Meet Ashley Nicole | Film Director

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

Hi Ashley, why did you pursue a creative career?
I guess I’ve always been drawn to creativity from a young age, as a kid I used to sit in my room for hours just drawing with my crayons. Drawing movie scenes from films that I’ve seen.

This is going to sound bizarre, but my most favorite scene to draw was the prom scene from Carrie 1976, I had a good memory and could draw that scene over and over again. Was it strange? Yeah, but it was my favorite film at the time when I was just ten years old.

But going back to the question, pursuing a career that involves so much creativity just felt right to me. I’ve always felt that I was meant to do bigger things. This is my destiny. And it feels easy for me also.

I’m in control and know what I need to do. Like Michael Jackson, he felt at home and in his element on stage and I feel at home with what I’m doing.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What I’m most proud of, is that I finally found my own style in filmmaking. And that’s good. I want people to look at my films and say “that’s an Ashley Nicole film!”

And it wasn’t easy, back in 2022 I went through a very bad burnout: I was running out of ideas and felt as if the short films I was doing were becoming repetitive and just looked the same. At first I tried animation for a bit, but it became to much work but loved it regardless.

Then I went on to do home sweet home Part II, a sequel to a previous short I did last year in October. And I took MJ’s advice on how he didn’t like to repeat himself, and wanted to be an innovator. And that’s what I did, I made this sequel a bit better than the previous one.

And that’s how I found my new look.

A lesson that I’ve learned, take breaks.

I want the world to know, that it’s not easy to make a movie. Not that you shouldn’t try! You should definitely try. The hard work is the fun part because you can be creative and build the world and setting that your movie will need.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ve never been to Los Angeles unfortunately so I couldn’t say.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I say this a lot, but Michael Jackson would be number one on list of people who inspires me. And Austin butler, I can tell they’re both passionate about what they do with their work. And after seeing the film Elvis, I see the drive and energy that Austin has. It’s very inspiring.

As for Michael, I may not be a singer but I understand now what his creative process was. He didn’t just pull an idea out of thin air and said “there’s your song.” He let the song come to him, he let it find him. And that’s the way it should be with films as well. Let the ideas or idea find you.

Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm12692246/#

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ashlcynicolefilmmaker_?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Ashlcynicole?si=6vX5L-QJTHcXokN4

Image Credits
Photos taken by Ashley Nicole