Hiro Murai

Hiro Murai is a Japanese filmmaker based in Los Angeles whose work spans music videos, television, and film, known for a visual style that incorporates surrealism, dark humor, and bold imagery. After graduating from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Murai began his career in music videos, initially working as a cinematographer and storyboard artist before moving into directing. He has directed music videos for artists including Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, Chet Faker, Flying Lotus, St. Vincent, The Shins, and Queens of the Stone Age, establishing a reputation for innovative visual storytelling in the music video industry.

Murai gained recognition for his work on the FX series "Atlanta," created by and starring Donald Glover, where he served as director and producer. His collaboration with Glover on "Atlanta" and other projects contributed to the show's genre-bending approach and distinctive visual identity. For his work on the series, Murai received multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

His contributions to music video and television directing have been recognized with a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as executive producer on the Hulu series "The Bear" and a Grammy Award for his work on "This Is America." Murai also directed episodes of the HBO series "Barry" and served as director and executive producer on the HBO limited series "Station Eleven," earning further Emmy and Directors Guild of America Award nominations for his work in television directing.

Murai has directed episodes of series such as "Station Eleven," "Barry," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," and "Legion," contributing to the evolution of contemporary television storytelling. He co-founded the production company Super Frog with Nate Matteson, expanding his influence in film and television production. Murai directed multiple episodes of "Widow's Bay" and serves as executive producer on the horror comedy series.

Murai received the Emmy Award for outstanding directing for a comedy series for the "Widow's Bay" premiere, becoming the first Asian director to win the category and one of only a few Asian directors to win in any Emmy category. He holds 11 career Emmy nominations, reflecting his consistency and creative range across music videos, television, and film. Murai's work continues to shape the landscape of visual storytelling in the entertainment industry.