Personal story to “Wings to the Sun” for video interview.
Written 2022
My departure and the passage
私の出発と道程
Leaving Japan: At age of 22 years old １９６４
離日
Reasons and objectives
理由 と目的
Realizing my dream & challenge my potentials
夢と可能性を試す
To meet artists inspired me
自分を感動させた芸術家に会う為
To study stage art and exploring
舞台芸術を習い展開すること
How I started the first step
最初の一歩は
To get a student grant from Italy
イタリア政府の留学資金を得る
Studied Italian
イタリア語の学習
Passed the exam of the Japanese government
イタリア政府留学許可
Received the bursary from Italian government
伊留学援助金を獲得
1964 July 17, Left port Yokohama. (Show Photo sc. & Miss Kinuko) 1964/ 43 days on Italian cargo ship over Indian Ocean and Suez to Napoli
単身伊貨物船に乗船しインド洋、 スエズを経由ナポリまで４３日
Destinations: University of Perugia and the National Fine art Academy, Milan, Stage art faculty.
ペルージア大学。ミラノ国立美術学院舞台美術科
(Show guitar playing in Perugia & student card)
1967-Went to London to apply landed immigrant visa to Canada
‘67ロンドンに行き、 カナダ移民認可を申請
This was my original big plan
これは自分の大きな本来計画
After waiting 6 months back to Milano and reapplied for the visa
待つこと半年後、 ミラノに戻り再申請
(Why?) Received Canadian permanent residency visa by Italian government. (Show the official stamp in my passport) Health check, awarded the permit to immigrate to Canada as designer
健康診断、 カナダへの移民永住権をデザイナーとして認可される
Flew from London to Toronto with a help of Italian friend
イタリア人友達の助力にて、 ロンドンからトロントに飛ぶ
Main reason to come to Canada
カナダに来た主な理由
To meet Mr Norman McLaren at NFB, National Film Board of Canada
国立フィルム庁のノーマン、 マクラーレン氏に会う為
Produced an experimental animation film with slide projector
実験動画を制作、 自作撮影台、 スライド映写装置付き
Went to Montreal with the film to present at a film Festival
モントリアール映画祭に行き当作品“受胎告知“出品
Went to NFB and showed my film “Annunciation” to Mr McLaren
同作品をNFBに行き、 マクラーレン氏に見せる
He has taken me to his working office and shown me his tech. He showed me his new film “Par de Due” later date
同氏のNFB仕事場で、 初期のアニメ制作技法を私にデモした 氏は後日トロントNFBで最新作“パ.ド.デュ”を私の為に上映
Worked at Al Guest Animation/ Story board for Canadian TV series
カナダ初めてのTV アニメシリーズで絵コンテ作成等する
1970 @ Film Design of Jim Mackay and begun my animation job ‘７０
フイルムデザインにて初めてのアニメの仕事を得た
1972 @ CINERA production/ TV CM. Illustration for motion graphics. Short anim. Spots for Sesame Street.
1973 Left Toronto to Europe /Overland India and around the world in 9 months. Athena, Cappadocia, Teheran, Bamiyan, Delhi, Kathmandu, Taipei, Nara, & back to Toronto via Kauai. Main objective was to find evidence of connected ancient symbols in Buddhism and Christianity - Origin of Swastika and the Cross.
1973-4 Hongkong, Taipei and Nara, Japan & Kawai. Back to BC & 9 months later back to Toronto. Opened my 3-room studio “Ken Mimura & Associates” in Toronto. Built a story board “Venus and the Cross”, based on my journey. Moved to Vancouver and worked at CBC TV News Graphic Dept. VRTIGO CGI R&D Productions/ Creative Director. Attended 1st International CGI Conference in Tokyo with Vertigo tops. Visited Univ. Osaka CGI Dept. Met Prof Omura. I returned and generated Imageries in his lab. for my project “Venus and the Cross”
1989 Drove down to Hollywood from Vancouver. Got 3 job offers: H & B Prod./Saul Bass Design & Disney TV. Accepted H&B Prod. job/ Developments for new productions. Developed CATS of Andrew Webber and others. (Show graphics) Planned CBS Prime time Special “ Mad magazine Special” Stayed in Manila for this production, Phil Cartoons. Met present wife/ B.G designer artist at H&B Prod. (Show her work) Employed at W. Disney feature anim. Dept. “Pocahontas” Scene design & Scene Plan. (Show my work) Scene design and plans, “Cats Don’t Dance” Ted Turner Prod.
1993 Moved back to Van after 7 years in Hollywood. Started our independent “Beacon Art House Prod.” at present house. Produced our motion graphics film. “Legends from the Pacific” (Show our DVD & Art) We worked for scene planning and BG art. “Timon and Pumba” We worked for Main Frame Prod. “Casper”, “Nutcracker” CGI features. (Show the art) EA, Electric Arts Prod. “Tulok”/ “Def Jam” / “James Bond” (Show our designs) Finally, my personal prod. “Wings to the Sun” completed. Presently looking at our trees and bamboo growing at our home. (Show photo of our back yard and us together)
2022 Summertime, our gold fish and Koi are happily swimming