In addition, Mr. Itaya has been a Professor and Program Director for the Digital Media Management Program at the University of Southern California since 2022.
ENCINO, CA, December 06, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — Joseph J. Itaya has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Mr. Itaya is a visionary in documentary storytelling, having dedicated over two decades to preserving personal histories through film. As the founder of Legacy Films since 2007, he has been at the forefront of capturing and safeguarding family heritage by producing over 100 legacy films. His work spans various subjects, from Holocaust survivors to Hall of Fame athletes, emphasizing the importance of personal narratives. Legacy Films’ charitable arm has helped raise millions of dollars for organizations such as Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, the ICL Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, V Foundation, Teen Cancer America, and World of Children.
Mr. Itaya’s personal history is deeply intertwined with his professional pursuits. Of half-Japanese descent with roots in Hiroshima, Mr. Itaya’s family history was profoundly affected by the 1945 atomic bomb tragedy. This connection instilled in him a deep appreciation for preserving personal narratives, which he channels into his work with Legacy Films.
Mr. Itaya envisions leveraging technology as a catalyst for scaling products and narratives globally while ensuring client privacy. He aims to expand Legacy Films’ impact through innovative digital platforms and virtual reality experiences while developing AI powered educational resources that empower individuals to discover their life missions.
In addition to his work with Legacy Films, Mr. Itaya has been a Professor and Program Director for the Digital Media Management Program at the University of Southern California since 2022. He also hosts and produces the Mediascape podcast, sharing insights from digital changemakers. Mr. Itaya’s role as a multimedia professor and Murray chair in journalism with Semester At Sea/ISE in 2024 further highlights his commitment to education and media innovation.
Apart from these professional commitments, Mr. Itaya’s entrepreneurial spirit is evident in founding Epicenter Media in 2015, EVRLAND in 2017, Aspire Institute in 2016 and Muse Academy in 2000. His filmmaking journey was preceded by a successful career as a classical concert pianist, performing internationally across the U.S., Europe and Japan. This musical background laid a strong foundation for his transition into filmmaking.
An award-winning filmmaker, Itaya has created multi-tiered digital campaigns for global brands such as Sony, CBS, NBC, Universal, Fox, Walmart, Mattel, and Coca-Cola. Itaya received the Best Family Film award at the Bentonville Film Festival for the feature film “Lost and Found”, which he directed, wrote, and produced. “Lost and Found” was distributed internationally by Voltage and domestically by AMC and Sony.
Mr. Itaya holds a Bachelor of Arts in music theory and composition from the University of Washington in 1999 and a Master of Fine Arts in film production from the University of Southern California in 2006. These academic experiences have shaped his approach to storytelling and film production.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Mr. Itaya is actively involved with civic-minded organizations. He serves as an assistant scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America and sits on the advisory board for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media. Additionally, Mr. Itaya mentors startups through the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and contributes to virtual reality projects for children’s hospitals across the United States.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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