“If you think big, you’ll achieve big. You will always try to aim for that mark – you will never satisfy yourself unless you hit that target.” – Michael Taimi
Taimi was born in Vallejo, California but grew up on the Kingdom Islands of Tonga in the South Pacific, where watching what he called big action blockbusters where his main source of entertainment. In school, he’d discuss recent films and impress friends with how many he had seen. Even at bedtime when Taimi was told to go to bed, he would watch an entire picture playing in the living room through the slight opening of his bedroom door.
When Taimi was a freshman at Pacific Adventist University in Papua New Guinea, he had the chance to see an editing room at Port Moresby. Though the footage being edited was for a school’s graduation ceremony, Taimi felt compelled to increase the quality of the editing film. It was that impulse to create and stylize the footage that made Taimi realized the spark he had within himself to not only enjoy films but create them as well.
Taimi returned to the U.S. and served the country by joining the U.S.Navy, knowing he could receive an education afterwards. While in the Navy, Taimi studied Professional Aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University while serving as a E-6B Naval Aircrewman. When he had time to himself, Taimi checked out films, one being The Aviator. He was inspired by Howard Hughes’ aviation interest and his incredible ability to be both a businessman and entertainer. Taimi recognized this passion was in him too and he vowed at that moment to follow in Hughes’ grand footsteps. All he needed was to do everything in his power to pursue his dreams.
At the end of his service, Taimi went to La Sierra University where he attained a BA in Business. While researching a film school to attend, he discovered the biography of Michael Bay (The Rock, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) and saw he had attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Taimi knew the school would be the perfect place for him to hone his craft and achieve a Master’s Degree in film. Taimi immediately achieved success in several competitions including a Commercial ADDY Award and being part of the top 10 of the AICP Commercial Shortlist. Taimi has since made commercials, short stories, plus a cinematic short story/music video that was selected by Virgin America to play on flights.
Howard Hughes once said he couldn’t live his life sitting behind a desk and Michael Taimi won’t settle for that either.
“A big destiny is waiting for me. All I have to do is climb each step to the door because it is waiting there to be opened.” – Michael Taimi