AMERIKA PROJECT HISTORY

The story for AMERIKA: a notebook in three parts began in 2004 while Director Mika Johnson and his wife, actress and artist Kaori Mitsushima, were living abroad and exchanging stories about Mitsushima's experiences as a former club hostess in Tokyo. Johnson proceeded to write the first part of the script while living in Germany, as world events occurring at that time sparked Johnson's interest in views about the United States from an outsider's perspective. He and his wife moved to Prague and soon thereafter began drafting the second and third parts, resulting in a rough draft of the AMERIKA script in 2006. Over the next year, they returned to the United States, and Johnson continued adding to the script and compiling visual information to formulate a rough two-dimensional sketch of the film.

In early 2008, Johnson and Mitsushima started Arcanum Productions and its website to promote and distribute their work. Concurrently, Johnson and co-writer/editor Honey Lapcharoen began re-writing and editing parts of the script, synopsis, summaries and other supplemental texts, including press releases and proposal letters to potential investors and producers. During script revisions, Johnson begun the casting process and had already cemented many of AMERIKA's lead and minor characters. During the rest of the year, he also enlisted the volunteer assistance of a web designer, hair and makeup artist, and wardrobe stylist.

In May 2008, Arcanum Productions submitted application materials (cover letter, biographies, and a short film synopsis) to the Sundance Institute's Screenwriters Lab competition, where the AMERIKA script subsequently entered the semi-finalist level of the contest.

In the proceeding months, Arcanum Productions solicited and acquired notable collaborations with Japanese actress Kimie Shingyoji and French musician Colleen. In spring 2009, Oberlin College (Johnson's alma mater) agreed to make a generous contribution of labor, costumes, props, facilities, space rentals, and equipment, entering into a co-production agreement with Oberlin College's Cinema Studies program. This collaboration will incorporate AMERIKA's locally-based Green production with the student internships that will be offered through Arcanum Productions.

In October 2009, Johnson and Mitsushima relocated to Oberlin, Ohio, to complete pre-production work and begin first stage test shooting with Oberlin College students, who worked until April, 2010, to complete two preview trailers for AMERIKA, which can now be seen on-line, in English, with Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese subtitles at http://amerika.arcanumproductions.com/

Arcanum Productions continues to search for potential investors and remains committed to making AMERIKA: a notebook in three parts.