As the team's hub, she coordinates traffic so that no one gets lost. Director Marie Fujiwara

In fact, we are currently preparing to renew this Monosasu website.

The regular meeting is held every week, and it is Marie Fujiwara who keeps the atmosphere in order. I am impressed by how neatly the meeting proceeds and how the minutes are written so that the main points are captured. The day before the meeting, she also makes a strict announcement saying, "Those who have an agenda, please write it down." I think she is someone who really knows what to say to whom and when to ensure that things go smoothly.

This time, we had a detailed talk with Marie about her job as a director. By the way, it was raining on the day of the interview. For the main visual shoot, she held up her favorite umbrella. The vitamin color suits her very well.

I want to work with people who share my interests

Sugimoto: I understand that your previous job was in the construction industry. Why did you move to Monosus, which is a completely different industry?

Fujiwara: At my previous company, I was in charge of sales planning. It was a small company, so I did a lot of things, but one of my jobs was to think up the interior specifications of the building, package it, and sell it using media. I thought that the way to communicate something to the world in the future would be through the web, and when I was looking for a job in the web industry, I found a job posting for Monosus on Nihon Shigoto Hyakkaten and applied. I think it was in 2015, so it's already been 8 or 9 years.

Sugimoto: There are many different companies in the web industry, but what was it about Monosus that attracted you?

When I read an article about Fujiwara Nihon Shigoto Hyakka, I thought it seemed like a lot of freedom and fun (laughs). I wanted to work at a company with people I could empathize with and who I wanted to work with. During the interview, I met Manabe-san, Yamauchi-san, and Uemura-san, who were members of the production department (at the time), and they spoke to me as an equal, not as if I was distant.

Fujiwara climbing a mountain with the Monosasu Mountaineering Club shortly after joining the company.

Sugimoto: So after you joined the company, you were immediately put on a team that was based within the client's premises?

Fujiwara :Yes. Originally, I chose the web industry because I wanted to know what the best way to communicate a message or idea was, but at my client's jobs, I communicate using a variety of methods, including events, social media, and paper media.

Sugimoto: What made you interested in communicating in the first place?

When I was a student at Fujiwara University of Fine Arts, I saw my friends who were creating amazing works but didn't have the means to share them. I became interested in communicating and sharing my work as a way to support creators.

The director's job is to create a workplace where it is easy to work.

Sugimoto: When you received the MVP award in November 2023 , you were highly praised for your "all-round careful communication." Is this something you keep in mind on a daily basis?

Fujiwara: It was only when you said it like that that I realized, "Oh, I see." Certainly, as a production director, I was careful to make sure that the people on-site didn't get lost in the information, so I think that's what was perceived as "careful communication."

Sugimoto: What do you mean by "so as not to get lost in the information"?

Fujiwara: This is a bit of an analogy. In my previous job, I would sometimes visit construction sites. The site supervisor always kept to the deadline and was trusted by the craftsmen. He would arrive at the site before the craftsmen and always keep the site tidy so that the members who came later could move around easily. I thought that this kind of accumulation was important. I recently realized that it's the same with production direction, and I started to be conscious of getting the site in order first.

For example, I create documents that team members can look at to find the information they need. I put together the project's objectives, background, schedule, and so on in one document. I also think it's important to organize the information that each member should see. I show each team member only the information they need, to reduce noise for each person.

Sugimoto: If you can think like that, then being a director must be a good fit for you.

Fujiwara: At first, I wondered, "What is a director? Is there any point in being one?" I was often between the client and the designer, acting as a carrier pigeon, and I wondered, "Am I suited to be a director?" I wonder when it started? When I organize the background of the project and hand over the information, the designer gives me back something beyond my imagination, even if I can't draw the final product well. I feel very happy when I finish something that I think is good and the client is pleased with it. I guess it's a series of experiences like that.

In the year when the COVID-19 pandemic began, there was a time when nothing I did worked. But when I started to think about what is important in direction again, the production started to progress smoothly and I felt a sense of accomplishment again. Now I really enjoy directing productions, and I want to improve my skills even more.

