Shozo discovered actor Matsunosuke Onoe working in an itinerant kabuki troupe and enlisted him into becoming Japan's first film star.

[citation needed] In addition to creating the unique genre of the Japanese period film,[clarification needed] Makino also incorporated trick camera techniques and a myriad of other cinematic methods of expression into his films.

[citation needed] In 1919, he founded the Mikado Company and began to produce educational films.

Makino Film Productions turned out many successful movies also made by several other directors and actors.

Masahiro married the actress Yukiko Todoroki and their son, Masayuki Makino, is the head of the Okinawa Actor's School.