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Kohei Shinozaki & Elizabeth Davison in Indigo

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INDIGO

 

Japanese short film offers a glimpse into an unknown world

By Cheryl Minns, Arts Editor

Crane a Japanese short film without knowing the language
is an ambitious project, but Vancouver filmmaker Jody
Wilson knew that Indigo, the story of a young man who
struggles to follow what he believes is his intergalactic destiny,
had to be told in Japanese.

“It was a unique experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and
I think, in the end, it worked out well,” she said, adding that
a translator was with her on the set to help ease the language
barrier. “When the actors would be delivering lines, that part
was actually really cool to direct. It allowed me to pay closer
attention to the performance and to the way I felt when the lines
were given and ignore the words that were being said.”

In the film, lead character Takumi has suffered a great
deal in his life, having lost his parents at a young age and been
diagnosed by various doctors with mental and social disorders.
He lives as a recluse in Kushiro, Japan, spending his days training
himself physically and mentally under the instruction of his toy
robot Doka, which tells him he is a prince on an alien world. The
two eventually work out when the mothership should arrive to
take them back home, except Takumi who is obsessed with his
earthly neighbour, Yoshimi, wants to take her with him.

“The idea came from having sympathetic feelings towards
someone whom society tells us not to, and wondering what is
truly going on in that person’s head, how he viewed himself,
his goals and motivation. The story came to life around the
characters,” Wilson said.

“I think in some ways I relate most to the main character
Takumi. He’s a gentle and misunderstood soul who is
desperately in love. I think a lot of people can relate to that,’ she
said.

Actor Kohei Shinozaki, who plays Takumi, joined the cast at
the end of September after the crew searched Canada and Japan
for an actor who would fit the role, finally discovering Shinozaki
in Vancouver.

“I’m basically different from my character Takumi, but we
have something in common between us, like getting absorbed
in one thing. There is also something immature about us,” said
Shinozaki, whose primary language is Japanese.

Regarding the slight language barrier, Wilson said,
“Tl had an amazing liaison, Yumi Nagashima, who would
explain everything I said to Kohei to him again in Japanese
just to make sure he understood all the subtleties in
my direction, especially with emotional words
that don’t directly translate to Japanese.”

Professional model Elizabeth Davison, who plays Yoshimi,

was discovered for the part when Wilson found a photo of the
New Westminster resident on Instagram.

“We discussed the film and the role of Yoshimi. Jody felt I
was right for the role, so here we are,” Davison said. “I’m just so
grateful I was given this opportunity.”

Yoshimi is a sweet, fun-loving teenager who lives next door
to Takumi. Although she is popular, she is somewhat of an
outsider in the film, which Davison could relate to her own past
experiences.

“I moved around with my family a lot when I was young, so
that feeling of being ‘the odd one out’ wasn’t unfamiliar to me,”
she said. “I think that made me stronger though. I had to learn
to trust myself within that newness.”

Yoshimi is seen in different styles in the film, from her
interactions with Takumi in the real world to the hallucinations
and dreams that Takumi has of her. Because of the differences in
her character’s behaviour in the real world compared to Takumi’s
imagination, Wilson and Davison view the non-reality versions
of Yoshimi as a separate character altogether.

“There are a few scenes that Yoshimi is in as a projection of
herself from Takumi’s head. When directing Elizabeth, we would
refer to her as Ishimi, because it wasn’t really Yoshimi—she acted
in a way that she wouldn't. We even changed her makeup and
wardrobe to be what Takumi would see her in,” Wilson said.

“In one scene, visions of Yoshimi are tormenting Takumi
while he is working out in the forest. The intensity of the scene
comes through a confrontation, a mocking of sorts, and ends
inascream,” Davison said, describing one of her favourite
scenes. “I found that really challenging. Trusting yourself as an
actor enough to express intense emotion is a strangely personal
experience. It is freeing somehow. I felt barriers breaking down
and felt almost liberated by that scene.”

Indigo finished shooting its first round of filming during
the end of October in the Lower Mainland, including New
Westminster. After some additional shoots, the film will be
ready for a rough edit, which Wilson will take to Los Angeles
for editing, then back to Vancouver for sound design, music
composition, and visual effects, including the animation of the
computer-generated toy robot.

“When the film is complete, we will be submitting it to all
the big festivals in hopes that it’s selected to premiere at either
TIFF, Cannes, or NY Film Festival. After it makes its rounds on
the festival circuit, it will be available to watch online,” she said.

To help fund Indigo, Wilson created a Kickstarter campaign
in September to raise $60,000 to cover the movie’s costs. The