Christian Storms

Christian Storms, the Tokyo-based actor, dialogue coach, translator, director, producer has spent half his life in Japan. If you've seen a Japanese film, he's probably translated the subtitles. If you've seen a documentary about Japan, he probably produced it. Christian is the owner/line producer of Local 81, a Tokyo-based TV/film production company which produces local shoots for mainly US/UK broadcasters. For example, he has spearheaded many Japan-related TV shows for networks like the BBC (Top Gear), the Discovery Channel, Nat Geo (Locked Up Abroad) and AXN (The Amazing Race Asia). In addition, as a producer with experience in over 70 projects, Christian was hired by FIFA for the 2010 and 2014 World Cups as the ENG producer for the Japan team. As a director, he was the first unit director for Ellen Perry's Fall of Fujimori - Sundance 2005. He has also worked for Fox Sports Japan as a contract director/producer. Being fully-bilingual and a method-trained actor, Christian found his way into dialogue coaching where he worked on Miike Takashi's Sukiyaki Western Django. He also translated the script for that film as well as Takahashi Miike's Imprint (Masters of Horror). He was the dialogue coach for Asano Tadanobu (Hogun) on THOR. Christian has a long-standing relationship with director Miike Takashi. According to Tom Mes's book Re-Agitator about Miike Takashi, "Christian is one of the few foreigners who can claim to be a true insider in the world of Japanese film. As an actor, writer, dialogue coach and translator, he has gained a unique insight and familiarity both in front of and behind the camera. He is a regular and close collaborator of Takashi Miike." Not surprisingly Christian wrote the foreword to Tom's book. Born in Evansville, Indiana on August 30, 1968, he attended Indiana University graduating with double major BA in Economics and Japanese Language and Culture. After getting a Masters in Japanese literature from Sophia University, he worked for a Mafioso Sasakawa "Peace" Foundation. He then broke into the film business. His first film credit was as a coordinator for the feature Napolean, an Australia/Japan co-production. He was the assistant to film producer Charles Hannah (The World's Fastest Indian) for a year and a half learning the production/producing end of film-making before working in the world of Japanese comics (manga). His introduction to acting came while working as the translation supervisor for the Japanese television-dubbed version of South Park. After years of directing actors in dubbed versions and video games, he studied method acting at Yoko Narahashi's United Performers Studio and with Hedy Sontag (teacher at Lee Strasberg Institute, Los Angeles). He made his feature film debut in the Japanese omnibus film Jam Films (2002) (segment 'Justice') playing opposite one of Japan's biggest new stars Satoshi Tsumabuki. In Nagurimono (2005) Christian featured as the bad guy with all lines in Japanese and a love scene and Pavillion Saramandre (2006).