Moise Nicolas Episode Summary
This week we’re hanging out with good friend of the show, photographer and filmmaker Moise Nicolas from Bertrand Ave. We’re talking about his recent work, why investing in your skills is always better than investing in the newest camera, and so much more. Enjoy this week’s episode!
Moise Nicolas Episode Notes
This week we’re hanging out with good friend of the show, photographer and filmmaker Moise Nicolas from Bertrand Ave. We’re talking about his recent work, why investing in your skills is always better than investing in the newest camera, and so much more. Enjoy this week’s episode!
Moise Nicolas Lightning Round Answers:
- Favorite Movie – Boyz N the Hood / Forrest Gump / Iron Man / Friday
- Last Movie You Watched – American Wedding
- Favorite Director – Jon Favreau / Ryan Coogler
- Coffee or Tea – Tea
- Pineapple on Pizza – I don’t mind it
- Favorite Camera – ARRI Alexa
- Three Films to Watch Before You Die – Parasite / Catch Me If You Can / The Dark Knight
Episode Links
https://www.infocuspodcast.com
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Get In Touch
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Moise Nicolas Transcript
Corey Allen 00:07
Hi, I’m Corey,
Bill Cornelius 00:08
Bill.
Corey Allen 00:09
And together,
Bill Cornelius 00:10
we host the infocus podcast.
Corey Allen 00:12
Today’s episode is sponsored by gnome recording studios in Nashville, Tennessee, will tell you all about gnome studios at the end of the show today are joined by photographer and cinematographer Luis Nicolas. Luis, welcome to the show. Thanks for having me. We’re very excited to have you here.
Bill Cornelius 00:29
So is it was photography free? Can we cut that out?
Corey Allen 00:34
I can edit that. Or I might leave it in. We’ll see.
Bill Cornelius 00:36
Take two. So is photography, where you started? or How did you get into filmmaking?
Moise Nicolas 00:43
Um, photography is where I started. But it honestly started after music. I went to LA. I worked on a song out there. The guys in the studio were first of all guys, and still you were amazing, right? But at the same time, they were also doing things that I was like, I can’t be a part of this. And it just put me in like a, I didn’t really know what mental health was then.
Yeah, I just knew when I came back from LA, I didn’t. I was like, I don’t know, if I still want to do music. I don’t think that’s the plus some other stuff happened. But I’m not gonna throw that artists. I’m not gonna talk about any of that situation, because I don’t want to like create any, you know. But when I came back from that, I just needed another place to put my creativity. Yeah. And luckily enough, that was summer going into August. And I don’t think I call guidance counselors anymore. Were they in college?
Corey Allen 01:38
I think they’re still counselors.
Moise Nicolas 01:39
Okay. So my counselor was just like, you need one more like to, to graduate. elective to graduate, a whole marketing degree, not even to like them to graduate. Right. So I was like, well, she was like, I don’t care what it is. We just need to pick something. So I chose photography and nice. It was just history at all that their advisors my advisor. Right,
Corey Allen 02:02
yeah. You still do a lot of photography today though, right? Yes. Yeah. Your your Instagram feed. I appreciate it. I’ll point out appreciate it.
Bill Cornelius 02:10
So what what type of photography do you prefer? portraits or landscape,
Moise Nicolas 02:18
I’m definitely a portrait photographer, I would almost say more in the fashion room and less, like, I will do a kid’s birthday party. But if if it pays is, right. And then and I’m not gonna lie, like, um, I think I make more money from like kids birthday parties, or, I don’t know, family pictures and stuff.
Because the everyday person they want stuff that they can print out, you know, you have forever and no shot at models. But most of the time, if they’re not coming from an agency, they’re not paying you much or they’re not paying you at all.
Corey Allen 02:56
Or it’s time for print type stuff. Yeah, you get some portfolio where Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 03:01
yeah, yeah. So I would say honestly, um, but the type of photos that I like to shoot are like the high fashion the model ones to, you know, anything that deals with, like, being able to take in and really manipulate it, and really dive in and just do my thing with, with kids photography, I
Corey Allen 03:21
wanted too much to mess with. You don’t want to remove blemishes. And because I don’t have any, right. It’s just, you know, it’s just fixing the colors in this in and out. But fashion and photography, you can go all in. And you’re like really bold with the colors, the compositions, and we were having a conversation, like a couple months ago talking about, like, one of the first big shots that like you felt like, like, Man, this is like really like the model on the dock. Right? Yeah. Tell me about that one.
Moise Nicolas 03:51
Um, so I have these moments where I shoot all of these different people. And, you know, I don’t know about you, I know you guys are filmmakers. So maybe you feel the same way too. But we have film work that we do, because we have to pay the bills, right?
Yeah. But then we have those projects that we do, because this is the reason why we really got into Yeah, so that this photo in particular was like that, you know, I shoot all of these things. And like, again, no offense to the clients, but I saw all these things that like sometimes I’m not I’m always happy with but it’s not my work doesn’t bring you joy. Exactly. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 04:28
it’s to pay the bills.
Moise Nicolas 04:30
Yeah, it’s a doctor’s headshot, which I might make good money from But as you know, as a doctor says, so it’s only so much you can do with it. Right? But this particular model rainy, I love rainy she’s always down to always shoot with me, but um, this particular model, you know, anytime I’m anytime I like, just want to have fun, I just want to do something else. I reach out to her or, you know, collection of people that I know.
And she’s always like, yeah, just do whatever you want. I mean, as long as it’s not too crazy, so I’m right. In particular, though, I like feeling we’re here because he’s not. You know, you sometimes you see people and they want to check your work, they want to see everything they want. But right, he’s not like that. She’s like, if you got what you got, then I’m happy.
You know. So like, I love you. And we’re here because of that a lot of trust. Yeah, yeah. And I’m just one particular time. I don’t know, I just wanted to shoot something in sunlight. I just want to see what I could do see what I could pull off. And we particularly we actually got it right at sunset. And this nice, like, warm glow sign was like hitting her scan. And it just popped. And I don’t know, like, I knew then that.
Because, firstly, it’s a question about photography. Then after shooting that I was like, maybe it’s not. I don’t shoot good photos. Maybe I’m just not taking photos of what I want to shoot, if that makes sense. Yeah, absolutely. So I’m at that. I don’t know, after that. I posted that. And then some other ones that I took out, too, that that was just, you know, me being creative, and just saying, hey, let me just shoot, I want to shoot. And I just kind of started turning into this thing where, you know, I’m getting booked all the time.
And now I can’t, you know, now I don’t have time to like do anything anymore. But I mean, it’s a blessing. But yeah, you know, I would have never thought when I first picked up a camera that this would be, this would be the thing that lets me quit my job and just go do my thing. And I thought I always thought it would be nice. I thought it’d be Timberland by now but
Bill Cornelius 06:24
yeah, that’s great.
Corey Allen 06:27
You’re young enough. There’s still time.
Bill Cornelius 06:29
Yeah. So So is that your full time gig now is?
Moise Nicolas 06:33
tog Rafi? Yeah, I would say film is the bulk of the money that I make. But because I don’t get them as much that one thing could be 7000. Whereas photography is going to be a few 100. But I have fun doing both equally. And I almost want to say to me, photography is harder, because you got to tell a story on one frame, right? Yeah, it’s true. Yeah.
