Eric Nemoto

Eric dispels the myth that everyone is either left or right brain dominant. In his previous career in higher education he was the person to see for analytical reasoning; whether it was understanding federal regulations as a Financial Aid Administrator (University of Hawaii at Manoa and private consultant, 1985-1994), devising recruitment strategies as an Associate Dean of Enrollment Management (Chaminade University, 1994-2010), or as an Executive Director of a vocational school (Med-Assist School of Hawaii, 2010-2013). At the same time he amassed an impressive creative resume. Eric founded, and is the president of, "TAG - The Actors' Group," a community theater that has developed into Honolulu's go-to place for compelling drama, where as a stage actor he has appeared in numerous productions and is a two-time Po'okela recipient (Hawaii's annual theatre awards) for excellence in acting (Oleanna, 2001, Miso, 2010). In film, he played visionary Shigeo Yoshida in Tom Coffman's acclaimed documentary "The First Battle" (Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) 2004 and Hawaii public TV), portrayed the dying father in Tim Savage's short film "Cutback" (HIFF 2007, and a holiday staple for the New Hope Christian Fellowship Church), was in Bob Bates' "Hotel Street" as a crooked cop (HIFF 2011, one of a series of short films that was part of "The Short List"), and was among the family dealing with an impending tsunami in Jay Hanamura's segment of "6B: An Anthology Of Hawaii Films" (HIFF 2011). He is also scheduled to appear as the violent Tamotsu in Ed Sakamoto's thriller "Obake Neko" (Ghost Cat) (Director Denny Hironaga). Eric has a bachelors degree (Political Science) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, a masters degree from Oregon State University (College Student Services Administration), and a screenwriting certificate from the UCLA Extension Writers' Program (the largest writer training center of its kind in the U.S.). He has written 137 feature length scripts (of a lifetime mission to write 300) wherein eleven of his scripts have been produced as feature length movies. This includes Serenergy Productions' feature length movie "Parts Of The Same Circle" (which was screened at HIFF 2012 and the 2013 Big Island Film Festival (BIFF), and in which he was also a co-producer, a co-director and acted in a lead role, as Jack Kimura, the one cynic within an enthusiastic ghost tour group who experiences a life changing moment), Jeff Katts' science fiction drama, "The Hidden Battle," 2006, and (the following he has also produced) "Natural Reaction," 2014, "Tiramisu On The Beach," 2015, "Juniper Lane," 2015, "So Close Shig," 2016, "World Buffet," 2016, "Before The After," 2017, "The Landline Detective," 2017, "Closing Costs," 2018, and "The Curse Of Witness Protection, 2018." Eric has also written 12 produced plays (including "Merry Christmas, Roberta," voted a Best Play Po'okela award, 2008, co-written with Michael Wurth and Jon Brekke), as well as eight half-hour TV programs that documented the careers of local artists entitled "Artists Of Hawaii." He even wrote a children's book, "Getting Ready For Kindergarten," with his wife, Mary Ann, which has been distributed to local preschools. Eric has directed eight stage plays, directed eight movies ("Parts Of The Same Circle," "Juniper Lane," "So Close Shig," "World Buffet," "Before The After," "The Landline Detective," "Closing Costs," and "The Curse Of Witness Protection"), and served as an associate producer of "One Team" (filmmaker Tom Coffman's excellent documentary of Father Kenneth Bray, Iolani School's legendary football coach, voted Best Short Film, HIFF 2012). He has been in numerous TV commercials, voiced over many a radio ad, and appeared in featured roles on both "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-O" (in the recurring role of Prosecuting Attorney James Chen). Eric started "Yellow Brick Studio (YBS)" in 2014 with a business partner, to focus on movies, music and marketing. With respect to the movies aspect, YBS produces "LegacyVision Films," which focuses on developing the movies its investors have dreamed of making. He is also the creator of "All Hawaii TV," a Roku TV channel he established in 2017, which is dedicated to video content about Hawaii or produced by Hawaii residents. He has also taught acting for years; conducting his weekly "Just Act" acting classes (which initiated through the Hawaii talent agency, ADR) at the theater he founded, "TAG - The Actors' Group," in the Shops at Dole Cannery in Honolulu, Hawaii. Eric's collective experiences have transformed his destiny. For his life is now being driven by four creative forces - a passion to act, an obsession to write, an enthusiasm for directing, and an almost manic organizational ability to produce movies that are completed on schedule and on budget. But of everything he has been involved in, Eric considers his family his greatest achievement. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have been married since 1980. Their daughter, Kristen Lee (Iwi Jay), and son, Cory, round out their beautiful family.