We recently connected with Eric Nguyen and have shared our conversation below.
Eric, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
Growing up, I’ve considered a lot of different avenues of a career. Some of which included being a veterinarian, a musician, a psychologist, and even following the family expectations of being a doctor to name some. None of which I felt truly allowed me to have a voice in the same way that filmmaking did. As a kid, I was always fond of creating home movies and telling stories. Filmmaking for me was as an outlet to express myself and capture emotions that were true and honest to me. I became inspired watching other films outside of my own. I realized there was so much authenticity in the way film communicated with people watching which led me to further want to indulge in the art.
It was my love for storytelling and filmmaking that led me to the conclusion that if I’m to pursue anything for the rest of my life, I’d want it to be something I was truly passionate about. In 2019, I changed my efforts towards a psychology degree to being a full time filmmaker.
During college, I found myself helping on a few different sets recommended to me by my peers I’ve met through film courses. I was a quick learner. While already having an initial passion and excitement from creating on my own, being able to learn so much about professional filmmaking through others and sharing the excitement of creating something with a community only helped elevate my perception of the art as a long term career. Those opportunities I was given early on had allowed me to work regularly on different production sets as a camera operator and director of photography.
Eric, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Eric Nguyen, I am a director of photography and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. I’ve been a freelance filmmaker for four years and started working on a few sets as a camera assistance and operator on productions ranging from music videos to narratives before working now as a director of photography. Along with being a DP, I’ve also started my film production, Adorn Films, in early 2023 with my creative partner, Daze Flores. With Adorn Films, we specialize in creating frames that captures the vulnerability and intimacy of a person and their stories. Being familiar with working on productions with ranges of budgets, I’ve learned to create the most through my frames despite any limitations we might be face with. Stories exist past its limitations and I trust in my ability to capture them to their fullest with my cinematography.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
As a creative and filmmaker, the thing that matters to me is that no matter what stories are being told, whether it’s my own or others, our voices are represented in the most genuine and authentic way through art. That goal alone helps me craft my films with care, making sure that in the end, the stories being told is an honest one.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I’ve recently learned to overcome my social anxieties that had prevented me for the longest time in connecting with my community. I learned how important it was to create with the support of others who is also on the same creative journey as myself. Though there isn’t doubt that an artist can’t succeed in their journey alone, there is also great importance and helpfulness of a community. They not only help in resources from connection of work to skills/knowledge of the art but are also supportive of each other in this endeavor. While overcoming my social anxieties was my own journey that had to happen on its own time, I wish I knew of the importances in a community much earlier in my creative journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://adornfilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ehuyn
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/@adornfilms