Bill Cornelius 06:58
So what what then led you into to film and video? Um, people like,
Moise Nicolas 07:03
you guys. So, so now so honestly, you know, I will work with different I would shoot BTS for different filmmakers. Okay, and just just out of curiosity, like, what if I switch my camera from manual photography to you know, just auto film? Just see what happens. Yeah, you know, that turns to other things.
And then that turned into, I can remember Actually, I was the first time I don’t know the very first film I shot. I know the first time I knew I was ready to be a filmmaker. I shot us a data spec commercial. And it was with Shiloh Mosley. And I remember us getting up at four o’clock in the morning and going out to shoot a commercial and it’s terrible direction. Oh, my and she wore a full face and makeup. That was me.
I told her. So So she’s thinking, like, is going to be like a product kind of thing. Yeah. And when she gets there, I’m like, Nah, we’re doing like, exercise, like you’re going all out kind of thing. And I don’t know. So that was but that was my fault. That wasn’t her fault was my fault. But other than that, when we put that video out, I got so much love for it. Yeah.
And you know, sometimes you put stuff out like me or your family’s great video, and there’s just like, oh, you’re supposed to say that. But like, I think this was the first time that I actually had people I didn’t know. Yeah, it was common say, hey, maybe you should think about really doing this so
Corey Allen 08:37
awesome. It’s that recognition from strangers is a totally different feeling. Oh, yeah. Like when it family or close friend. It’s validation. Almost. It’s like maybe this is what I’m supposed to do. And it sucks because we shouldn’t be like that.
Moise Nicolas 08:49
Right? Yeah, I should rather take criticism from my eyes and like, and trust our judgment, but at the same time, I don’t know if my art has been my art. Or right I you know,
Bill Cornelius 09:00
he’s not some stranger on the internet, you know? Yeah, yeah. Now, they
Corey Allen 09:04
said do spec. Shoot this on? a gimbal Oh,
Moise Nicolas 09:10
I remember that. So this was so that was my first video. I actually Yes, so that was my first video I actually liked but um, I think when I started, it was canon a 6300 and Zion crane. And as it is z as I man, I don’t even know. And Mario’s gonna hate me for this clap. I want to say that he has some kind of partnership with dying, but I hate it that Kimball. Like I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I say like every coin I had and I went out and bought a Ronin M Oh nice and and I paired it with the ACC 300 for that shoe. And it did pretty good. It really was great. Yeah, I appreciate it. So yeah, that was um Oh no. And then I just started shooting all kinds of stuff me and actually me my girlfriend, we shot one. It wasn’t a Nike ad, it was just a hair just doing her thing. She’s a really good stylist, and she dresses really nice all the time. But, um, we shot one and that got a lot of buzz and a lot of attention. So I just kind of felt like maybe my thing is like, fashion, you know, Nike ID that kind of that room. Yeah. So like, now I’m like really looking forward to like, I just shot one with cyclebar. And I’m like, okay, cyclebar cyclebar is gonna get me to whoever and then that’s gonna get within Nike. So like, now, it might not, it may or may not. But like, that’s kind of where I’m trying to end up as in that Nike territory Adidas territory where I’m shooting, or Gucci Louie or whoever, you know, just in that territory where I can go out and shoot high fashion stuff, or not necessarily work with models all the time. But like, if LeBron James wanted to do, you know,
Corey Allen 10:56
you’re not gonna turn that I wouldn’t turn that down. For all the brand reps that are listening right now. Mobius is ready for your work, give him a call.
Moise Nicolas 11:06
And I would be calling Corey and bill to come and help me do this. Absolutely.
Bill Cornelius 11:10
I’d be on board there for you. So I asked Corey this question, because he also kind of started with photography and moved into video. What What is the biggest difference? I know you sort of mentioned photography is a little more difficult because you have to tell a story in one frame, Would you say that’s that’s probably the biggest difference between the two mediums? Or what, what kind of sets them apart for you or makes it more challenging to do one or the other?
Moise Nicolas 11:39
If we’re talking technical, I think they’re completely different. Because I mean, everything you learn a video you have to unlearn for photography, and then vice versa. I mean, because video, like let’s say you shoot 24 and you double your frame rate, you know, photos, you try to shoot at 50, you might have a blurry image you right? Yeah, you got to stop that image. So you might have to shoot one over 200 300 400 depending on how much light you have, right. And it’s funny because I just made a YouTube video about the photography triangle and exposure triangle. So it’s just like, you know, we talked about aperture, shutter speed and ISO. And, and I always teach people to start with no aperture, and then go from there like is if you want a shallow depth of field or you want everything in focus that you want, whatever. And then now you have to get the lighting, right. And I would say go to shutter speed next because so to speak, and almost save you from boost crank and ISO sometimes. But video is different, right video, like, especially like, let’s say a seven, a seven series or a six 6000 series where if you shoot a slog through you have to shoot ISO 800. So now you got to go get a ND filter. And now you got to go get all these different things. So when I crossed over the video, I can remember that I remember putting in an S log three, and it jumped into ISO 800. And maybe I’m so frustrated because I did not know how to get it down. You know, in so many ages. Yeah, sunlight is my camera broke. And I’m like googling everything. And like YouTube don’t necessarily tell you how, like, they just tell you why I say ISO 800 is good for like, as long as Yeah, yeah, but don’t tell you like, why I mean, it’s like they don’t tell you, I guess I tell you why. They don’t tell you like, why you’re not able to use the other ones. And I’m trying to figure out like is my a seven three broken? Like, what is wrong with this? Yeah. And that’s when you learn about ND filters and all this other stuff? So technically, I would say they’re very different, but they can also be the same. Because you think about lighting, right? Yeah. Um, I don’t know. I’m still I don’t like I’m not good at with photography, lighting. Like video lighting. I feel like I’m good at it. But photography, lighting, I still don’t feel like I’m there yet. Because I see other photographers like I’m gonna give him a shout out. He goes by somebody but his name is Elijah or Anthony. Or Reggie, they go by he goes by childish art on Instagram. I see these guys light in a light very similar to the way we would light a video. My brain doesn’t register it like that. Yeah, like when I go see them. Like I’m like, that’s just three point lighting. Yeah, yeah, no. And it’s just like, they know how to use their strobes. And all these cool ways. They just, oh, they just create a whole suite like they could take in make their photography look like the scene that I’m looking at right now where your face is, like, naturally lit and everything just look normal. Whereas I feel like my lighting isn’t just isn’t quite there yet. I think the best lighting is a lighting that you don’t question. Like when you watch a film and you just you don’t even question the lighting.
Corey Allen 14:33
You know, you don’t even recognize Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 14:34
you’re just in it. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Me. I was just watching American Pie. And I was like this light and so bad. I can literally see like heart state state. Exactly. I’m very flat. Yeah, yeah, it was so bad. And like, I mean, they’re in the club and like, I want who lit me but then you watch. I don’t know Zack Snyder is Justice League and you don’t even question. Yeah, now you’re just looking at like technique and angles in the way So, um I wish I could take that mindset that I haven’t video and stick it in photography and crazy scenes cuz I see if you ever been to the Hasselblad page Oh, yeah. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 15:13
I don’t think I follow them but I also follow a lot of people so I think
Moise Nicolas 15:19
the reason the reason why I mentioned that is because I’ve never once looked at any pitcher on like, Hasselbeck glass plate and thought, like, Where’s the light? And then this even I mean, I always think like, like, Dan
Corey Allen 15:31
that is clean, or, or,
Moise Nicolas 15:33
yeah, or like, I always think, like, especially, I wonder what she’s gonna do next. Like, I wonder why, like, where this character in this frame where she came from and where she’s going.
