Meet Nicola Fan | Film Director and Graphic Designer

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

Hi Nicola, why did you pursue a creative career?
I grew up in Hong Kong under the rigorous British education system, in which memorisation and copious amount of assignments defined my younger years. So daydreaming and drawing became a therapeutic process and a form of escapism from my daily life.

My parents have always been film fanatics, particularly my dad who would bring back all sorts of VCDs or DVDs of movies that weren’t showing at the major cinemas. It was always very fun to shift through the titles and admiring the covers. This sparked my interest in graphic design and filmmaking. Pursuing an artistic/creative career became my way to reflect, escape, understand, process, and just have fun with the absurdities of life! Life is truly stranger than fiction.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a self-taught filmmaker, I have spent the last decade building my film portfolio and career from the ground up – starting out as a production assistant and making zero budget films, to being an up-and-coming director in Hong Kong. I direct commercials, documentaries, narrative shorts, music videos and motion-graphics, in which each project has been a precious opportunity to tell stories for clients, and a chance to create my own visions. More importantly, the process of filmmaking helps me to better understand this curious world in a more fun and interactive way through creative collaboration and audience engagement.

I seek to tell cinematic stories that show the complexity of humanity, the irony and contradictions we live in, yet not without the heartwarming experiences that enrich and inspire our lives. I enjoy experimenting with design and surrealism to depict characters’ psyche, to visualise their emotions, and explore the complexity of introspection in relation to the dynamics of human relationships. I aim to blur the lines between dream and reality, to question the nature of reality and our perceptions of it. I want my audience to be able to escape through my films, then leave seeing and understanding themselves better than before.

We never really know what will happen tomorrow but during my time in this world, I want to spread joy, insights, and enlightenment through storytelling – stories that make us feel alive with emotions and fuel us with wisdom, show us different points of views, and more importantly to inspire us to live colourfully.

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.
I’ve only moved to LA in August 2025 to pursue my MFA in Directing at American Film Institute. The program has been so condensed yet enriching that I barely have time to do much exploring! If anything, I’d love for locals to show me the wild things the city has to offer!
I will say coming from rainy and humid Hong Kong, I can’t help but fall completely in love with LA weather, a swim in the pool and a tan session has became a necessity for me.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents – who exposed me to the arts since an early age, from theatre productions to music and thought-provoking cartoons and films. Not only did they (reluctantly) supported my artistic endeavors, they’ve always been my best and most honest critics, in order to continuously push my craft, analytical thinking and cultivating a resilient mindset.

My husband – since we first met, he understood well I’m more for living an unconventional life and he’s been the best partner-in-crime throughout. I learn so much from him when it comes to people dynamics, facing obstacles and challenges. I love that we continue to grow independently and together as a unit.

My friends – I’m lucky to have surrounded myself with lively, colourful, daring, bold, unapologetically fierce individuals over the years. Our fun adventures and heartfelt conversations will always remain as one of my sources of inspirations.

Website: https://www.nicola-fan.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolafan/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolafan/

Image Credits
Werner Herzog Film Accelerator Lab
American Film Institute