Creator’s File

Directory of innovative individuals who are constantly attempting
new endeavors using their own unique methods of expression.

  1. 2020
  2. 2019

No. 29

YAMAMURA Koji

YAMAMURA Koji

Professor / Animation director / Illustrator

Born in 1964. "Mt.Head"(2002) was nominated at the 75th Academy Awards in the category of Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. Other titles such as "The Old Crocodile" (2005), "Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor" (2007) and "Muybridge’s Strings"(2011) have also won grand prizes at notable film festivals such as Annecy, Zagreb, Ottawa and Hiroshima. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and currently a professor of Tokyo University of the Arts.

©Yamamura Animation

JMAF 23rd Animation Division / Jury Selections

Dreams into Drawing

  • Animated short film
  • 00:10:10
Animation, Director, Edit, Script, Producer
YAMAMURA Koji
English Narration
Robert CAMPBELL
(Japanese Narration: NAGATSUKA Keishi)
Based on UEDA Akinari 'Muo no Rigyo' from the "Tales of Moon and Rain" (Ugetsu Monogatari, 1776), KUWAGATA Keisai "Ways to Sketch Animals" (1797) and "Ways to Sketch People" (1799)
Music
SYZYGYS

One day he was sketching out a carp, just at that moment he slept and he became a carp in dream. A carp was enjoy to swimming, but a fisherman caught that carp...
Based on KUWAGATA KEISAI's Ways to Sketch and UEDA AKINARI's ‘Muo no Rigyo’, Tales of Moon and Rain, KEISAI himself is appeared in animation.

Trailer

Creator's Q&A

Behind the Scenes

Drawings from storyboard

The drawings replicated from Keisai's book

The process of making an animated film

Other Works

  • Mt. Head

    ©Yamamura Animation

    Mt. Head
    • Animated short film
    • 00:10:00
  • Frantz Kafka's A Country Dctor

    ©Yamamura Animation / SHOCHIKU

    Frantz Kafka's A Country Doctor
    • Animated short film
    • 00:21:00