Miu Nakata
Filmography
Miu Nakata is known as:
Film Director
SFX Makeup Artist
Production Designer
Video Editor
Animator
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About Me
As a filmmaker, I am versatile and knowledgeable in a variety of film styles, including animation, narrative, documentary, experimental, and video essay. I am driven to push the boundaries of storytelling and have received recognition for my exceptional skills in SFX makeup, production design, and animation. My talent has been acknowledged through multiple awards, including the coveted Jury Award Winner from South by Southwest for my film "Wish Upon a Snowman." My unique approach to filmmaking aims to provide unexpected plot twists by combining the seemingly opposite aesthetics of horror and cuteness. My goal is to challenge the audience's preconceived notions and provide a new and captivating viewing experience.
SXSW Winner Speech
Individual Projects
Welcome to My World (Demo Reel) | 2022
Wish Upon a Snowman (Stop-motion Animation)| 2020
CUTE (Narrative)| 2021
Bitten (Narrative)| 2021
Parasight (Stop-motion Animation) | 2020
Duplication (Experimental) | 2021
Zootopia: Prejudice, Stereotype, and Inequality (Video Essay) | 2021
Is Netflix Adaptation of Death Note problematic? (Video Essay) | 2021
How Individualism and Collectivism affect Cancel Culture (Video Essay) | 2022
Awards Received
2020 SXSW: Jury Award Winner
2022 BAM! Student Shorts: First Place
2021 SLAY Horror Film Festival: Goriest Film Winner
2021 FECEA International Student Film Festival: Best Production Design
2020 Reels All Girls Film Festival: Audience Choice Winner
2022 Holidays365 International Film Festival: Best Animated Student Visionary Award
2020 BAM! Women in Animation Winner
2019 BAM! Audience Choice Winner
2020 UIL Film State Finalist
2019 UIL Film State Finalist
Team Projects Credits
School counselors are a vital resource for students (Documentary) | 2020
To Die For (Web Series) - SFX Makeup Artist | 2021
Now Hiring - SFX Makeup Artist | 2020
2022
Welcome to My World
Demo Reel
This film reel showcases my unique style in combining cute and horror aesthetics. It highlights my versatility and exceptional skills in production design, SFX makeup, and animation, giving the audience a glimpse into my unexpected and thrilling storytelling world.
2020
Wish Upon a Snowman
Stop-motion Animation
One Christmas Eve, a girl builds a snowman. She goes to bed excited for Christmas Day, and wishes of getting a present.
Recognition:
SXSW Jury Award Winner,
Reel Girls Film Festival Audience Choice Winner
BAM! Festival Audience Choice Winner
Holidays365 International Film Festival Best Animated Visionary Award
UIL Division II Finalist
All-American High School Film Festival Official Selection
The Cecil County Independent Film Festival Official Selection
“Wish Upon a Snowman is a world unto itself. The imagination to conceive of as well as the discipline required to spin this yarn puts this disturbingly charming film in a class of its own.” - SXSW Jury
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Watch it here or HERE
Project Details
"Wish Upon a Snowman" was originally created as a fun animation for a high school broadcast, of which I was a part of the production team. The positive reactions from classmates and teachers exceeded my expectations and motivated me to upgrade the film for submission to the SXSW film festival. As a Texas resident where snow is rare, I was inspired to capture the joy of building a snowman from my own experiences playing in the snow while visiting Japan. The aim was to provide a chance for those without access to snowy regions to feel the adventure and excitement of building a snowman.
First Try
Second Try
Behind the Scene
Animation Stills
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2021
CUTE
Horror Narrative
A young girl's quest to meet society's definition of beauty spirals out of control as she becomes consumed by her obsession, leading her down a dangerous path of self-destruction.
Recognition:
FECEA International Film Festival: Best Production Design
SLAY Horror Film Festival: Goriest Film
Texas Short Film Festival: Finalist
CUTE is a short film that explores the dark side of beauty and the obsession that often comes with it. The film features a horror twist that exposes the blindness and compulsiveness of beauty, and how insecurities can spiral into madness. With striking production design and spine-chilling special effects makeup, CUTE has received recognition for Best Production Design at FECEA Film Festival and Goriest Film at SLAY Film Festival.
