Meet Steven Nicholas Smith | Filmmaker, Director and Cinematographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Steven Nicholas Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Steven Nicholas, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I have always gravitated to the arts, whether it was drawing as a kid or getting involved in the Hip-Hop Dance/B-Boyin’ scene as a teenager. The need to be creative and express myself through creativity has always existed within me and choosing a career outside of that never made sense. I have always enjoyed movies and television, so when I discovered that pursuing a career in Film and Video Production was possible, I jumped in and never looked back.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have spent a lot of time thinking about my art- the stories I want to tell. I think like many artists, we struggle trying to balance the commerce aspect of what we do, while maintaining our artistic integrity. To the artist, the business can feel cheap and undermining, whereas for the business-man, the art can come off naive, or even cringey. Truthfully, it’s vulnerable. And that vulnerability can lead to fear- the fear of rejection, thus causing one to engage in many false-starts, or the inability to finish and publish anything. It can also cause one to not be honest about what they want to do and the goals that they want to accomplish. As I said, I have spent a lot of time thinking about this and ultimately landed on… so what? So what if people don’t like it, or clown it, or even go out of there way to insult the artist. I believe if an artist is honest and authentic, they will find like-minded people who will not only enjoy one’s art, but gain power from it, or a community. It’s at least worth trying. So this is now how I explain my pursuit as an artist:

I have a passion for story-telling and I want to use the moving image as a tool to open the eyes, ears, and hearts of the audience. I believes that art has the power to convey complex ideas in a form that can touch the soul of a viewer. I am determined to use motion picture to promote discussion, compassion, and empathy while also entertaining.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolitan surrounded by a lot of nature. Aside from the Creative Industries that exist here, this is another reason why I love Los Angeles. You can go 2 hours in any direction and be in a different climate. We have the ocean and the beach, the mountains and forests, and a magnificent desert! Joshua Tree has become one of my favorite places in the world, thus far. There is something special and magical about that place. A sprawling desert with trees that look like they’re out of a Dr. Seuss story, and rock formations from another planet, make Joshua Tree unique. The unpolluted night-sky is awe-inspiring. My wife and I like to take trips out there to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and reset, refresh, and reenergize. We also got engaged and married out in Joshua Tree. It is a place we love to bring friends and families out to so they can share in the wonder.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people that have, in some way shape or form, supported me or were a source of inspiration on my journey up to this point. First and foremost, my parents, who both raised and encouraged me to follow my dreams. It wasn’t always easy for them to see their child grow up and pursue a career that was full of uncertainty and although they would make suggestions for back up plans or an alternative route, they truly supported me in my decisions and have always provided encouragement. I also drew inspiration from my friends, who like me are pursuing their own careers in the creative fields. There have been many collaborations and lifting up of each other’s work. Someone who I continue to draw inspiration from is my friend, Recording Artist and Songwriter, Mike Taylor. Beyond his talents, it is his work ethic and strategic mind that I am most in awe about. Someone who I considered a mentor at a time was former Actor and Producer Jared Martin. He was also a Creative Director at an organization/production non-profit called the Big picture Alliance. There, I was hired by Jared and learned a lot about Production and the Industry from him. Unfortunately, he passed away in May of 2017. Currently, my wife, Julianna, serves as inspiration and motivation. She is an Actor, and so understands this world we both are in and has always encouraged me to continue to pursue my dreams and passions. We also get to collaborate on various projects.

Website: https://stevennicholassmith.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-nicholas-smith-0b699496/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Synematic/

Image Credits
Lashawn Williams, Chris Laxamana, Steven Nicholas Smith