Bill Cornelius 15:45
And so they’re, they’re like, yeah, they’re telling that story?
Moise Nicolas 15:48
Yes, yeah. But it looks so like, and then like, I shoot photos where like, the models are light, you know, really stretching our bodies out or just doing like, all of these poses and stuff that like, just look. And then I’ll go on Hasselblad page, and it’s like an old lady just sitting in a rocking chair. And it’s lit phenomenally. And it’s like shot so well. Yeah. And it’s like, I would trade all of this for that. Yeah. And it sounds so crazy. Cuz like, I don’t know. Do you watch him? Is it an liberalist? Or and look
Corey Allen 16:17
at the bullies. Liebowitz. Yeah, so
Moise Nicolas 16:19
I have I have a master class and she shoots Hasselblad and she shoots just like that. Every time I see her photos, I’m like, Oh, yeah.
Corey Allen 16:29
She’s She’s worthy of being a masterclass instructor.
Bill Cornelius 16:32
I mean, she’s also been doing it for like, yes. I mean, she’s decades upon decades
Corey Allen 16:38
that I talk about this all the time, like, I’m a college dropout, but I went to college for photography, and we definitely studied her techniques. Yeah, I love it.
Moise Nicolas 16:46
I would love to sit across the room and just watch. Like, I could be the assistant, like and just walk because her execution, like my execution is getting there. Right. I still, like even when I look at my photography, there’s nothing I can really do about because my experience level just isn’t there. So once a shot is taken, I get home and it is what it is at this point, right? Yeah, but I learn with each shoe that I do. I feel like I get better and better and better. But I’m still not at the point where like, I look at and sometimes I do like reinis photo, I look at it and I go Okay, cool. There’s There’s my got it. Yeah, right. So sometimes I do shoot one. And it’s funny because Steven Dale, I don’t know if you know Steven Taylor. Yeah, phenomenal photographer. But when I posted reinis photo, he said you finally did it. And I knew like the end and and Steven shoot so well. He shoots photos like that all the time. That it made me understand that like, okay, we’re getting somewhere. Yeah, he didn’t I mean, and then like, I don’t know, and it’s not that he never likes or comments on my stuff. But it’s a particular comments that people leave you that like, like, I put the post I just posted. Anthony was like, I like this one. It means so much. Because they they execute these kind of photos all the time. Yeah. So they hear it from them. It’s like, it makes me feel good to know. They’re like, hey, like,
Bill Cornelius 18:09
it’s encouraged. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. But that’s one of those things like, you know, you keep on with it, and it’s gonna get better and better. Yeah. You know, yeah. Then Then you’re going to be that guy for somebody else. Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 18:20
it’s coming up. You know, it’s funny. I am I have so many like, people hop in my dams. And they say, oh, man, like, I thought your photos just shot to the moon when you bought the AR five, right?
Corey Allen 18:33
Oh, what a dick. No,
Moise Nicolas 18:34
no, no, no, but listen. I used to be that guy that used to say like, oh, cameras don’t matter. I lie. Our five is like, amazing. It has an amazing camera, but and I feel like cameras don’t matter to an extent. I feel like if you get an ACC 300, right. It’s a crop sensor camera. You can only do so much. If you want a completely blown out background, even if you put a 70 to 200 on it. Like, you’re only gonna get so much.
Corey Allen 19:01
Yeah, that tiny sensor, you can only get so much depth. I feel like that’s just that’s how sensors work.
Moise Nicolas 19:06
Yeah. So what so when I say cameras don’t matter. I tell people this all the time. I hope you will reach out to me, especially with video. They say man, I just bought the ac 300 or, or I got 6000 this man, what should I get? And I’m like, and they’re like, I’m thinking Blackmagic and I’m like, No, I’m thinking a 6300 several aperture lights of good program and plugins. And even I mean and stuff like that. And they’re like, why? I’m like buy more lights, dude. The lighting
Bill Cornelius 19:40
is everything. It is so much.
Moise Nicolas 19:42
Um, like I said, I learned so wrong. I was a camera chaser forever. And like now I’m at the point where like, don’t get me wrong. I love my art five and the reason I switched to RFI wasn’t because I didn’t love my excitement. Yeah, because I use a black magic and black magic uses EF lenses. So it just made more sense. About. Yeah, so for me, and I worked out a deal with a real estate agent, actually, before I have on retainer that was like, I can’t afford black magic. But can we do something in between? Now like, I’ve, jokingly, I was like, we can get an RFI. She was like, how much is that? And I’m like, Well, I mean, the whole thing is going to be about six grand. What if I give you have I’m like, let’s do it. So yeah, so that was a blessing. And that worked out in my favor. But it’s not that like I Sony A seven three was incapable it was just, I realized I reached a limitation that like, in order to use my Sigma lenses, I had to either buy a mount for my Sony, which wouldn’t produce the same way because that mount isn’t gonna like work the way it would on a normal Yeah, yeah. Or, I had to buy Sony glass. And I don’t know if you check the prices of sunglasses sunglasses expensive.
Corey Allen 20:53
Yeah, it’s a hard pass. Yeah, that’s why that’s why I left I left Sony and switch to canon. Similarly, like, I couldn’t keep buying Sony lenses for still photography. Yeah. And Canon lenses from I read. I guess it doesn’t make sense.
Moise Nicolas 21:07
Yeah. So for me, it just made more sense to just be unified. And, um, I don’t know. So when people ask me that now, I just like to step back. And I’m like, man, if you gave me 6000 right now, and I was like, brand new filmmaker, I would totally go like Sony 6000 series. Some nice lenses, some lights, a lot of lights. And I said courses. I would. courses. Yeah, I would not take six grand and buy Komodo, because you’re gonna be so trashed. You might think about it, though. Yeah, yeah. Everybody thinks about. Yeah. Now, with that being said, I want to come out on now. Because I understand how to use it. And I would I would understand. I mean, I probably wouldn’t know the buttons. I don’t know. But I know. Like, I know what shutter angle is. I know what these things are, you know, so I’m not. These are not the questions that I have right now.
Bill Cornelius 21:56
That’s not a beginning. Exactly. Exactly. You got to know a little bit about what
Corey Allen 22:00
exactly? I like the advice, though to like, invest in yourself. At the same time. Yeah. Pick up those core.
Bill Cornelius 22:06
Yeah, that’s right.
Moise Nicolas 22:08
Yeah. So that and that’s and I literally just recommended this to a kid and he went got the AR six. And I told him it was goodbye. Yeah. And he got the AR six. And he got he got a little bit more money to spend though. But I think we can get to our Cisco head, you know, but also invest in courses invest in other things like that, too, because I do. And that’s the thing that y’all don’t see. I just see me put stuff out. I’m like, What y’all don’t see me like hours and hours and hours watching masterclass and a little lighting courses that I watch. That’s great. So
Bill Cornelius 22:38
I don’t think people do pay enough attention to that. Like, I went to film school years ago. And honestly, that was me kind of I kind of went I did it. I got a degree and now I just learned on set. Yeah, but I could I could learn a whole lot more. Yeah, I absolutely could. And stuffs stuff’s changing all the time. technology’s changing the way we lightened shoot, it’s it’s changing. And you know, you got to you got to stay sharp on it if you want to keep getting worse. So,
Moise Nicolas 23:07
you know, my favorite thing is like, you sit at home and be like, Man, I wish avatar made light that was like, powerful. But what’s also RGB bekah produce of light, I mean, produce enough like, like this does this and then a month later, it’s like, here’s the Nova.
