Kenji Takama
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
Born in Tokyo in 1949. As a student at Tokyo Metropolitan University,
Kenji Takama started working as a camera assistant at the Wakamatsu
Productions, then later started shooting commercials as a cameraman,
and his first full director of photography duty was Gassan (1978). He
got scholarship for the Artists' Training Program of the Culture
Agency, and moved to Hollywood, then New York for 1 year (1981-82). Was
trained under Harry Wolf A.S.C. for A Little House On The Prairie, John
Alonzo for Blue Thunder, John Alcott for The Beast Master, Vilmos
Zsigmond for Table For Five, Owen Roizman for Tootsie, Gordon Willis
for Broadway Danny Rose, and operated camera several times for Blue
Thunder. After returning to Japan, he worked with young directors such
as Naoto Yamakawa, Shusuke Kaneko, Shun Nakahara and Fran Kuzui for
Tokyo Pop. He got the best photography award twice at Yokohama Film
Festival for Summer Vacation: 1999 (1987) and Misty Kid Of Wind (1988).
Best photography at Osaka Film Festival for A High School Teacher and
Hear The Duck's Song (1993). Best photography by children Julie at
Poland Film Festival for Naran (1995). He was nominated for best
photography at Japanese Academy Award for Welcome Back, Mr. Macdonald
(1997). Currently he is in the middle of prepping for his American
debut features in Los Angeles, California.