forward YouTube channel, to create educational and entertaining videos about the visual effects process.