Deliberately and boldly involving others. With passion and love.

"If someone is aiming for something new, I want to help them. I want to find things no one else has discovered yet. I want to pull out what everyone is ignoring. Every day, I feel driven to give shape to things that can only be done now, things that can only be felt now."

This is the response from film producer Yoko Edami, who brings works capturing the spirit of our times to the world. This December, the film "Azumi Haruko is Missing " will be released, highlighting the lives of women across three generations: those in their thirties, those in their twenties, and high school girls. Some of you may have seen the movie poster featuring Aoi Yu and Mitsuki Takahata.

Directed by Daigo Matsui, who has also appeared in this series. Through Matsui's introduction, I met Ms. Edami in 2015. I felt certain that Ms. Edami, who relentlessly brings her own projects to life despite being a young producer, could offer valuable insights on moving forward. I therefore requested a conversation with her to serve as an "extra chapter" for my book , " Waiting Won't Get You Started: Move Forward with Resolve" (Kobundo).

Ms. Edami was born in 1986. She joined Nippon TV Axon in 2008 and made her producer debut in 2012 with the film "Kiritoshi, Bukatsu Yamerutteyo." The film won numerous awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Outstanding Film. He also served as producer for the 2015 drama "Eien no Bokura" and the 2016 series "Yutori Desu ga Nanika." Here are Mr. Edami's three principles for moving forward with integrity.

 

Always think that if you don't do this, there's no way back.

"In middle school, I wasn't really passionate about anything. Rather than creating my own original work, I always admired my friends and imitated them, always chasing after someone else. I wanted something I loved, something to define myself. I felt this intense anxiety that I couldn't survive without having something. That's when I encountered the film 'Lily Chou-Chou's Everything'. Watching it, I decided film was the only thing for me; I would rely on this to live. There was truly nothing else."

I think people are influenced by some kind of foundational experience when choosing their work. The reason Ms. Edami came to want to work in film—it wasn't that she originally loved movies, nor that her parents often took her to the cinema. What struck me was that she encountered film precisely when she wished to have something—this one thing—to hold onto in order to live.

A strength born of having no other choice. You could perhaps call it the strength of conviction. Driven by the thought, "I will make movies!", Mr. Edami enrolled in Waseda University's First Faculty of Letters, Theater and Film Course (as it was then) and joined Nippon TV Axon, a video content production company. However, he wasn't assigned to the production department, but to the desk of the film division.

"It was completely different from the environment I'd been seeking, and I wondered what to do. People making films were right nearby, but I couldn't get in. Back then, only the producers gathered monthly for planning meetings. Desk staff weren't supposed to attend, but I begged them, 'Please let me submit a proposal!' Days passed with nothing working out, but then 'Kirishima, Quitting the Club' came along. That's when things changed dramatically."

Oh no, if I keep going like this, I'll just end up stuck here. With no room for error, I'm always forward-thinking and relentless. I find opportunities and dive right in. That's how I turn things around. I caught a glimpse of the secret behind Edami's breakthrough power.

 

Find your place near interesting people.

If you wanted to make movies, you could have aimed to be a director instead of a producer. Why did you decide to get involved in filmmaking as a producer?

"In college, I joined a film club and thought I'd make movies. But I realized I felt more energized when I thought, 'I want to be near this person,' rather than when I tried to force something out of myself. It was pretty frustrating to admit that about myself. I had high hopes for what would come from within, but not much emerged, and I was also afraid to compete. Still, I wanted to stay close to filmmaking. When I thought about creating a reason to be near people I admired, that's when I decided to become a producer."

Finding your place near someone captivating. That also means creating a reason to be near them. That's why Ms. Edami says she consciously tried to be a rich person even in university, actively traveling abroad to broaden her horizons. She continued these efforts to be needed even after actually becoming a producer.

"When discussing the script with director Daihachi Yoshida and screenwriter Kohei Kiyasu for 'Kirishima, Quit the Club,' I felt like no matter what I said, it couldn't quite reach their level. But I made sure to voice my thoughts, even if it meant swallowing my pride. I approached it thinking, 'If I throw out 100 ideas, maybe just one will slowly sink in.'"

This reminded me of something I always keep in mind as a copywriter: never neglect the effort to make "someone else's business" feel like "my own business." Depending on the job, some projects feel distant from me. If I leave it at that, heartfelt words or ideas won't emerge. That's precisely why I keep asking myself, "Why is that?" "How come?" Sometimes, I honestly admit I don't understand and keep asking the other person questions.

When you make that effort to make it personal, regardless of age or seniority, the other person will meet you head-on. And that's where I believe your place, your reason for being, is born. Mr. Edami then shared his resolve as a producer.

"It's not about this selfless desire to help someone achieve their goals or make their dreams come true. It's more selfish—I just want to be there to see them accomplish something interesting."

Standing shoulder to shoulder with interesting people, in your own way. At the end of that effort, perhaps an unseen landscape spreads out, viewed from the same place.

 

Deliberately and boldly drawing others in.

Watching the films and dramas Mr. Edami has brought to the world so far, I get the impression each one has been realized steadily and with a solid sense of accomplishment. While ideas can be conceived, bringing them to life is difficult. Where does this ability to make things happen come from?

"I do have a very bold side to me. Like in 2013, right after watching a newly released film by director Daigo Matsui, I happened to meet him at the theater and suddenly asked, 'Would you like to make your next film with me?' Also, as a desk staff member, I was submitting proposals to planning meetings – that was bold in its own way. I think I possess a boldness, almost to the point of being pushy, when it comes to the drive and energy for what I want to do (laughs)."

The word "bold" that Edami-san uses carries a palpable intensity. Hearing him explain the reason behind it made it all make sense.

"It's not that I can be bold with everyone—I definitely choose who I am bold with. I go in bold, but in return, I genuinely like you and will absolutely never give up halfway. I have this unfounded confidence that if we work together, it will definitely turn out great."

Boldness fueled by passion and love draws people in and propels things forward. I felt the same way. Take the "Taro Discount" campaign we launched at the izakaya "Amitaro" in 2012. This wasn't a job I was asked to do. One day, I saw a Facebook post offering discounts to anyone named "Taro." My name is Hirotaro, with "Taro" in the "Hiro" part. I felt destined to create an ad for Taro! Within a week, I wrote a proposal like a love letter and sent it via Facebook. The proposal took on a life of its own, reaching the client's executives, and it became a reality.

If you have a burning passion, it might ignite the hearts of those you involve, making them want to succeed in the project together. I realized that Mr. Edami's ability to make things happen comes from his heartfelt power to engage others.

These are the three principles for moving forward decisively. What I learned from Mr. Edami: believing you have no way out generates positive momentum; creating a space near interesting people reveals new perspectives; and boldness fueled by passion and love propels you toward realization. These offered many practical hints for daily work.

This concludes the commemorative column series for the publication of my book , 'It Won't Start If You Just Wait: Move Forward Cleanly'. To everyone who read this series, thank you so much. If you have a copy of the book, I'd be delighted if you could remove the soft cover and look at the back cover. I secretly wrote a message there. May you all move forward cleanly. Until we meet again!