Corey Allen 23:23
It’s coming.
Moise Nicolas 23:24
Yeah. So it’s just like, it’s coming. You know, you can never learn enough. Yeah, I’m sure like, whatever I tell you today, tomorrow, another camera, another light another whatever, come out. But um, I tell people all the time, I think if you just if you make that 6000 strategy to do a lot better. Oh, yeah. Then you know, and I said, then a $6,000 camera. Yeah, don’t go crazy. Yeah, cuz people all shy about our five. No, you shouldn’t like not at all. Because when you have to buy a $400 type v card, that’s when the reality and then you realize you can’t even plug it in your computer because your processor isn’t fast enough. Oh, you’re gonna be pissed at me to go by good luck.
Corey Allen 24:08
I was like can we can even use good luck playing back that 8k. Right. Exactly.
Moise Nicolas 24:13
Exactly. And I was just telling the kid that like, I have an iMac that’s like maxed out. I know. I’m processor like the whole nine like, Yeah, and I put canon RFI footage on it.
Corey Allen 24:24
And it struggles struggle bus, and I’m
Moise Nicolas 24:27
like, seriously? 3500 and then I go by little in one MacBook maxed out. No problem was just fine. Let’s go between the two computers. 1800 3500 $6,000 camera. Yeah, it’s like no,
Bill Cornelius 24:43
no brainer. Buy
Moise Nicolas 24:44
a 1600 I mean, it’s 6000 camera like you. Yeah, the codecs fine is small enough to edit on whatever
Corey Allen 24:50
or rent I tell people that all the time or just rent or rent. Yeah, you can rent mine.
Bill Cornelius 24:55
That’s it. Well, yeah. We we talked about Like the depreciation of a camera.
Corey Allen 25:02
Oh, yeah, nothing depreciates faster than a camera body.
Bill Cornelius 25:06
But lighting. You keep lighting around. Yeah, lighting can outlive you potentially, because
Corey Allen 25:12
you own a light that is as old
Bill Cornelius 25:14
as you I have a mole Richardson 1k and that is unbeliev older than me. It was from the 70s night it still works like a dream, and it will probably be in my will, like it’s probably
Moise Nicolas 25:26
gonna outlive me. You know, it’s funny I I should at his studio and he has these older, like RT, hD hD HDMI. Hmm, hmm, yeah, HTML lights, and they’re all tungsten. But um, let me throw these gels and make them do whatever. But yeah, I love them. The only thing I hate about it is the body gets so hot. Let me so you see your aperture light, just cut it off. But you can’t do that. But other than that, like, the source of light, the power, the power of light. I use it in photography. Sometimes
Bill Cornelius 25:58
those things are like old muscle cars.
Moise Nicolas 26:00
I’ll just say just keep going. I love them. They’re so old. But like, their tanks.
Bill Cornelius 26:05
Yeah. And they still go on eBay for a hefty price. The price never goes down five figures. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 26:13
So those are some of my favorite lines to use. And they’re like, Ha, yeah.
Corey Allen 26:18
Lights, C stands. Yeah, stands never go
Bill Cornelius 26:23
to my big investment now is like stuff to assist me in shooting. Not not the camera itself. But like, periphery like yeah, monitors. I bought the Ergo rig recently to take pressure off my back, shoulder mount stuff. So it’s just like, those types of things are kind of priceless. Yeah, you know, they won’t depreciate.
Moise Nicolas 26:48
And believe it or not, I’m still very new in the filmmaking. Like I would say, maybe this is year three for me. Okay, um, so these are the things that I’m learning now. Like if I could start over day one, knowing everything that I know now, I wouldn’t about half the stuff about Oh, man,
Bill Cornelius 27:03
it took me years.
Moise Nicolas 27:05
I won’t bother Trapattoni it up for a year or two. You know, like, I learned so wrong. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 27:11
you’re figuring it out a lot quicker than I did. So
Moise Nicolas 27:13
well. You’re on the right track people like Corey and RA and people that I’m around. Yeah, that I always like, I see David shoot some of the most amazing videos and I don’t see him pick up a gimbal one time. And I’m like, Yo, this video is off the chain. And it’s just like, Where’s the gimbal? He’s like, I don’t have a gimbal I just use sliders and tripods are just my feet, you know?
Bill Cornelius 27:36
Yeah. And I’m a big shoulder mount. Yeah.
Corey Allen 27:39
So I learned it takes some work, but you can definitely perfect a smooth like handheld or shoulder rigged. Yep, move. And sliders. sliders are excellent. Yeah. Oh, the unsung hero.
Bill Cornelius 27:51
Yeah, I love slides. I’m
Moise Nicolas 27:52
on my favorite. Like, I think, um, honestly, my next purchases are probably gonna be more light. But my my purchase I really want is a dolly system. Because you know how many times I’ve sat on set and been like, Man, I wish I had a dolly right here. Yeah, cuz I mean, yeah, you can walk for what a gamble. Right? But that’s move pushing. You can do like on post and zoom and right. But it’s not to say ever gonna it’s not the same? Yeah. We shot the whole Louis short video with Jimmy Allen. On Dolly.
Corey Allen 28:26
Yeah, I would love to talk about that project. That’s a good transition. Like, we’ve talked a lot about your photography. But I think that’s your, one of your more recent bigger video projects, right? Yeah. And I’ll link to the video in the show notes. But that would love to hear kind of how that whole project came together. Like how did you how did that project fall in your lap? And that’s maybe that’s not giving you enough credit for the work to get it but then all the production and the shoot day and everything would love to hear the story behind now?
Moise Nicolas 28:55
Honestly, not I know. Everybody isn’t a religious person. So if you’re not religious, just use universe right. So but honestly, I was like, that was like God, because so there’s, um, there’s, um, there’s a woman that doesn’t make a she goes by muse, Britney muse. And um, ma’am, Britney music we kind of bump heads sometimes, you know, because sometimes we don’t see the same creative like, and she’s a genius in her own creative rights. Right? Yeah. And sometimes that sometimes like, you know, you know, so the fact that she reached out to me one day and was like, Hey, you know, I work with this group. Listen, Delos we I want you to come through their music video. And I’m like, Okay, cool. You know I kind of noticed a nose but not really right so we go out we shoot their music video is a good music video does really good does really good numbers or whatever. But Louis schork is sitting on set I don’t know who Chuck harmony and Clark Kelly have no idea who these guys are. Right? Yeah. I’m turning around. Okay, you know, cuz you know, sometimes you shoot music videos, right? And there’s these backup guys that you don’t know who they are. Sometimes they’re annoying cuz I try to tell you what you should be doing. And sometimes they don’t say anything at all sometimes
Corey Allen 30:12
sometimes there’s just they’re like just friends hanging out. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 30:15
So that’s what I’m thinking. That’s what I’m thinking is going on. I don’t know who these guys are right? And then I get invited to the studio. And it’s like I’m having I’m having a sit down meeting with them about the shin Delos video, and they’re like, we think we might want you to shoot our next video. Again, I don’t know who these guys are. Yeah, right. So then I just I go to the first room and their studio. Like I’m like, okay, they produce it looks like this. And then I go walking up the steps to the other studio upstairs. I see plaques for Miley Cyrus and Michael Jackson, Neo and like all of these major like, superstars, Bruno Mars, like they wrote party in the USA. Oh, you know, so I’m going upstairs. And I’m like, Dan, you did pretty go rock BY KERRY hills. I’m like, again, I don’t know who these guys are. Yeah. And then they introduced themselves as Chuck karmi and Claude Kelly. So you know, me, I’m gonna try to
Corey Allen 31:09
google it real fast.
