Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nichole Ruiz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Nichole thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

It was the summer after I graduated college with a degree in Public Administration, something I did not know what to do with that I found myself on a film set for the first time. It was very exciting, my best friend who was also a film enthusiast asked me if I wanted to PA for a feature film called “Baka Bukas” (Maybe Tomorrow) and I immediately said yes. Going in I had already spent a few years learning photography as a hobby. So, I paid close attention to lighting and camera movements and how the cinematographer communicates with her team. One of the key things for me that really solidified me pursuing film was seeing how everyone was very collaborative and passionate about the things they do, it wasn’t just the director that was making the film, it was each and every department. After working on this for a month, I promised myself to take the leap and apply for film school.

Nichole, 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?

I’m Nichole Ruiz, a cinematographer born in the small town of Laoag in the northern region of the Philippines. My passion for film and photography started from watching behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films when I was in grade school. I was in awe at how the cinematographers could use their expertise behind the camera to create magical scenes on screen. I fantasized about filming those shots myself. That passion turned into photography, which I was able to explore as a hobby from high school till I went to college. Going in to college, I initially pursued a more practical degree, Public Administration. The plan was to go into law school. I graduated with that degree, but I wasn’t as invested as I thought I would be. The summer I graduated, my best friend brought me on to a film set for the first time. That experience solidified my desire to pursue film. In 2016, I moved to Los Angeles to study film at the New York Film Academy.

It was not a straight path to where I am today. I actually did not expect to fall in love with directing when I did my thesis film, called ‘YOU’ which now has over 758K views on Youtube. When I came out of film school I knew that my endgame was cinematography so I did a lot of projects working in the grip and electric department, since lighting is one of the biggest task for a DP. It was in 2019 that I fully transitioned into the camera department and started focusing on camera. I’ve worked myself up to focus pulling or 1st Assistant Camera which I still do if I’m not shooting a project. Since then, I have shot feature films, short films, music videos and web-series. One of my favorite short films that I shot, WHERE IT HAPPENED will always have a place in my heart. It’s a story about a young woman’s revenge fantasy on killing her sexual predator. I really enjoyed getting to play around with lighting on this and my director, Raissa Reis was an amazing collaborator. Another project that I’m really proud of is FOR THE LOVE OF DOGS, a comedy web-series directed by Jess Rona, featuring Jake Johnson and Taylor Schilling.

I’m also one of the founders of Howling Gale Entertainment, a Filipino-owned production company based in LA that I started with my partners Juan Raymundo Ramos and Nicholas James Barber. One of our projects I’m really proud of is our recent feature, “TAHANAN” (HOME), a Filipino film about immigration and finding your sense of home in a foreign country. It is currently in the festival circuit and was awarded the grand prize for best feature film at the Culver City Film Festival 2022. Our mission is to promote diverse perspectives and uplift underrepresented voices within the entertainment industry.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

When I started my journey as a photographer, a lot of what I shot was reliant on beauty and what I perceived was aesthetic. Along the way I kind of got tired of that or rather, it did not ignite the fire further. So I started to do vlogs, at first I was just documenting and piecing things together. But as I kept doing it and also trying to learn how to make it more engaging I started to form stories and that really helped me. As I went into film school, I payed attention more to the story being told and how to best aid it visually. I’ve always been drawn to stories, it was only a matter of time before I connected the two. While I was learning about storytelling and how it has a significant impact, my views and opinions were also getting stronger. As I travel further in my creative journey, my biggest driving force is to be able to tell stories that matter, urge people to understand and have empathy towards minorities. As a cinematographer I strive to always prioritize the story being told rather than the pretty shots because in the end that’s what matters most.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I remember distinctly when I got my first reaction from an audience member when I showed my short film YOU for the first time. They told me they really felt seen and heard and really resonated with the character, and it felt like there were butterflies in my stomach and that’s when I knew that all my hard work paid off. It’s not the views or the awards or the recognition that I really care about as a filmmaker. It’s what I make the audience feel when they see a film I shot. It’s the way the actor reacts when I give them a note. It’s the reaction and the investment on what we as filmmakers have created that is really valuable. One of my teachers back in school said that “film is a business of feelings” and I will never forget that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nicruiz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nichole.ruiz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicholeRuizOfficial/
• Linkedin: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3418302/

Image Credits
Headshot – by Shannon Little BTS Photo of me with the camera – by Raissa Reis All stills where shot by me