After working as an assistant to director Zanmu KAKO who came from shinpa-geki (New-School Play), he moved to the Shochiku Kinema Kenkyu-jo production company after it was established by Osanai in 1920.
新派劇出身の賀古残夢監督の助手を務めた後、1920年、小山内が松竹キネマ研究所を創立すると、そこへ移った。