Editing Topaz (1945 film) (section)

== Production ==
Between 1943 and 1945, Dave Tatsuno was incarcerated in a Japanese internment camp called Topaz War Relocation Center located in Millard County, Utah. During this time, he filmed his documentary with an 8mm home movie camera that he acquired in 1936. During WWII, cameras were considered contraband for Japanese Americans and were to be surrendered to the government. To avoid this confiscation, Tatsuno gave his camera to his friend claiming "you can't turn in something you don't have".

During his time at the camp, Tatsuno began to manage a dry goods co-op. Tatsuno always credited his store supervisor, Walter Honderick, for helping him get the movie camera into the camp. They arranged for the camera to be mailed to the supervisor to avoid inspection, and the supervisor gave Tatsuno the camera warning him, "I wouldn't get too closed to the [barbed wire] fence." Because of his role and previous experience in retail, Tatsuno was selected to do various merchandise runs, which allowed for him to travel outside of the camp and across the country. He estimates that he traveled 20,000 miles during his time doing these runs. It was during this supply trips that Tatsuno was able to purchase [[8 mm film|8 mm color film]] for his camera, which he used to film his experience in the camp. In order to develop the film, he would send it out to [[Salt Lake City]], and from there he would have it sent to his brother, who was attending the [[University of Utah]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Densho Encyclopedia contributors |date=16 January 2018 |title=Dave Tatsuno |url=https://encyclopedia.densho.org/Dave%20Tatsuno }}</ref>