us & Japanese Film, Television, & Multimedia Production
ABOUT PACIFIC MOTION PICTURES, LTD.
In early 2020, we decided to pursue our dream of creating, producing, and sharing stories from the two countries we call home, the United States and Japan. With the US and Japanese film industries on the precipice of a new era of independent filmmaking, this was the perfect time to chart a new path. In 2021, with this dream in mind, Pacific Motion Pictures, LTD. was started.
Pacific Motion Pictures, LTD. was created in order to help filmmakers share meaningful stories that inspire, enlighten, and bring joy to audiences around the world and to elevate the art of cinema. This means supporting veteran and novice filmmakers in their dream and to help guide the film industry towards better practices and the creation of more meaningful films. In Japan especially, our dream is to help create a new golden era of filmmaking where filmmakers flourish, industry members are taken care of, and creativity is championed.
“Human beings share the same common problems. A film can only be understood if it depicts these properly.” (Akira Kurosawa)
ABOUT OUR TEAM
DERRICK DOVER:
FOUNDER, PRODUCER, SCREENWRITER, & ACTOR
Since 2012, Derrick has worked in the film industry both in front of and behind the camera.
He started his professional career in Las Vegas in the casting department on HBO's Behind the Candelabra, and continued working as Casting Director for such productions as Amazon’s Sin City Saints, USA’s Royal Pains, and CBS Film’s Last Vegas.
In 2015, Derrick became a member of SAG-AFTRA and moved to Hollywood, CA to pursue his true passion, acting. He worked on several films and series like Ben Affleck’s Live By Night, Black-ish, Murder in the First, and Station 19, and enjoyed success as a professional actor in Hollywood.
After spending many years working in the industry, studying, and learning the art of filmmaking, his passion and desire for producing, directing, and screenwriting moved him to begin the next chapter in his career. In 2020, he started Pacific Motion Pictures, Ltd., in order to pursue his dreams and leave his mark on the industry.
Because of his love for Japanese cinema and desire to improve the Japanese film industry, Derrick decided to move to Tokyo, Japan in August 2020. Since then, he has found incredible success as an actor, working on many major motion pictures and internationally acclaimed series, as well as becoming an award-winning producer and writer.
Now, his dream is to help usher in a new golden era of filmmaking in Japan, the country that helped shape his life and career.
NAOMI HIRAYAMA DOVER:
CO-FOUNDER, INTERPERSONAL COORDINATOR, & INTIMACY COORDINATOR
In 2010, Naomi began working as a professional interpreter and translator for various international clients like Nintendo, Book-Off, IACE, Panasonic, Wacom, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government just to name a few.
After honing her international business skills, and with her growing rapport in the international business community, Naomi decided to start her own business, Pacific Persona, for marketing, branding, and international business services. Naomi and Derrick both wanted to contribute more to the Japanese community through their endeavors, so they also decided to start Pacific Motion Pictures, Ltd., where they could create a positive impact on the film industry in Japan.
Since then, Naomi has worked on various productions like HBO’s Tokyo Vice, A24/Apple Plus’ Sunny, and Searchlight Pictures' Rental Family as an on-set and Production Coordinator, interpreter, and Interpersonal Coordinator for international productions that utilize both Japanese and western production teams, cast, and crews. The latter position allows Naomi to anticipate and solve any conflicts or problems that arise due to intercultural misunderstandings, international production differences, and other issues that arise between Western and Japanese production teams. She is also pursuing training as an Intimacy Coordinator, receiving certifications in 2023 and currently continuing further certification training in the field.
Through her work, Naomi wants to promote positive change in the industry through educating industry members, creating lasting change, empowering women and the LGBTQ+ community, and fostering a healthier work environment for filmmakers in Japan.
TOWAIEIZO:
UNDERWATER CINEMATICS & OFFICIAL PARTNER
TOWAIEIZO is a full-service production team led by industry veteran Ken Tachibana that specializes in underwater filmmaking and underwater housing design for cinema cameras. They are a team of highly trained divers, cinematographers, and camera operators that can make your cinematic dreams a reality.
Whether you are looking to shoot on land, in the rain, pools, rivers, or the ocean floor, TOWAIEIZO has the experience, the equipment, and the team to conceptualize and deliver the highest level of videography.
HIROKI OHSAWA:
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR & EDITOR
Hiroki Ohsawa studied filmmaking and media studies at Waseda University in Japan. While still at school, he directed and produced two award-winning films.
In 2015, after two years of working in Intercorporate Toy Sales Operations for Bandai Namco Group, Hiroki moved to Los Angeles, California. He earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from New York Film Academy and worked as a film director for 3 years in Hollywood.
Hiroki's works have earned him 13 awards and 13 nominations around the world, and one of his films was featured at the TCL Chinese Theater, the most iconic landmark theatre in Hollywood. Hiroki is currently working on films and commercials in Tokyo, Japan for the Ministry of Education of Japan, Hankyu Department Stores, and many other clients. In addition to being a director, he is also an active lecturer for Filmmaking and Media Studies in several universities such as Waseda University, Tokyo Tech, and Kinjo Gakuin University among others.
JASON JOHNSON:
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR & WRITER
Jason Johnson is a multitalented filmmaker who has written for David Fincher on the award-winning, hit series, MINDHUNTER, and been the director, producer, and editor for television programs, online broadcasts, and social media platforms.
Jason graduated magna cum laude from UNLV with a degree in film, where his studies focused on directing, film criticism, and screenwriting. After college, he worked in television production in Las Vegas for several years before redirecting his efforts toward screenwriting. After writing numerous features and TV pilots, Jason was given the opportunity to write on season 2 of Netflix’s MINDHUNTER, where he was also able to shadow David Fincher on set during principal photography. Jason’s work on MINDHUNTER earned him a nomination for Best Drama at the Writers Guild of America Awards. While Hollywood struggled to return to normalcy during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jason broadened his storytelling and filmmaking skills to include digital content creation on major social media platforms. His work in content creation has thus far garnered over 600-million views on Facebook and 30-million views on TikTok.