New Feature Film in Post-Production
Filmmaker Miki Inoguchi has announced that his feature film Melody Next Door is currently in post-production. The film explores themes of memory and loss, following a character consumed by the pull of past memories. Inoguchi, 26, has built a career in Los Angeles after arriving from Fukushima, Japan, with limited English and no industry connections.
Festival Selections and Early Career
Inoguchi's short films have been selected at several notable festivals. Sunshine in the Rain, directed by Benny Chen, premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) in 2021 and went on to screen at the Amsterdam World International Film Festival and the Vancouver Independent Film Festival. It won Best Student Short Film at the Seattle Film Festival and additional awards at the LA Film Awards. A Man with Emotions, a short Inoguchi directed, also screened at SBIFF that year and won Best Student Director and Best Student Film at the LA Cinematography Awards.
Building a Career from Scratch
Inoguchi arrived in Santa Barbara in 2017 to study film at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). He worked on 20 to 30 student projects during his time there, building a network through shared work and trust. After SBCC, he returned to Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic, then completed a BA in Film and Electronic Arts at California State University, Long Beach in 2023. He also worked as a production and camera lighting assistant in Japanese broadcast television.
Recent Work and Commercial Projects
Since returning to Los Angeles, Inoguchi has worked on a documentary about designer Tamotsu Yagi, shot in collaboration with Sotheby's. He has contributed as a gaffer on music videos for ENNY, 4batz, and Why Don't We, and worked on commercial projects for Four Seasons, See's Candies, and Simple Green. His short film Hand was selected for the Cleveland International Film Festival, and The Nikkei of Norwalk, a documentary about a century-old Japanese school, was selected for the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. In the Afternoon Only, a five-minute short about grief, screened at the Great Film Club in Los Angeles during AAPI Night.
About Miki Inoguchi
Miki Inoguchi is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, originally from Fukushima, Japan. His work spans narrative shorts, documentaries, and commercial projects, often exploring themes of cultural identity and memory. He has been selected at multiple Oscar-qualifying festivals and continues to develop feature-length projects.
Media Contact
Company Name: Vorion Studio
Contact Person: Ekaterina Vorobyova
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City: Los Angeles
Country: United States
Website: https://www.vorion.studio/
