SPECIAL EVENT

Imagination Takes Flight – The World of Studio Ghibli Opening Talk

Featuring Studio Ghibli’s Atsushi Okui and Shinsuke Nonaka, the exhibition opening programme offers a rare and intimate understanding of the creative and technical brilliance of the revered Japanese animation house.

For over 30 years, Atsushi Okui (Director of Digital Imaging) has served as cinematographer on almost every Ghibli feature and short film since Porco Rosso (1992). Drawing on some of the most acclaimed films in the Ghibli canon, Atsushi Okui will share unique insights into the role of cinematography in the studio’s works and bring us behind-the-scenes into the creative process, revealing how the artistic vision is sensitively translated into imagery.

Atsushi Okui and Shinsuke Nonaka (Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs) will be in conversation with Zhang Baoxin (Curator of Public Programmes at ArtScience Museum) to discuss their journeys and reflect on Studio Ghibli’s profound contribution to cinema.

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
2pm – 2.05pm	Introduction by Zhang Baoxin (Curator of Public Programmes at ArtScience Museum)
2.05pm – 2.15pm	Opening remarks by Honor Harger (Vice President of Attractions and ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands)
2.15pm – 3.55pm	Talk by Atsushi Okui (Director of Digital Imaging at Studio Ghibli) and Shinsuke Nonaka (Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Studio Ghibli)
3.55pm – 4.45pm	Q&A with Atsushi Okui and Shinsuke Nonaka, moderated by Zhang Baoxin

Speaker Biographies

Atsushi Okui
Director of Digital Imaging at Studio Ghibli

Atsushi Okui was born in Shimane Prefecture, Japan in 1963. He started working in animation photography when he joined Asahi Production in 1982. The first project which he undertook as Director of Photography was the theatrical release of Dirty Pair: Project Eden (1987). Animated films he subsequently worked on include Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988), Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991), as well as Studio Ghibli’s films Porco Rosso (1992) and Ocean Waves (1993).

Okui joined Studio Ghibli in 1993 and established its photography department in the same year. Thereafter he served as Director of Photography for films including Pom Poko (1994), Whisper of the Heart (1995), Princess Mononoke (1997), My Neighbours the Yamadas (1999), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) and The Wind Rises (2013). He also worked on the visual direction for Spirited Away (2001), the GHIBLIES episode2 (2002), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Tales from Earthsea (2006), Ponyo (2008), Arrietty (2010) and When Marnie Was There (2014). Other projects he took part in include Studio Ponoc’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower (2017) and more. Okui served as Director of Digital Imaging for Hayao Miyazaki’s latest opus, The Boy and the Heron (2023).

Shinsuke Nonaka
Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Studio Ghibli

Shinsuke Nonaka was born in Gifu Prefecture, Japan in 1960. After graduating from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Hitotsubashi University and working at an audio system maker, Nonaka joined Studio Ghibli in 1994. Since then, he has worked extensively on legal and copyright matters and is currently its Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs. While his responsibilities are mainly contract-related, he occasionally supports public relations by appearing as the studio representative at public events—owing to his abundant knowledge of Studio Ghibli. He is also a councillor on the board of the Tokuma Memorial Cultural Foundation for Animation.

Nonaka is the model and inspiration for Nonaka-kun, the main character of the GHIBLIES episode2 (2002).

About The World of Studio Ghibli Exhibition

Explore The World of Studio Ghibli at ArtScience Museum, where imagination begins.
This large-scale exhibition is the first ever Studio Ghibli exhibition in Singapore, offering visitors the opportunity of encountering some of their favourite characters from 11 films by the renowned animation studio. Allow yourself to be spirited away into magical scenes from My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and more. Through theatrical sets, interactive art installations and activities, learn about the extraordinary characters and stories created by one of the world’s leading animation studios.

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