Bill Cornelius 31:11
Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 31:12
they did what they will Who? You know, so it’s just it’s just mind blowing. And it’s like, Yo, I’m so yeah, we have the song. Teach me a song. And as we have this feature, and Jimmy Allen and Caroline renda Williams, another person. I had no idea who she was. I got to the video. I heard her voice and the song. I never heard her voice. That’s what a video shoot. She was the first you know, first thing. And I’m like, Who is this lady? a Googler. She’s up on CNN. She’s She’s popping up everywhere. Big time poet big time writer. Big time everything. Like I think I want to say she’s written several books. She’s got a few coins. You’re gonna be like, yeah, she’s done some things. And I’m just like, I’m just like, completely like blown away by their accomplishments. I have no. Again, I have no idea who these people are beforehand. Right. Yeah. So um, but yeah, so this is Bella so Brittany muse. Let me tradition Delos. lishan Delos Let me tell you a short and then Louis short let me to Jimmy Allen. So like it was just one of those things where it I think
Bill Cornelius 32:21
all the right doors open?
Moise Nicolas 32:22
Yes. At the same time. Yeah. It was like it was enough people on set that day that like they see me work they see me do my thing. So one of the things that they said to me was like we like your music video. And because you know you you took a different approach to it. You didn’t you didn’t come in with like just subpar ideas. You tried to elevate them a little bit. You know, I mean, I love the way you work. I love how confident you were on set. Even when you messed up. You still you know you still made whatever happened happened. Like I literally my black magic and I don’t know sometimes I gamble. I try to use a gamble get you every time in the round in the ronin S Note no shout to DJ I love their products, but it just crapped out on me. I was like, I don’t even care. I literally picked I took it off. You know, they’re free. Like, you know, I’m like, is everything good? I’m like, yeah, no worries. Yeah. I pop it back. Oh, my let’s go. Let’s do this. I don’t care, you know, so I’m good. They pay me X amount of dollars. I cannot not shoot this video. Right, right. I’m like, now I’m like, okay, so. And that. I think that was the last time I was like, I’m not using a gimbal anymore. I still use one every now and then I still like my art file. I’ve totally gamble. Yeah, we’re starting shot. But like the rest of the music video, like I’m handheld and I’m sweating bullets because I’m nervous. But at the same time, I’m like, I cannot just blow this money. They just they just pay me to come through this music video, right? Yeah. And I’m like, I want to execute it. Because sometimes you get music videos, or these kids will be like, oh, here’s a couple $100 no location, no, like, their their song is about money and there’s not $1 bill. And it’s it’s no shot at them. I understand that. Sometimes you just kind of got to do what you can afford, right? And it’s funny cuz I just heard a verse from Jay Cole. And I said, I would respect it more if you rap about being a broke rapper. Because Dan is like, I understand your struggle. I feel your video was like low budget, we get it because you’re rapping about being a pro crap. But anyway, that’s not the point. Um, so we so I just, I just remember email them saying, Hey, you know, send us a treatment. Now we’re gonna send you the song, write a treatment for us, let us know, you know, and I did all of that. And I send it in and they’re like, Oh, we love it. I was like, when can you shoot this thing? So I’m calling Dave. And I’m like, Hey, I called you too. I’m like, I can’t go. I’m like, Hey, can you can I be like, no, I got some days. All right, all right. I’m calling I’m like, because I’m the type of person that like, um, if I don’t know I Somebody around me does. Yeah. Right. So like so like, I’m not gonna like, say No Well, I can’t pull this out like they want to shoot in Franklin theater. Right? Huge, huge space. Yeah, they’re wanting this lie in the way this looks this looks and this look. I’m going home doing my research. I’m like, Who’s the guy that runs the stage lights? Oh DMX cool cool. Can we get a DMX guy even I mean, like, that’s me like I’m like calling David like, Do you know any DMS guys just loosen? Yeah, I’m just wearing all the hats, right? And then you know, and then I’m like David Yo, can you? Can you? Um, can you do it for me? And he’s like, Oh, I would love to do it for you. But come on, man. We shouldn’t Jimmy our we can’t show up and show up in there when I was single lenses. Corey. I get something a cinema like I’m just calling around. I know. And I’m like, oh, man, we need lights. Ra Can you bring every light on because like he has all these lights now. So I’m like, Can you just bring every light that you own, you know, and we we pulled it off and they really love what we did for them. And um, and it really came out good. And I learned a lot that day. Um, you know, I have a my matte boxes through a company called polar Pro. And I would say it’s more for the beginning filmmaker matte box. But we had his orange tangerine matte box. It was just oh, I loved it. You know, and you know how you get you use things you like, huh? You
Bill Cornelius 36:27
start thinking about
Moise Nicolas 36:28
I was going to buy this. I’m gonna buy this class, but I think I might. But But anyway, um, but yes, I was able to pull it all together and, and we shot them. And no, that led us to.
Bill Cornelius 36:42
I watched that video this morning. It’s beautiful.
Moise Nicolas 36:44
Oh, thanks. Great. Thank you. Now looking back on it. And it’s so funny, because that was almost a year ago. And looking back on it now. There’s so many things I would have done differently. But I didn’t understand at that time. I mean, I literally went from Sony A seven, three to Blackmagic overnight, you know, so it’s just like, yeah, I gotta figure this out. So and I’m glad David was there to dp for me, because he does use Blackmagic all the time. Yeah. But now looking back, there’s so many things I would have done differently. I would have paid a guy to color grade it because I didn’t I didn’t know how to color. Great. So like and that. So now like, I know people that can color very really well. And I would have just sent it off to one of them that haven’t Calgary No, no, nothing against the guy that did color grading. And now he’s doing even better to work and I’m glad he’s able to, you know, still get clients still do what he does, but so many things I would do differently now. Like just oh man, even execution. Yeah. But with that being said, for me to and I think I don’t know, I think we had three weeks to put that whole video together for me to call around and make all that happen. So, um, for me to be able to do that and learn black magic in that time, you know, and then show up on set like this. And they were like, Oh, you full of coffee. I remember Kay Michelle saying I was like, I like him. He’s full of confidence. I’m like, you guys have no idea how
Corey Allen 37:56
fake it till you make it. You know. I’m looking at my childhood crush Maya like, wow, this is Maya. And I remember when when I first saw the video, I think after you sit here, maybe we were talking about it before it was done. And I was like, who was on set.
Moise Nicolas 38:11
And now and it’s so funny, because I told her she was my childhood crush on me. And you know how you get the how, oh, what’s the what’s the friendzone thing? And I wasn’t I was trying to make a pass? I don’t know. But it was mentioned as a compliment. Yeah, she’s like, Oh, that’s cute. Just kind of walked away. Boom. And yeah, and it was just like, Oh, that’s cool. I got I got blown off by my enemy.
Bill Cornelius 38:37
That’s a badge of honor.
