Meet Nico Lavachek | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nico Lavachek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nico, is there something you believe many others might not?
“Write what you know.”

My writing wouldn’t be enjoyable or interesting to anyone if I only wrote what I knew. I understand things come easier when you write from a place you’re familiar with, and you can get really intricate basing your stories off personal experience, but learning about new things is what pushes me to write better. “The Chemists” is a feature I wrote and directed about an undiscovered actor who is sent on a chemistry trip with his A-list co-star; before I wrote it, I had to do a ton of research on how casting works, the stories of former child actors, even the history of polka music in eastern Europe. None of this stuff was remotely familiar to me but that’s why I wrote it. There are pieces of my experiences sprinkled throughout the film, those parts being born from writing “what I know,” but the foundation of the film was writing what I wanted to learn and eventually entertain audiences with.

I’ve written personal projects in the past that were almost 1:1 with my real-world experiences, and they didn’t age well with me. I believe I’ve found more success with the projects in which I was constantly learning rather than the ones where I was pulling straight from my past. To me, good writing is creating a story that has a little piece of everyone in it and not just yourself. I want to make films for YOU, not me. I can’t make stories based on what I know because I only know so much. All writers only know so much. All people only know so much. Look to others and their stories, that’s where my inspiration comes from.

The most growth I’ve seen in myself as a filmmaker has been from my writing ability and I couldn’t have grown without seeking something fresh and new. I don’t think you need to write what’s foreign to you, but the phrase “write what you know” has always bothered me. It sounds so restrictive. Fascinate yourself, get lost in research, learn more about the world and then make a story out of it. If you care about it enough, maybe you’ll be an expert in something new by the time you’re done writing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been making films ever since I held one of my great-grandfather’s Oscars for the first time. His name was John P. Fulton and he created the special effects for so many iconic movies throughout the 20th century like The Invisible Man, Rear Window, Vertigo, The Ten Commandments, White Christmas, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and so many more. Hearing the stories about his life in Hollywood inspired me to follow in his footsteps. I found myself more attracted to writing and directing, so I have been making films since I was 13 trying to continue the Fulton legacy.

When I was 16, I directed a short called “Summer Citrus” that ended up screening at a couple of festivals, including the Super Film Fest in Romania and the Austin Film Festival. I got to travel to Austin to watch my film play in a movie theater and that was my first big milestone as a filmmaker. I remember feeling overwhelmed with excitement, itching to make more shorts that will screen in front of more audiences.

In 2016, I was lucky enough to be accepted into the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA) and advanced my film education in classes surrounded by the most talented peers I could possibly be around. Being one in a handful of filmmakers picked from around the world was a massive honor and I learned so much about myself there. It was the first time making movies with strangers instead of my friends, which was a big jump for me because I only knew how to make films with the people I’m most familiar with. These strangers became my friends and they’re all doing incredible things today, almost a decade later.

For my thesis film in college, I wrote a short called “The Chemists” about two actors sent on a weekend trip to build chemistry before their screen test. Looking at where I was at the time I wrote it, sitting in a dark room during the height of the pandemic, and where I had been, a filmmaker who had only made small-scale short films, I felt the urge to go big with this one. I wanted to make “The Chemists” a feature film. I faced logistical battles, severe mental strain, and monstrous creative blocks, but with the help of my team that turned into my family, “The Chemists” was completed. It took 3 full years to get the movie off the page and onto festival screens. It was the biggest challenge of my life. One day on set, I remember sitting in an empty hallway during lunch, mapping out the next scene that we were shooting. We had to move locations, decorate a new space, shoot it, take it all down and leave within 6 hours. In the hallway, I know I was mentally distraught, but I must’ve physically looked bad because someone who was working on a different production at the studio saw me and asked if I was okay. I said I was stressed. He said “you’re going to miss this someday,” and left. I thought to myself, “how will I ever miss this? I feel like my chest is going to explode.”

Now, 3 years later, for reasons I wish I could put into words, I would do anything to be back in that hallway.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If it’s a warm, sunny summer day, I’m going to the cliffs in Palos Verdes to enjoy the best sunset you’ll see in California. That’s the only thing I willfully sit in hours-long traffic for. Back towards the city, we have the best stretch of food on Beverly Boulevard. Tacos 1986? Perfect tacos. Terroni? Unbelievable Italian. El Coyote? Electric atmosphere. Afterwards, walk it off by strolling into The Grove, the home of LA’s best AMC or you can go up Fairfax and get dessert at Canter’s on your way to thrift on Melrose. That area is unbeatable.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve been so lucky to be out here in Los Angeles with my friend since high school, Mason Bosworth. Not only is he one of my greatest friends, he is my business partner and the one I trust most. Together we run Corbyn Cross Picture Company producing movies, shorts, web series and more. Mason is always open to new opportunities and prioritizes our growth as producers which makes him such a great business partner. Since high school, we have been creating content and evolving rapidly with each new project. Whenever I finish a draft of a script, he is the first person I send it to. He’s the one I go to on set if I’m having creative blocks and the one I call when I need any other kind of advice.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nf.lav/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nico-lavachek-0b528b21b/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa45JHeQFvTW9Jm6eo-MKeQ

Image Credits
@collagedrop_out