A BUSINESS OF LIVING ART

“Mirai” is a Japanese word referring to the future, or more specifically, a future which has yet to be realized. In this short film, we follow bonsai professional Ryan Neil as he recollects his journey to becoming one of the most recognized names in the American Bonsai movement, and in turn, creating a brand synonymous with his own work: Bonsai Mirai. 

This film spanned the course of 6 months, working with Ryan and his regular artisan collaborators to show the artist economy that businesses like Mirai create and sustain in their efforts to produce the best product they can. Each artisan has a process as unique and complex as the art of bonsai itself, so it goes without saying that their stories are perpetually interwoven into the final presentation of every tree that Bonsai Mirai creates.