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

Hi Nicole, how do you think about risk?
I think of risk as knowing when to say no, but also recognizing the value of saying yes. As long as I stay grounded in my morals, I try to embrace opportunities—even the unexpected ones—and I haven’t regretted it. Recently, I acted in a film called The Needle Eye Killer, where I played the title role. Acting isn’t my primary focus, but exploring it has taught me a lot about confidence and creativity. I’m working toward starting my own production company, and experiences like this feel essential to my path.

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.
I never imagined myself entering this field. I grew up in East LA in a very low-income household, and from a young age, I felt pressure to follow the traditional path of becoming a first-generation college graduate, but I quickly realized college wasn’t the right fit for me. Dropping out left me uncertain about what would come next.

Everything changed when I met my partner, Dustin Goodroad, who has extensive experience as an actor. Through him, I found my entry point into this world. It hasn’t been easy—without a degree or prior experience, the only way forward was to create opportunities myself. I’m building “An Entertainment Production Company”, and one of the first projects I co-produced with Dustin is the short film Found by Intelligence, which we made on a budget of just $1,200 and is set to release in fall 2025.

Along the way, I’ve also been exploring VFX through Blender, which has opened up new creative possibilities. This experience has allowed me to design striking posters for Found by Intelligence and striking production title cards for not only my company “An Entertainment Production Company” —of which I’ve included photos of in this article— but also “Lepera Productions”. I’ve also been able to apply clever techniques in editing the film, adding a unique visual style to the project.

We’re also excited to continue creating and are currently raising support for our next project through a GoFundMe campaign with Dustin’s production company. Anyone interested in supporting our upcoming film can find more details here: https://gofund.me/ac20f0195.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that confidence is everything. Believing in yourself, even without the “traditional” credentials, can carry you through. My journey has been about taking risks, trusting my instincts, and following the path I believe God has set before me in this industry.

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?
I live in Glendale, California, which is a great hub because it’s close to so many landmarks of the entertainment industry. If my best friend were visiting for a week, I’d want to give them a balance of iconic Hollywood experiences and local cultural highlights.

We’d start with a behind-the-scenes look at the industry through the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Burbank, and if the opportunity arose, the Walt Disney Studios tour, which offers a rare glimpse into Disney’s creative legacy. Paramount is also nearby and worth a visit for its rich Hollywood history.

To balance out the studio experiences, we’d spend time outdoors at Griffith Park, hiking to the Observatory and taking in panoramic views of the city. I’d also include an afternoon at the Americana at Brand for its atmosphere, and a visit to the NoHo Arts District to experience LA’s independent creative scene. To close the week, we’d spend time at the Brand Library & Art Center gardens in Glendale—a quieter space that highlights the area’s cultural side.

This way, they’d experience the energy of Hollywood while also seeing the unique character of Glendale and its surrounding neighborhoods.

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 give a shoutout to Clinton Cornwell, the creator of The Needle Eye Killer. He believed in me and gave me the opportunity to step into a challenging role. That experience was not only exciting, but also an important step in building my confidence as an actor and creative. I’m really grateful for his support and vision.

IG: @clintoncornwell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anentertainmentproduction?igsh=NTY0N2ZhM2M0c3pv&utm_source=qr

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@anentertainmentproduction?feature=shared

Other: Handles:

YouTube @AnEntertainmentProduction

Instagram @AnEntertainmentProduction

Image Credits
Image credits for “Found by Intelligence” poster and “ An Entertainment Production Company” title card are due to Nicole Knowles.

Image credit for “Film Club The Series” goes to YNG Productions.
Instagram: @yngstudios1

Image credit for my childhood photo goes to my mother. Thanks mom! <3

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