We had the good fortune of connecting with Fumi Matsuura and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Fumi, how do you think about risk?
Life is short. Yes, I know you might be sick of this quote but this idea has stuck in my head since I was young. Because of that, I always rushed myself in my entire life. Before decided to come to the U.S., I was working at an Advertising company in Japan, which is my home country. I was so grateful to work with so many talented people, but at the same time, I felt “I need to do something else because life is short.” When I threw my whole career away in Japan and decided to study filmmaking in the U.S., I already turned 28. I think that was my biggest risk-taking moment. Now I can tell why I felt that way when I was working in Japan. I think I was afraid of regretting my life. I didn’t want to look back in my 20s and say “What if..” because life is short. I think taking risks means choosing more difficult ways, making a big decision without promise, and trusting myself. I think the last one is the key and the hardest part. However, I can promise you could see a completely different world if you can do it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I recently graduated from Film School in Florida, where I studied Film/TV production. During my first month of class, I discovered a job called “Production Designer” and I got a spark for it. Production Designers bring the director’s vision to life from a script. Their imagination can make a story more believable, profound, and creative. I fell in love with this aspect of the job. I immediately started researching and reaching out to people who are working as production designers in the film industry. Unfortunately, our program didn’t have a class about production design, so I stuck around the teacher who was teaching it for another program and sneaked into his class. He was funny, kind, and helped me a lot to get basic knowledge. Even if I just started my career in an art department in film, I have already gotten opportunities to connect with amazing people. I think the most important thing to achieve your goal is keeping in touch with the right person who you can trust. And then, they’ll lead you to the right place.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let’s talk about my home town, Tokyo, Japan. I was raised there and spent most of my life, over 25 years. If I invited my friends here in Florida, I would like to take them to Asakusa, where the traditional shrine is. After eating Sushi, we can go to Omoide Yokocho Shinjuku to visit “Izakaya” which is a small bar/restaurant place. After that, we can go to Karaoke Box. Walking through the Shibuya crossing road, we can go to a night cafe to eat sweet fruit parfait! That sounds perfect, right? Not enough, you need at least 5 days to enjoy Tokyo! I’m sure you’re going to get amazing experiences and inspiration from everywhere in Tokyo.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Shoutout is going to my father and mother. I can’t tell you how thankful I am for their understanding, patience, and trust. Whenever I faced difficulties in my life, they just listened carefully, understood deeply, and made me smile. I am still not sure if unconditional love exists, but I would say they are giving it to me. They are my role model, mentor, and friend. I just want to show my gratitude for them throughout my entire life. This is my motivation to keep pushing myself.

Website: https://fumimatsuura0111.wixsite.com/home

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fumi-matsuura-3728b0266/

Image Credits
BTS Photos by : Banke Bakare William Bagwell Peele

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