Taking on the challenge of directing web production on our own website

Who volunteered to take on the Sugimoto Monosasu website renewal project?

Fujiwara : There are a few reasons. I feel comfortable in my work right now. I've gained experience and still have the stamina, so I want to broaden the scope of my work while I'm still at this age. Another reason is that even though I'm working at a company that produces web sites, I don't know much about the web, which is bothering me. It's a big hurdle to suddenly get involved in client projects, but I thought that renewing our own company's website would be a great opportunity.

Another thing is that last year I was in charge of creating slides for a keynote speech at a large-scale conference hosted by a client for the first time, and I learned a lot from that. When you change the people you work with and the work you are involved in, you learn from them and your perspective on the work changes. It's also great to be able to experience the difficulties unique to the work that you could only imagine. I was thinking that doing new things would teach me a lot, and then the renewal talk came up at the right time, so I participated.

Sugimoto: How was it being involved in the website renewal?

Fujiwara: I thought that a website is very difficult. There are a lot of things to consider, from creating the concept to designing the web, how to structure the pages, and what to do with the content. If you don't proceed section by section, the schedule will fall behind. Members with various skills are involved, and it feels like a complex of productions.

Sugimoto: Do you think you can apply the direction ideas you have used up until now to web production?

Fujiwara: I got involved because I wanted to try that out. At first, I didn't know how to create a schedule for web production, so I asked Yamada-san, who helps me manage the schedule, to put it together for me, and we actually use what we created based on that.

Sugimoto: I'm grateful that he manages regular meetings with vigor and keeps things organized in a level-headed manner. It's more like he's keeping things in order, rather than just managing progress.

I felt like it was an experiment to see if I could manage the progress without knowing anything about FujiwaraWeb . I think that running regular meetings is also an important part of what I do, so I'm glad to hear you say that.

I think Monosus is a company that is always exploring.

Sugimoto: I think the web renewal project is also an opportunity to think about what kind of company Monosus is.

Fujiwara: That's right. During the web renewal and study tour to America, we talked about how it would be nice to be able to talk about Monosus' history properly, to know about it and feel attached to it. Things like being able to talk about what we do and being open. Even in client work, we've talked as a unit about wanting to be involved from a higher level.

I feel like the things I think about in the web renewal, the things I think about in my everyday work, and the things I started thinking about after my visit to the U.S. are all connected. I feel that Monosus is a company that is constantly exploring in a good way, and I think that continuing to explore in various places is important for Monosus.

A look at the US tour

Sugimoto: Since you joined the company, the food context has been introduced and there has been a change in president this year. What do you think about Monosus, which has been changing rapidly?

Fujiwara : I think the company is becoming more and more interesting. I've always been at a loss for words when people ask me, "What kind of company is Monosus?" But when I hear Manabe say, "For example, it would be nice if I could say, 'We're a manufacturing company, and I do this there,'" that makes perfect sense.

It's interesting and good that the food context has been introduced, but it's also harder to say what kind of company it is. But just one word makes a difference. Also, when I'm in the food business, my family gets interested. I can take home something delicious, so they say, "Monosus is a great company!" (laughs). That's because the food is made with a strong passion.

Sugimoto: It's great to work for a company that makes your family happy! Lastly, what does working mean to you, Marie?

Fujiwara: What does it mean to work? I'm not a creator, but work is also a place for me to express myself. I think working means getting to know other people's values, interacting with them, and creating things that I couldn't do on my own, and expressing myself in many different ways.

Sugimoto: It's wonderful that you think about work in that way. Thank you very much!

I didn't use "lol" a lot, but Marie-san laughed a lot during the interview. She has a very clear impression, but she doesn't put on much pressure. That kind of presence may be what suits her job as a director.

Marie, who has been playing the djembe since her school days, still likes world folk music. She listens to a wide range of music, from African music, Bulgarian voice, bagpipes, Japanese Awa Odori, to the music of Chinese ethnic minorities. Personally, I would like to ask Marie about her love of folk music the next time I meet her.