The Hawaii International Film Festival’s Guest Filmmaker Program connects professionals in the film industry with students to provide insights about working in front of and behind the camera. Japanese-born musician Goh Nakamura shared his experiences as a first-time actor with a sixth grade class at the Kainalu Elementary School as part of the Guest Filmmaker Program.

The students Nakamura met were preparing for a “history day” by practicing a performance of important events in Hawaiian history. As the students shared their script with Goh, he gave them acting advice, encouraged the young performers to be more comfortable and confident, and asked a group of students to “act on the spot” by improvising lines.

Nakamura’s background as a musician was also inspiring to many of the students who also share interests in music. The pre-teens who play instruments inquired about Goh’s career as a singer-songwriter and music composer for films. Goh explained how he generates idea for songs, and he walked the class through the process of writing a short song based on their idea for the play.

The students were thrilled by what Nakamura taught them in their classroom, and their experience emphasized the importance of hands-on education and the Guest Filmmaker Program.