Watch it here!
2021
Bitten
Thriller Narrative
a curious young girl discovers a strange-looking plant growing in her yard. As she tries to uncover its secrets, she realizes that this is no ordinary plant
Recognition:
BAM! Festival: Finalist
This short film is a showcase of cutting-edge special effects, visual effects and prop design. The film aims to shock the audience with its hyper-realistic depictions of various elements
Watch it here!
Behind the Scene
This is the BTS of production design for the plant prop and SFX Makeup & Prosthetics
This is the prop I made using wires, paper, and polymorph
In real life, this is how I looked like! haha, I applied some dark shading on my face to make it super dark like there is a hole in my face.
This is a prosthetic I made by using liquid latex, flour, and polymorph for the fangs
2020
Parasight
Stop-Motion Animation
In a society where a monster parasite is taking over people's sight and causing fear, a law is established to separate the "uglies" from the "beauties." One of the outcasts, unable to bear the sight of another victim falling prey to the parasite, takes it upon themselves to fight back against the monster and challenge the oppressive beauty-based law. With a focus on themes of fear and individuality, this short film tells a gripping story of one person's bravery in the face of a world overrun by terror.
Recognition:
BAM! Festival: Women in Animation Winner
OKCU High School Film Festival: Finalist
UIL Division II: Finalist
Parasight is a thought-provoking short film that explores the dangers of blindly following societal norms. Through the story of a monster parasite that takes over people's sight, the film aims to shed light on how society has lost control of itself and has become blind to what truly matters. The purpose of this film is to challenge conventional beauty standards and to extract the beauty from what society may deem as worthless, promoting individualism and self-discovery
Watch it here!
Watch it here!
The animation is based off of my ceramics artwork
2021
Duplication
Experimental
Duplication is an experimental short film that uses duplication as a symbol for the cycle of infection during the pandemic. The film aims to represent the slow, unsettling fear of the unknown and how it leads to chaos. It personifies the virus to show its consciousness and uses slow-motion and fast-paced scenes with changing tones to capture the disordered progression of the pandemic.
Exploration of abstractness, experiment
Read more about the analysis of the film
2022
Zootopia:
Prejudice, Stereotype, & Inequality
Video Essay
The video essay delves into an in-depth analysis of the animated movie "Zootopia," exploring the themes of prejudice, stereotype and inequality through its characters and plot. The essay takes a closer look at how the movie masterfully portrays these complex issues in a way that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Through the lens of its diverse cast of animal characters and its intricate cityscape, the film provides a poignant commentary on the harmful effects of discrimination and the importance of embracing diversity. The video essay highlights the clever symbolism and storytelling techniques used by the filmmakers to bring these important topics to life, making "Zootopia" a must-watch movie for those interested in exploring these themes in a meaningful way
Watch it here!
2022
Netflix Death Note (2017):
Is Netflix Adaptation of Death Note problematic?
from a Japanese perspective
Video Essay
The video essay takes a critical look at Netflix's adaptation of the popular Japanese manga, "Death Note." The film was met with widespread backlash due to its deviation from the source material and its portrayal of Japanese culture and language. The essay analyzes the film from the perspective of representation and its effectiveness as a standalone adaptation. The video highlights the numerous ways in which the film failed to capture the essence of the original manga and its impact on the Japanese cultural representation in Hollywood. The essay provides a thoughtful and insightful critique of the film and its shortcomings, making it a must-watch for fans of the original manga and those interested in the representation of Japanese culture in Western media.
Watch it here!
2022
How Individualism and Collectivism cause differences in Cancel Culture
Video Essay
The video essay explores the relationship between Individualism and Collectivism and their impact on Cancel Culture in different countries. The essay focuses specifically on the contrast between the United States and countries like Japan and South Korea, which have distinct cultural and value systems. The video analyzes how individualistic values in the US contribute to a more lenient approach towards cancel culture, while collectivist values in Asia often result in a stricter response. The essay provides an in-depth analysis of the social and cultural factors that influence cancel culture and its consequences in these different regions, making it an informative and educational watch for those interested in understanding the complex dynamics at play.
Watch it here!