Moise Nicolas 38:40
And I don’t think she was blown me off or anything like that. I think she was just so busy and that she just really didn’t have time for small talk with somebody she only know. But it was just really cool. Like meeting my I mean Kay Michelle on Jimmy Allen and all these different people. That’s an
Bill Cornelius 38:53
incredible opportunity. That’s
Moise Nicolas 38:55
it and then Caroline Miranda Williams. Like I didn’t know her who she was so I didn’t really talk to her as much but when I went in like researched her She seemed she did a lot of stuff with the Black Lives Matter movement and all of these different things and she has a big voice in our community and I didn’t I didn’t know so it was so now looking back it’s just like had I done my research step in oh man I would have gave Carolina Woods a bigger piece we would have we probably would have shot something like more epic for her you know, but I think for what it was I was really happy with it and for us to be able to pull that off and like work with those like that that level of talent. Yeah. Oh, it was in and they taught me so much. Well, I
Bill Cornelius 39:39
gotta say like you said maybe if I’d researched more, you know I’d do a bigger thing or four or whatever. Like I don’t know if that’s that’s always the case with everybody because we I’ve worked with Billy Bob Thornton a few times on stuff and you know, he’s mister a list Academy Award winning actor and he He loves working on smaller no BS. Yeah, like he does the Hollywood thing that’s that’s his his day job but he loves working with scrappy indie Nashville filmmakers. That’s such a breath of fresh air for nice. So we never we never tried to go too hard with him. Yeah, just because he’s Billy Bob Thornton like he just because he wanted he wanted the down home. Yeah, a bunch of guys hanging out and doing a low budget thing. Like they wanted that.
Moise Nicolas 40:30
I would almost say though, and I realized is working on set record, we just shot a music video and I realized this like, my talent level probably isn’t where you guys is at. So what you think is like scrappy and whatever is probably gonna be my peak. Because I’m just not there yet. You know? And I’m okay with admitting that right? Because I’m very young and very new into it. Because I’m almost set record the other day and he’s like, yeah, you probably want to pull that to stop hate and do this and he nailed it without even like how are you doing that? Like how do you know how far away She is from the camera? But I understand that like the more and more you’re on set and the more and more you do and yeah and and the experience that you guys have like there’s as Meek Mill will say there’s levels to it, right? Yes, it really it really is because I you know, I watch guys like I don’t know I was watching some BTS on Ryan coogler. And he shot like, Oh yeah, yep. And I’m just watching BTS on him and and like, I see him interacting. I still see him dp I see him plan producer also see him like wearing all these different hats.
Bill Cornelius 41:40
He comes from that indie world. Oh, man. Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 41:44
and it’s just it’s just not like we just watched I thought the movie was kind of corny but I still like the I don’t know if you ever watch a movie that was like bad but you still enjoyed it like you still enjoy like the the outcome of the Zack Snyder not the not the Justice League the the zombie when he just put out Oh yeah,
Corey Allen 42:04
army of the dead Yeah. Did you watch it? I’ve watched all the behind the scenes stuff with it. Oh, I did money.
Bill Cornelius 42:12
Oh, he gets in there and doesn’t Snyder No, but
Corey Allen 42:16
he doesn’t get enough credit.
Moise Nicolas 42:17
So so the things I didn’t like about his film wasn’t so much of like it being poorly shot, but just some of the shot selections like why are you shooting that that tight? or Why are you shooting with the aperture that low light it was sometimes where David mateesah just his whole side of the face was completely out of focus. That’s whoever was pulling folk I guess they were trying to shoot it like one for ya.
Corey Allen 42:39
So here’s our here’s the thing. So Zack the if you like if you’re a camera nerd or a lens nerd there these old canon dream lenses that were manufactured for a short period of time in Japan and their max aperture is point 950 so part of like what obviously what gives them the name the dreamlands is that point nine five bouquets yeah beautiful yeah but then your depth of field is or your depth your focus plane is so fractional like it’s insane but so he had these two lenses that he like he and he says this in one of the behind the scenes videos like spent months on eBay finding like the perfect two lenses that would match then sent them off had them rehoused yeah and he on purpose shot the entire film at point nine five Okay, so that symptoms similar to the Snyder cut introduction I’d like this is presented in four, three to preserve Zack Snyder’s creative vision. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 43:44
that wasn’t aware that he was so like gearhead about cameras. Oh, man. He’s Oh, I love his energy.
Corey Allen 43:50
There’s a Netflix Film Club, I think is the name of the YouTube channel. It’s all their Netflix behind the scenes like promotional content. Yeah, there are two different Zack Snyder pieces available there that go over the army of the dead work. And then if you have Netflix there’s a Netflix behind the scene like the making of Army of the dead on Netflix. But the two YouTube videos are fantastic and he totally nerds out like even one portion of it he has Jared land on from red like they’re at Studio four with Jared talking about the I guess custom builds and they talk about the lenses and yeah is wild to like if you if you don’t slow down and like get to know him and his process and like the work that went into that you could easily think like he’s just like a totally blown out of proportion filmmaker that
Bill Cornelius 44:46
is what I think quite honestly I’ll admit that Yeah, but hearing about how like he gets all of in there. Yeah, is like heavily involved. I kind of feel different about him.
Corey Allen 44:58
Like he shared you know, like Some of the lighting choices were really on purpose in regards to like they wanted a couple of the scenes. They’re lit almost entirely with flashlights, and they’re like in these dark spots. And he talked about like this. And I remember seeing this and one of the behind the scenes clips, I’m like, why does he have a flashlight taped to the front of the camera. And it like it wasn’t pointing at the actor, it was pointing straight up at the ceiling. So what they did to preserve and give as much like creative freedom for the camera to move in and out of the shots, is they actually put white bounce above everyone. And then because he wanted all the lighting to match, they all had the same flashlights and he would just shoot a light directly up to bounce and give a nice even bounce back down. Whoa. Like this dude is like, like, indie filmmaker with a massive budget. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 45:52
Really? Really. And and watching this BTS? Like, I had a lot more respect for what was going on. I mean, because even when you think about like, the Las Vegas scene, right? And, you know, like, they literally went out and got destruction and credit and credit that got broken signs and like, concrete and all of these different things. They created the things that they walked on every like the buildings and stuff, of course.
Corey Allen 46:19
Yeah, he said anything they interacted with, they created practically Yeah. Wow. And then everything else they had. They had a crew for like 14 days or something. They were all whether it was drone helicopter or they were up in lifts. They were taking 3d rendered. Yeah. Like, I think they use LIDAR. Yeah, they did. They basically took like, real time 3d rendered shots of all Vegas to then use to recreate in post. Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 46:50
and that’s the type of stuff that like, you know, makes me I guess, appreciate the film more. It’s like when I when I watch it the first time. I’d be like, okay, like this, give me that budget. Exactly. Right. Yeah. And then but then when you like, again, when I’m gonna lose your accent, right? You know, I know. And I appreciate the love that I’ve gotten for that video. Right? And, you know, I I really didn’t know what I was doing. But I made it happen. And I did what I had to do to just drive home what they want it right. But when you think about filmmakers, and that light, like people love, love the video that I put out, but they didn’t see me on set. Yeah, they didn’t see me they’re like I’m literally cueing everybody when they come in and doing all these different things like that. So you know, it’s easy to watch a film and and turn it down bar are uplifted, you know, but to actually see all the things that went into making that film and bringing it home. Like I made fun of AC on that film. But you should have seen me trying to AC one of my music videos.
