Born in Canada, Ryan Filiatrault, 37, has thrown caution to the wind a few times in his quest to find truly fulfilling work. He went from being an electrician to a table server and then a recruitment consultant in Japan before ultimately making his passion for filmmaking a reality in his mid-30s. After a lot of hard work he now runs his own production company in Tokyo, Indigo Media.
1. What does filmmaking mean to you? Everything about filmmaking from interpreting a script to working with an actor and deciding on the shot composition, it’s all so beautiful. It takes the human condition and turns it into something I can show others, because everybody has universal experiences.
2. What is your earliest memory of using the camera? When I was 13 there happened to be a very low-quality MiniDV at home. We used it to film and edit skateboarding and stunt videos, like Johnny Knoxville and Steve O in “Jackass.” We did that all summer. We’d roll down hills, jump into bushes and push each other in shopping carts. It was all about comedy but it sparked my fascination with video.