What is this movie about?

Deeply concerned about the current racial and social divisions in America, songwriter and composer K Ishibashi (professionally known as “Kishi Bashi”),  takes a unique approach to creating his next album.  He traces his steps through his creative process, as he re-imagines the Japanese American Incarceration during WWII through his unique musical lens. 

In an effort to gain inspiration,  Kishi Bashi joins a group of Brown University grad students and visits incarceration sites along the west coast. As he improvises violin and writes songs at many significant locations, he is transformed by the daily discussions on the Asian American identity, as well as the gripping contemporary relevance that the incarceration has to immigration issues and vulnerable minority groups today. 

‘Omoiyari’, a Japanese word that means to have sympathy and compassion towards another person,  is the bedrock of the film. Kishi Bashi explores how empathy and the lack of it has played key roles in our modern quest for social equality. 

The power of the film score being the impetus behind the creation of the film, Kishi Bashi breaks down the barrier between composer and filmmaker, pioneering a new ambitious form of artistic expression:

the songfilm

The film will be an engaging mixture of dynamic cinematography, engaging commentary, fun insight, and a luscious and dynamic musical score by Kishi Bashi, as well as cutting edge film making and colorization of archival black and white photos. Rarely has a film followed the singular vision of an artist so closely, as he meditates  about the power of the human spirit. There will also be ninjas (Kishi Bashi's father is from an ancient ninja village). 

The Team: 

Kishi Bashi - Composer, co-director

Kishi Bashi is the pseudonym of K Ishibashi, an internationally acclaimed Japanese-American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Having graduated from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in film scoring, Kishi Bashi has been rapidly bridging the gap between pop music and orchestral music. A virtuoso improvising violinist, he has toured with and collaborated with Regina Spektor and the indie band of Montreal, and has appeared on most late night TV shows (including SNL, David Letterman, Conan, and Jimmy Fallon). His original music has been featured on major commercial TV campaigns and films (Microsoft, Samsung, American Express, Target, Apple, Gold). In 2012, NPR Music named Kishi Bashi "Best New Artist". He recently scored the blockbuster snowboard film, The Fourth Phase.  

Singer songwriter, Julian Saporiti (No No Boy Project) and singer Erin Aoyama, whose mother was incarcerated at Heart Mountain, are kindred Brown University scholars who quickly connected with Kishi Bashi and his passion for retelling the incarceration story through song and art. They will travel to Heart Mountain, Wyoming and to incarceration camps in Arkansas to find more stories and perspectives,  and will forge a creative bond that will fuel future scholarship and re-imagination. 

Justin Taylor Smith, director

Justin Taylor Smith is a filmmaker based in Bozeman, Montana. Growing up in California, as a child he began making short surfing and skateboarding films with friends with his family's camcorder. Later in life this passion turned into a career as he moved to Jackson, WY to work with some of the industry's top filmmakers making films, commercials and content for many of the adventure sports communities largest brands. Justin has worked on films such as We Are Blood and Travis Rice's films The Fourth Phase and Depth Perception. Self taught, rooted in music and rich visual storytelling, Justin aspires to deliver visceral, authentic film experiences.

Max Ritter - cinematographer

Max Ritter is a DIY independent film maker based in Southern California specializing in documentary and branded work. Max has strong roots in the action sports industry having worked for brands such as Hurley, DC Shoes, Skullcandy, and Fender among others. Max is an avid music fan, photographer, and seriously dedicated Dodger baseball fan. He is also a proud husband and father to his sons Duke and Dodger (beagle).

Andy Bardon - photographer

Always visually inspired, Andy began documenting the world around him as a way of sharing his adventures.  He made his transition into photography after years as a professional mountain guide for Exum Mountain Guides in Jackson, Wyoming. Through his climbing ability he was able to access remote locations with a camera firmly in tow, setting the stage for his photography and cinematography work on mountains around the globe, beginning with a three month project on Mount Everest with National Geographic in 2012.  He has since found himself anywhere from the sparkling waters of Tahiti to the tops of peaks in Kazakhstan and everything in between.  Now internationally published, Andy works for a select group of commercial and editorial clients, and is a regular contributor to National Geographic. 

Colorization of Black and White Photos

We are also collaborating with the leading colorization specialist, Marina Amaral, to help bring photos closer to the contemporary conscienceless:

What we need money for, and why this film is important:

Omoiyari  is a film about the resilience of the human spirit, and the more engaging we make it, the more positive of an impact this film will have. We are currently in the production phase.  We have several additional locations to film, and there are a myriad of costs associated with this, including travel costs, equipment costs, and personnel costs. We will also require funds for  post-production, which include editing, motion graphics, animation, colorization, and soundtrack creation, to name a few. In the end, it is Kishi Bashi's vision to tour with this film, combined with a live performance aesthetic that will give hope and understanding that we can learn from history and create a more compassionate society for the future. We invite you to be a part of a very unique creative statement that will have positive reverberating effects for years to come!