[Japanese Interviews: Life in LA] Hajime Nakamura, CG Artist

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“I’ve always loved drawing. Since entering the workforce, I’ve been grateful to never be short of work. I think I’ve been blessed with good people.”Hajime Nakamura is a CG artist who has built a successful career across multiple countries. What kind of path has he walked to get here?

Born in Tokyo in 1977, his birth year coincidentally marks the release of Star Wars, a film that would later influence him deeply. The son of a corporate employee father and a doll-maker mother, he was also greatly influenced by his paternal grandfather, who was a schoolteacher and watercolor painter. “It’s rare to have a dedicated space in the house just for painting,” he recalls. Despite being surrounded by artistic figures like his mother and grandfather, no one made a living solely through art, which instilled in his young mind the sense that “becoming a professional artist is an incredibly difficult feat.” Another major influence was the 1993 film Jurassic Park. “That first scene where the dinosaur appears was so cool. It was the beginning of the CG era. I still remember it vividly.”

Time passed, and he entered an institute of technology, majoring in Electrical Engineering with a desire to “make things” rather than just study theory. Art school wasn’t even an option in his mind. He joined various circles at university but felt the best chemistry with the friends he met in the Art Club. Nakamura seemed to have an excellent antenna for finding people on his wavelength. On the other hand, he wasn’t particularly interested in his academic major. “I felt I couldn’t keep up intellectually.” This contrast perhaps decided his future. He joined a CG production company he had been frequenting since his student days. He was blessed with good projects, working on games, TV commercials, and VFX. His professional life was smooth sailing, but seeking freedom and new challenges, he quit after just one year to start life as a freelancer.

With a dream of “working overseas someday,” Nakamura used a connection with a film director he had worked with to move to Australia. He joined a small company in Sydney with only about 10 employees. The small size suited his nature perfectly. “Because it was a small community, they would invite me to weekend BBQs. Thanks to that, my English improved dramatically.”

In 2012, he moved to Los Angeles, the home of Hollywood—a dream destination for any CG artist. He joined the major film studio DreamWorks Animation, where he flourished as a Lighting/CG Artist. Currently, he works as a freelancer, taking on projects from DreamWorks while also being in high demand for work in Japan. Most recently, he was in charge of CG visuals for the Osaka Expo. “We have entered an era where AI can create anything. I will create high-quality work and win against AI.”