Corey Allen 47:59
I was gonna say anything. I was terrible.
Moise Nicolas 48:03
I was gonna say and I was shooting an f4. So this AC is at point nine, five. So like, yeah, I have a lot more respect for what was going on in that film, but I didn’t think it was a bathroom. I thought it was funny. Like it was entertaining. Yeah, it was very entertaining. I love the music choice. I like how the you know, most like zombie movies is very.
Corey Allen 48:30
I mean, there’s genre.
Moise Nicolas 48:31
Yeah, yeah, it’s very like, I don’t know, Nick’s about to go off kind of sounded like he is very army like, you know, I don’t know Dunkirk type of vibe. Yeah, but this one is like, no, it’s like all rock and roll. Just fun and just even I mean, like, things are blowing up. Zombies are biting into people. And it’s like fun, happy music playing and
Bill Cornelius 48:56
like you should check it out. Yeah, I still have to watch the Snider cut.
Moise Nicolas 49:03
I was just asleep. I was just I was just watching him parts like I did. I watched him in parts.
Bill Cornelius 49:07
I did not like the wieden cut at all. I don’t so I’m kind of like I’m like Justice League.
Moise Nicolas 49:16
I think it’s all trash. Yeah, I like the Wonder Woman movies but I think I didn’t like it for but I haven’t seen it still. But um I think Christopher Nolan is probably the only just I mean like that DC stuff that ever was even into like the whole his whole Batman series like yeah,
Bill Cornelius 49:36
it’s money.
Moise Nicolas 49:38
Yeah, other than that and all the Joker the actually I love that movie so much I actually bought the blu ray
Corey Allen 49:44
I don’t think that counts though. Like it’s that’s such a such a departure from every
Moise Nicolas 49:49
not bad Joker the the dark dark knight
Bill Cornelius 49:54
movie you want to talk about a masterclass in filmmaking? Yeah, it just everything perfect. It’s story cinematography, editing that everything. Anytime I watch that movie, I’m just like, this is a master work
Moise Nicolas 50:09
and beginning to end a no what I loved about it the most, you didn’t know who the villain was? Because think about it, Joe, how much Joker claimed?
Bill Cornelius 50:16
Yeah, yeah,
Moise Nicolas 50:18
he did a whole lot. Now I’m not saying everything he did was right. But he literally brought the crime rate down. Yeah, right like that. I mean, you know, you got to knock off a couple couple good people in the street safe. I mean, yeah, yeah. Yeah. So it’s just one of those things where it’s like, Oh, I love this movie. Because it’s like, if you started with either one is like, you could still be right, you know, right. So Oh, man, he
Corey Allen 50:42
did a fantastic job like that. That’s your perspective on that. That’s cool. Yeah. All right. Well, that’s what we talked about a lot already. If we could. Let’s see it. And I know like you, you’re still super humble and all the great work that you’ve done up until now, which is respectable.
Moise Nicolas 51:01
You know why? You ever seen max Go, man. You ever watch this? Okay. Do you see LeBron James commercials that he just put out? I don’t know if it’s Gatorade or I want
Corey Allen 51:13
if that’s the one meet.
Moise Nicolas 51:16
He just he just, they just made it no mountain dew. LeBron James has made a mountain dew commercial. So Max, Goldmann shoes, all of these like really high level dope, like, commercials. He’s a dp. Yeah, he does amazing work. And the reason why people say oh, you’re always so humble about your work. I don’t think that as I’m humble, I think I don’t know the guys I look up to. Yeah, and it’s just like, yeah, that’s cool. But then our and when I say this, it’s not me looking at max Golem and stuff and comparing my stuff. He’s been doing it for years. Yeah. So like, I would that would be even disrespectful to even do that. Right. It’s me looking at his stuff and thinking I need to focus more on my lighting. I need to get my, my actual focus down. Yeah, I need to pay attention to the way that I shoot. characters like making them look powerful, making them look sad, making them look weak. Like he does that really well. I need to focus on some of the shot like he did a Nike Adidas commercial. He followed the soccer ball as they were kicking it through the hall on the way to the stadium. And I thought that was like so nicely done the way he like, executed some of those shots. Yeah. Even had one soccer player, like run down a hall kick the ball off the wall and run up the wall. Go around a security guard.
Bill Cornelius 52:33
I’ve seen that one. Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 52:35
yeah. That was so cool. You don’t I mean, but yeah, and so when I look at so when I when I, when I’m humble about my work, it isn’t that I don’t think my work is good, right? Isn’t that like, I’m comparing myself to Mexico man, or Ryan coogler. Zack Snyder, any of these people is that I’m looking at their work. And thinking that was a good idea. Or being more creative. The reason why Ron coolers run cooler because he’s super creative, right? He does things like you watch Black Panther. Right. And you know, it’s a mystical story and what kind of doesn’t exist and there’s no Vibranium Yeah, but at the same time, you don’t even watch it and think about that. You just watch it and think this is well executed. good story, depending on if you like it or not. Yeah, you think this is well executed? All right. Have you ever seen the movie parasite? Oh, yeah, I haven’t seen it. Yeah, watch it please. One of my favorite movies. I’ve
Bill Cornelius 53:28
seen a lot of what we’ve done. Forget the Zack Snyder stuff go home. Yeah, go home and watch Chris I it’s it’s on my list. And
Moise Nicolas 53:36
it’s not like overly done or anything. Yeah, it’s something that you could pull off, anybody could pull off. But it’s just one of those films that like the story in it. And the shot selection and the way that they lit it and the way that was executed was so good. That it makes you like, Huh, what am I like, you know, again, it’s not me comparing myself to them as I’m thinking like, I’m not doing good. It’s me comparing myself to theirs and thinking I can I need to get aspire to that I could I need to get here and do stuff. Yeah. Because if this is a number one film, and I have ideas that’s like, like not maybe not this movie, but I have ideas that because you know sometimes we think about film and we like artists, this wasn’t work. Nobody liked this. Yeah, that is too simple. It’s not cool enough. Yeah. But then you watch Napoleon Dynamite several anything. Oh, this was shot on like this budget. Yeah, gross. This. Yeah. And they and this was this was the result. And then it makes you think like, there’s a story for everybody. And so when I compare it was it was when I look up to Zack Snyder or whoever Roger Deakins, whoever, right? It’s not me saying, Oh, my stuff isn’t good. Or I’m not there. It’s me saying I’m inspired. Yo. Yeah, like you’re saying what I was comfortable enough with showing you. You’re not seeing the stuff that I tell Corey. I really want to shoot. Right. And this is the stuff that like, so when I’m humble about my stuff, it’s like the details of Kurt Marshall is what I won’t really want him to shoot, right? Yeah. And even though it wasn’t the greatest, especially looking back at it now, like something I would change, you know, it wasn’t it was a greatest to me at the time, because it was something I really wanted to do. Yeah. And so when I see these kids put their workout and I, they’re amazing. It’s like, it’s not so far fetched. This is that they did what they wanted to do. Yeah, you know, in a sense, and I don’t know how much control go max go home and hand over some of these commercially shot. But watching his commercials back to back to back on my Vimeo. I realize he has a lot of inputs. They look very similar to them. Yeah,
Corey Allen 55:38
there’s a lot of similarities. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 55:41
And I can tell why they chose him for like, even watching somebody that’s, I think, sound coder. In a sense. He’s a good filmmaker, he’s not a Ryan coogler. But even when you watch this stuff, you realize this kid makes exactly what he wants to make every single time. And that’s why he has so much success.
