Meet Nick Ray McCann | Filmmaker & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nick Ray McCann and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nick Ray, how do you think about risk?

Reality is already a huge risk. There are already so many things that can go wrong beyond anything you can control. Adding risk feels counterintuitive, but I think it’s about adding the right kind of risk.

The right kind of risk needs a goal in mind. A finished product, a feeling, a good story. Perhaps you are tested, whether you wanted to be or not, and you grow from the experience. It might not feel like it but that’s a risk worth taking.

The bad kind of risk is aimless. It could be as simple as having a bad attitude. Not being open to connecting with people, not being patient, that’s risky as hell. Trying to be someone you’re not, that’ll invite so much more risk than reward.

Unfortunately capitalism often acts as the antagonist to art. The need to make rent can cloud our vision of our passions and color them as “side-hustles” instead of “risky” pure artistic statements. Create no matter what. Turn that risk into inspiration. Embrace the haters and the obstacles.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I grew up in Baltimore, MD, playing music and by high school was taking a photography classes. My fine art teacher would let me skip the oil pastels and go work in the dark room. All wet processing, old school black and white. Lots of live music photos. We were also all raised on John Waters movies and would even see him around town. The Senator Theater that was featured in the opening of Cecil B. Demented (2000) was right down the street so that was where I grew up seeing movies. Baltimore is a small city but had a real hilarious rebel attitude, especially in the art scene. It was a blast to grow up with that energy all over the place.

In college at Syracuse, I worked in the lab on campus developing still and motion film and played in bands on the weekends while studying journalism. My background in photography and music sent me on the inevitable obsession with filmmaking.

I DPed my first feature film when I was 24 with a pretty indie gang of friends from Baltimore and New York City. As scrappy and difficult as it all was, we had a blast and I proved to myself that I belonged on set.

My first job out of school was working as an assistant to National Geographic photographer Stephen Wilkes. We traveled the world, it was an eye-opening experience, especially right out of college. Films were a way of bringing a piece of home along for the ride. Some of my favorite directors included Milos Forman, Mary Harron, The Coen Brothers, and of course John Waters. While traveling I watched O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) nonstop.

That turned me on to the strength music and film have when combined.

I started drawing a lot of inspiration from musicians who work very close to the filmmaking process along with the directors and DPs. Robbie Robertson, Ry Cooder, T Bone Burnett. Music, history, and film all together. That was my dream.

I wrote my first short film Five Trips (2015) while working in Southeast Asia, it was a bit of a love letter to the early-20s antics I was missing out on while working overseas. Five Trips (2015) screened at the Northside Film Festival in Brooklyn, NY, and soon after I was approached to direct music videos and commercial projects. I still cherished my experience in the camera department and DP when the project is the right fit.

Currently I’m pitching a feature film and continuing to film commercials for clients like Netflix, J. Crew, Uniqlo, Brooklinen and more.

I play music to this day and produce under the project The Bigst Hands. Music, even just a sound, is a great prompt to begin a film project. I just received word that my music video for my single “Blissworld” was selected to screen at the Culver City Film Festival.

“Creation is a patient search” is currently scribbled on a post- it in my studio. Shooting photographs keeps that search alive for me visually. It’s great practice and settles the feeling of time speeding by too fast. This year I’ve begun printing and selling my photographs in fine art editions. Everything is on screens, everywhere, so making a physical piece of art truly makes the magic real. A link to my fine art shop is below:

www.nickraymccannstudio.com

The hardest thing to overcome is the fear and self-doubt that comes from the slow periods in between projects, especially with the rocky past year filmmakers have endured.

I always have to remind myself to take things one breath at a time. Eating well, exercise, and meditation are all part of the winning equation. Adapting to the environment, or the economy, is key to staying in the game.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

We moved to LA in 2020 during the heart of the pandemic, so aside from the outdoors it took some time before we really got to explore the neighborhood. My favorite things are the theaters and music venues. The Greek, Pantages, The Beverly, The Vista, the list is endless.

Being a member of American Cinematheque has been a great way to get involved in film events. We recently saw an advanced screening of Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn (2023) which was a blast.

Growing up in Baltimore made me obsessed with seafood. For a great selection check out Fish King in Glendale for takeout and McCall’s Meat and Fish Co if you want to cook at home (Fish King has a great seafood counter too). L&E in Silver Lake is close by and definitely scratches the happy hour oyster+cocktail itch as well.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my fiancé Muffy Morton. She has hands down been my biggest supporter. She is the executive producer of Rally & Co, a creative production company. We work together on projects at times and it’s such a gift. I cherish her patience and taste, it’s easy to feel unstoppable with that kind of love and teamwork.

We stay curious and inspired by having movies and music on all the time at home. Classics and the latest. 90s thrillers are a common genre we enjoy exploring. Especially during the strikes we’d have our fellow filmmaker friends over to just relax, have fun, blow off steam, table read ideas, and weather the storm.

Filmmaking is truly a team sport whether you’re working or not.

Website: www.nickraymccann.com

Fine Art Photography: www.nickraymccannstudio.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/nickraymccann

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Thebigsthands?si=8MaiWhfHZsbOeMl6

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thebigsthands

Image Credits
Muffy Morton and Nick Ray McCann