Arata was raised in the San Francisco suburbs and attended UC Santa Cruz, where he studied painting, theater and film. He subsequently attended The American Film Institute Conservatory to focus on film directing.
Arata made his screenwriting debut in 1999 with Fox 2000's Brokedown Palace, followed by the film Spy Game in 2001. He was widely recognized for his role in Children of Men, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2007 and won the USC Scripter Award, Austin Film Critics Award, and Online Film Critics Award.
Arata's work encompasses a variety of genres, including thriller, drama, and fantasy. He has collaborated with many influential directors, including Peter Weir on Pattern Recognition, Alfonso Cuarón on Children of Men, and Tony Scott on Spy Game. His screenplays have attracted the participation of Hollywood stars, including Brad Pitt, Robert Redford, Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Clive Owen, and Julianne Moore.

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