Writer/Producer Koji Steven Sakai, a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Masters of Professional Writing program, is the founder of Little Nalu Pictures LLC. His film and television projects have played on Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Paramount+, Roku, Shudder, and Tubi. He has worked with a variety of talented and award-winning actors and filmmakers, including Cuba Gooding Jr., Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Dermot Mulroney, James Shigeta, Mackenyu, Michael Jai White, Mel Gibson, Mickey Rourke, Randall Park, RZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Howard, Vincent Cassel, and Wilson Cruz.
He has written 12 feature films that have been produced, Haunted Highway (2006), The People I’ve Slept With (2009), Santa & Me (2013), #1 Serial Killer (2013), Dying to Kill (2016), Last Girl (2020), The Commando (2022), Ruthless (2023), Skeletons in the Closet (2024), Nyctophobia (2024), Damaged (2024), Boneyard (2024). In addition, his screenplay, Romeo, Juliet, & Rosaline, was optioned by Amazon Studios.
He has produced nine feature films, The People I’ve Slept With, #1 Serial Killer, Dying to Kill, Last Girl, The Commando, Skeletons in the Closet, Nyctophobia, Are You There? and Boneyard; Dwayne Perkins: Take Note (2015), a one-hour comedy special that originally aired on Netflix; Comedy InvAsian and Comedy InvAsian 2.0 (2017 to present), a television series featuring the nation’s top Asian American comedians, Season 1 originally premiered on Hulu and Season 2 premiered on Peacock in May of 2022, and Brash Girls Club (2019), a limited comedy series that premiered on Tubi.
Finally, Koji wrote episodes 6, 7, and 10 for the television series House of the Owl currently on Disney+/Hulu. The show stars Min Tanaka and Mackenyu Arata.
Koji Steven Sakai’s debut novel, Romeo & Juliet Vs. Zombies was released in paperback by Luthando Coeur in 2015 and in audiobook in 2016, his Amazon Kindle World novella, Operation Survive was released in October of 2016, his graphic novel, 442 was released in February 2017 by Stela and in print by Little Nalu Pictures LLC in 2019, his novel, Zombie Run was released in print and ebook in May of 2019 by Solstice Publishing and in audiobook by Little Nalu Pictures LLC in 2023, his graphic novel, Santa Vs. Zombies was released in 2019 by Outland Entertainment, and his most recent novel, Secession, by Central Park South Publishing and in audiobook on Audible.
His stories have been featured in New Frontiers: The Many Worlds of George Takei, Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology, Secret Identities Volume 2: Shattered, and Pho for Life.
He has received several prestigious fellowships, writing awards, and grants. They include the Screenwriting Expo 4: New Visions Fellowship Award (2005), Visual Communication’s Armed with a Camera fellowship (2006), Film Independent’s Project: Involve fellowship (2007), The Writers Boot Camp Fellowship (2009), The Producers Guild: Power of Diversity Workshop fellowship (2009), California Civil Liberties Public Education Grant (2016), and the Tribeca Film Institute Pond5 Program grant (2019).
He has also served as a judge for the Humanitas prize, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival screenwriting competition, UCLA Extension’s Feature Film Writing Competition, the Final Draft Big Break screenwriting competition, the Holidays 365 International Film Festival, CineStory TV Contest, and a mentor at the CineStory Foundation retreat.
He writes, produces, co-hosts, and edits multiple podcasts.
The Unofficial Official Story with comedians Cat Alvarado and Dwayne Perkins. They look at the paranormal, conspiracies, true crime, and the unexplainable and try to come up with what really happened. They have welcomed guests such as actor Randall Park, comedian Ben Gleib, comedian and podcaster Randy Sklar, and iconic West Coast rapper Ras Kass. The Unofficial Official is currently in its fourth season.
The What If Pop podcast with Katie Farmer. The What If Pop is a monthly podcast where they dive headfirst into the intriguing and imaginative world of pop culture’s most fascinating “what if” scenarios.
The Japanese America podcast with co-host comedian Michelle Malizaki and in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum. The podcast looks at all things Japanese American.
Koji’s passion for writing and podcasting is only matched by his love to teach others how to do it. He is currently a screenwriting instructor at UCLA Extension and at the University of Southern California. He has previously taught at the New York Film Academy and Chapman University. In 2020, he launched an online screenwriting course on Udemy.
He lives with his wife, 12-year-old son, and two-year-old Shepard mix in South Pasadena, California. He loves the Lakers and coaching youth baseball… Go Rangers!
Koji Steven Sakai 