Meet Our 2023-2024 AWC Fellow: Kayli Kimura

Visual Communications is thrilled to introduce our 2023-2024 Armed With a Camera Cohort! Meet emerging filmmaker Kayli Kimura!

Kayli Kimura (she/her) is a Japanese-American creative director, visual storyteller, and talent manager. Her work spans across various genres with a focus on non-fiction storytelling and musically-driven films. In addition to her directorial and cinematography work, Kayli worked in the camera department for a variety of commercials, TV shows, documentaries and music videos including projects for Netflix, Hulu, Food Network, PBS, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Telfar. Kayli is the creative director and manager for Queens, NY-born, Nigerian-American rapper, AKINYEMI. Kayli was born and raised in Boulder, CO and recently relocated to LA after living in NYC for almost 5 years. She graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with majors in Sociology and Environmental Studies and a minor in Music.

Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PURSUE FILM/MEDIA ARTS
I always loved still photography and making videos. As a competitive skier and athlete when I was younger, I was usually tasked as the group photographer and made ski edits with my brother. Towards the end of college, my classmates were announcing their post-grad jobs as investment bankers or consultants and I really couldn’t see that as my future so I dove headfirst into filmmaking and moved to NYC to work in the film industry. As a camera assistant, I was able to learn from so many incredible DPs and Directors and apply it to my own smaller-scale work. I love archiving moments in time and adding visual language to beautiful stories.

Q: WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO ON YOUR FREE TIME
Play with my puppy, Moka, and spending time outdoors

FAVORITE FILMS
I can’t choose just one, but some of my favorites include My Neighbor Totoro, Minari, & Past Lives.

FAVORITE TV SHOW
Mr. Robot

CURRENT WATCH
Honestly I’ve been watching YouTube mostly lately!

MUSIC ARTIST ON REPEAT
Smino

RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATION
Cento but my late night fave is El Chato Taco Truck

UNPOPULAR OPINION
Peanut Butter is nasty.

Q: WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR THIS YEAR’S AWC
I’m so excited to learn from the other fellows in the cohort and continue to build community! It’s so inspiring to hear about everyone’s creative processes and I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone more.

WHERE TO FIND YOU
@kaylikimura on all socials