The son of Chinese immigrants, Nicholas came to LA by way of Hawaii and Hong Kong. Working as a truly international director, he has helmed global campaigns for brands like Google, Samsung, Disney, P&G, Kia, Dewars, and Nestle, working closely with top agencies such as BBDO, Ogilvy & Mather, and Iris Worldwide. In the music world, he is an MTV VMA nominated director having shot videos for Nick Jonas, Blink-182, Sara Bareilles, Bastille, Snakehips, Jess Glynne, Monsta X, and more.
Known for his cinematic, emotional, and dynamic visual language, Nicholas' films often center on character-driven stories deeply grounded in humanity and sensitivity. His work has been featured in most major publications including The LA Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Variety, The Telegraph, The Independent, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, Forbes, Booooooom, Shots Creative, Little Black Book, and many more.
When not on set, Nicholas will be found tearing through the canyons in his cars or motorcycle, creating new recipes in the kitchen, or talking watches with fellow nerds.
Show Notes:
00:03:04 - The “Three R’s” Philosophy 00:05:41 - Finding one’s voice 00:08:34 - Filtering your work through a personal lens 00:10:14 - Navigating through the music video and film world 00:13:10 - Hardships within directors transitioning from music videos to feature films 00:18:59 - “The new aesthetic” 00:21:06 - Keeping a healthy mindset 00:24:36 - Pattern recognition 00:27:21 - Psychedelics 00:32:27 - The catch-22 nature of technology 00:37:00 - Difficulties and rewards within directing 00:41:54 - Having a balanced ego 00:46:29 - A director’s relevancy in the commercial world 00:49:44 - Nicholas’s first feature film 00:51:27 - The importance of representation 00:53:34 - Redefining the structures within the film industry & Asian American cinema 01:09:38- Wrap up