Hana Shimizu on Animation, AI, and Human Creativity in Brand Storytelling
Hana Shimizu, the managing partner at Hornet, boasts 25 years of experience in the creative sector and currently resides in New York City, having relocated from Tokyo. Her photography journey commenced during her freshman year in Florence, leading her to purchase a Hasselblad camera upon her arrival in New York. After immersing herself in the city's motion graphics scene, Shimizu ventured into animation, creating projects such as 'Balloonerism,' a 24-minute animated film inspired by Mac Miller's posthumous album. She expressed concerns about the industry's dependence on algorithms, predicting that AI will amplify content noise. Shimizu urged that technology should enhance ideas, encouraged brands to connect with cultural communities, and advised newcomers to remain curious and develop communication skills.
Key facts
- Hana Shimizu is managing partner of Hornet with 25 years in the creative industry.
- She was born in Brazil, spent part of her childhood in New Zealand, had formative years in Tokyo, and now lives in New York City.
- She bought a medium-format Hasselblad camera after moving to New York and assisted on fashion and beauty shoots.
- She traveled to the Galápagos Islands to photograph wildlife.
- She discovered New York's emerging motion graphics community, which led her to animation.
- She worked on 'Balloonerism,' a 24-minute animated film around Mac Miller's posthumous album.
- She criticized the industry's overreliance on algorithms and performance metrics, warning AI will accelerate disposable content.
- She identified AI-assisted creative tools, real-time 3-D and rendering, and new motion capture as key emerging technologies.
Entities
Artists
- Hana Shimizu
- Mac Miller
Institutions
- Hornet
Locations
- Brazil
- New Zealand
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Florence
- Italy
- New York City
- United States
- Galápagos Islands
- Ecuador