Aaron Yamasato
Aaron Yamasato, born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, moved to Los Angeles to study his passion for film. There he would receive an AA Degree in Cinema Arts and then went on to receive a BA Degree in Video/Art. During his 7 year stay in LA, he was hired for various film, television and commercial productions. He would also work as a casting agent at The Charles Matthews' Casting Agency, which found actors for Hollywood film and television shows like The Power Rangers. He would go on to become an award winning filmmaker for his popular/quirky animated short films (Iceberg, Godzilla VS. Sh*tzilla) which screened at film festivals around the world and on the Internet. While making films and being a certifiable Fanboy, he also cherished working as an English tutor for the families of Japanese music superstar Eikichi Yazawa. And film celebrities Screaming Mad George and "Beat" Takeshi Kitano. Memorable experiences include teaching filmmaking and animation to kids at the Kauai Children's Discovery Museum, working as personal assistant to actor Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa (Memoirs of a Geisha, Pearl Harbor, Mortal Kombat) and being a student of Hollywood screenwriter Edward Khamara (Ladyhawke, Enemy Mine, Dragon: the Bruce Lee Story). Inspired by the works of filmmaker Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Desperado, From Dusk Til Dawn)...Yamasato wrote, directed, edited and shot his first live, feature length action film called Blood of the Samurai, which received the Best Hawaii-Based Film award at the 2001 Hawaii International Film Festival. It would go on to receive numerous glowing reviews and screen at various film festivals around the world. The DVD, distributed by The Mountain Apple Company and authored by Sony Pictures Entertainment, became a surprise cult hit and sold out Hawaii stores including Costco, Tower Video and Walmart. The follow-up television series sequel Blood of the Samurai: The Series, was Hawaii's first ever 100% locally produced, hit martial arts, action show and was recently released on DVD. It premiered and ran exclusively on Oceanic Time Warner Cable channel OC16.Yamasato would then create Ninja EX... a Blood of the Samurai Universe Spin-Off Series filled with action, martial arts and comedy. Drawing from influences such as Japan series favorites Kikaida and Kage No Gundan, as well as classic comic book superheroes such as Spiderman and Superman, his protagonist fights for justice as a ninja who helps the weak and defends the innocent. Ninja EX became Hawaii's second ever 100% locally produced action show that showcased Hawaii talent. It premiered and ran exclusively on Oceanic Time Warner Cable channel OC16.