News: Award-Winning Director and EP of FX's ATLANTA Hiro Murai Signs First Look Deal with FX Productions.

Award-Winning Director Hiro Murai Signs First Look Deal with FX Productions
Executive Producer of FX’s Award-Winning Atlanta
Will Develop New Television Projects for FX Networks and Other Outlets

Murai Has Directed Seven Episodes of the Current Atlanta Robbin’ Season
Including the Acclaimed “Teddy Perkins” Episode As Well As
The Music Video for the Childish Gambino’s Newly Released Hit
“This Is America” Which Has Over 67 Million Views In Its First Week

Atlanta Robbin’ Season Finale, Directed by Murai, Airs Tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on FX

LOS ANGELES, May 10, 2018 – Hiro Murai has signed a first look producing deal with FX Productions, it was announced by Eric Schrier and Nick Grad, Presidents of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions. Under the agreement, Murai will develop new television projects for FX Networks and other outlets.

“Hiro has excelled as a director and a creative force in commercials, music videos and episodic television, and we welcome the chance to see him develop his own series through FX Productions,” said Grad. “He helped make Atlanta the most acclaimed comedy series on television, greatly contributing to its signature style and tone and becoming an integral part of the creative team led by Donald Glover. With his boundless artistry, Hiro is poised to take the next step as a television creator.”

News: Award-Winning Director and EP of FX's <i>ATLANTA</i> Hiro Murai Signs First Look Deal with FX Productions. 2

ATLANTA Robbin’ Season — “Alligator Man” — Season Two, Episode 1 (Airs Thursday, March 1, 10:00 p.m. e/p) Pictured: Director Hiro Murai. CR: Guy D’Alema/FX

Murai is an Executive Producer and Director on FX’s Atlanta. Of note this season, Murai directed seven episodes of the current Atlanta Robbin’ Season, including tonight’s season finale (airs at 10 PM et/pt), as well as the memorable sixth episode “Teddy Perkins,” which New York Magazine/Vulture proclaimed “one of the best TV episodes of the year,” and Esquire called “some of the most thrilling television in years.”

Murai won a PGA Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy for the first season of Atlanta, for which he was also nominated for an Emmy^® Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. In all, the first season of Atlanta, in which Murai directed seven of the 10 episodes, won two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe^® Awards and AFI, Peabody, TCA, NAACP and Critics’ Choice awards.

Known for his specific subtextual aesthetic, Murai is a regular collaborator with Donald Glover/Childish Gambino. They most recently joined forces on the culturally groundbreaking music video “This Is America,” which currently has over 67 million views on YouTube since its release this past Saturday.

Since making his television directorial debut with Atlanta, Murai, a Tokyo-born filmmaker based out of Los Angeles, has been in high demand. He has also directed the pilot for Sea Oak, created by Man Booker Prize-winning author George Saunders and starring Emmy winner Glenn Close, in addition to episodes of Snowfall and Legion for FX and Barry for HBO. In 2013, Murai directed the short film Clapping for the Wrong Reasons, which was co-written by and stars Donald Glover.

Murai has garnered multiple MTV VMA nominations for works including Flying Lotus & Kendrick Lamar’s “Never Catch Me” and Childish Gambino’s “3005.” In 2014, he won the Director of the Year Award at the UKMVAs. Murai has directed music videos for Childish Gambino, Chance The Rapper, A Tribe Called Quest, Spoon, The Shins, St. Vincent, Queens Of The Stone Age, Chet Faker and many more. Murai’s commercial works include spots for Nike, Corona, Lincoln, Microsoft, Google, Sonos and Gilette.

Murai is represented by UTA, Grandview, Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein, and by Doomsday Entertainment for commercials and music videos.
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