Corey Allen 55:57
And it’s why it’s so good,
Moise Nicolas 55:58
because that’s that too. But I mean, success in his work. Yeah. So that’s where like, my humbleness comes from? Yes, like, Oh, you low my cyclebar commercial. Great. That’s not what I really wanted to do. I was just doing the stuff they wanted me to do. Or you like my music video. Great. That’s not what I really wanted to do. But there’s nothing stopping me from going out and shooting another cyclebar commercial spec wise. And then saying, This is what I could have done for you. Me? Yeah, so
Bill Cornelius 56:29
Exactly. It’s well, we talk about a lot like, just create Yes, go out there and create exam. Don’t let anything hold you back. Oh, only thing that can really hold you back is yourself. Exactly. Go out there and make something.
Moise Nicolas 56:43
So that’s where my humble spirit comes from. Because I have so many ideas in his brain. Yeah, the video we shot the other day. That was like, though, this is 2021. That’s probably one video out of the hundreds of shot this year already. Oh, wow. Yeah, I was like, Okay, this is me. That’s all I’m saying. Like everything else is like real estate. Yeah, Marshall is this is what they want. And those things pay your bills. Yeah. And I mentioned that at the beginning. I something because sometimes we just got to do that. Yep. That Nike came if I did finally get that chance with Nike, right? And they were like, oh, we’re gonna pay you 100 grand to go shoot a kid in Brazil. Like, kid in Brazil, I want to shoot LeBron James.
Bill Cornelius 57:25
You would use that money to fund what you want. Exactly. Exact stepping stone.
Moise Nicolas 57:31
Exactly. And that’s and that’s, and that’s where my mindset has to be. Yeah, it’s like, even if I am shooting a kid in Brazil, I need to make this commercial look just as special if I was shooting LeBron James. Yeah. And that’s the energy that like, when I say like, I’m not shooting what I want all the time, I need to show up cyclebar and just have that confidence and not look at them like a bigger company than me. But look at them. Like, this is what I can bring to you and bring to your brand and show the world like what I can do with your brand. Yeah, instead of saying sell it. Yeah, sort of looking at it and going oh, wow, get the shoe cyclebar This is amazing. And then stopping right there. Yeah, I need to have that much confidence and say I’ve shot a couple of videos
Bill Cornelius 58:13
out of the park.
Corey Allen 58:15
Let me talk to you about what we
Bill Cornelius 58:16
can really do. Yeah.
Corey Allen 58:19
That’s awesome. It Well, if even with all that humility and that level of humbleness if let’s say you know, like these kids that are hitting you up on Instagram like hey, what should I spend my money on? What what kind of gear should I buy? If you can get just one piece of advice to somebody that’s making the transition into video Getting Started completely from scratch? Like what’s that one like little golden nugget you would want to make sure they walk away with
Moise Nicolas 58:45
creativity go out and be as creative as you want to be like I wouldn’t care I would rather watch you take your iPhone and be super creative then take and then the spend 10,000 on a camera you don’t know how to shoot with and struggle because you don’t know what you’re doing Yeah, just create yes this is great because it will come you know I’ve literally seen kids like child’s she she shoots all kinds of video is gonna pick up one camera but she’s so creative. And she just she does what she does so well that people you eventually you find the Corey so you find the bills you find the David Pearsall’s you find these people that that will shoot these things for you.
Bill Cornelius 59:27
Well, creativity is an exercise like just like fitness you know, like your as long as you’re flexing that muscle Yeah, you’re gonna get sharper and sharper and
Moise Nicolas 59:38
yeah, you know, but but I say that have you ever? Have you ever thought back at a time where you felt like you watch your own videos even though they were trash?
Bill Cornelius 59:46
Yes, Bill, have you? I have recently and just
Moise Nicolas 59:51
hanging out was a lot more creative than Did you have that because you remember being on set like, I don’t have I think about Yeah, well
Bill Cornelius 59:58
I think about what Like, wow, I was way more ambitious that my resources. Ambitious is the word I’m looking for. Yeah, yeah, be more ambitious because I did a short film that I haven’t mentioned it by name on the podcast yet, but I’ve knocked it a few times in passing. And it’s it wasn’t what I wanted it to be. And it’s because I didn’t have the resources I needed to make my vision happen the way it needed to. But I did what I could with what I had,
Moise Nicolas 1:00:25
and emotionally, how did you feel watching it?
Bill Cornelius 1:00:28
I, I saw it for the first time in a number of years, just last night. And I was like, you know, for what I had. Yeah, this was a good attempt.
Moise Nicolas 1:00:39
So so. So take that ambition, that creativity and that love that you had when you began, and now put a read with it. Yeah, so this is why I could totally do a remake. Or put take the knowledge that you have now and put it this is why I mentioned this. So I guess the word wasn’t creativity is ambition. Yeah, yes. Continue to be ambitious because I watch my own videos. And I remember shooting this one music video for a kid. His name is Dan, can you remember his name? I know his real name. I’m trying to think of his rap name. spliff, spliff. So I was shooting the music video for split, and we were out there all day. I had no idea what I was doing. I just got the ACC 300. And I’m not gonna lie, like, it turned out as good as it was gonna turn out with the knowledge that I knew. Yeah, but I had so much fun. Like, I wasn’t worried about like, if I shot in the wrong framework, oh, well, if I if I didn’t like this correctly, oh, if I didn’t, I just use what I had. Like I was even like taking I didn’t have soft boxes. Then I had these terrible like panelized uses, you know, the first slice you buy. Oh, yeah. And I just turned it at a white wall. And I just shot out the white wall. And it just kind of created this nice. I just opened up lines, and then had them turn towards the blinds were just like, get nice off white. And I just remember I was just thinking about like, oh, man, I have no 300 D then I know when to eat. I wasn’t you know, I couldn’t know what shutter angle was Dan? Like, I probably shot this all out around frame rate, but we made it work, you know. And yeah, it was even a scene where I start the drone from the ground. And the drone goes up in the air slow motion and on the poor. It’s just like his homeboys a gambling and it’s like one dude on the phone. And it’s just like this, this this other kid is like playing with a dog. And it goes up in slow motion. And then you don’t even know splits this up is up on the roof. And he’s just up on a road just kicking back just kind of like dreaming and just literally just the drone just goes up. Yeah. And I like and I don’t know what I’m doing. I just know I see the shot and I love it. Yeah, and all these kids are like, yo, you were in a dolly. You did. Did you know what I mean? It was a dolly.
Corey Allen 1:02:57
That is like, bro, how did you how did you? Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 1:03:00
did you plan that? I might know he was up there. I don’t even know he was up there. That was a test shot my drone that’s a happy accident shot was actually supposed to I didn’t know he was up there yet. The shot was actually supposed to be a pull away shot. Seeing Sam Kotor do a pull away shot before and I want to just do a wide super wide shot with him blown away. And I just I just flew my drone I know I was doing and they so happen to be already down there. Like just in character. And I didn’t know spliff was already up there just waiting on me. So he was sitting up there just chillin lay back on the roof. Yeah, waiting on me. And I just flew it up. And it was just one shot. I think at the time, it was like when I my Instagram is it does okay, but at the time, I think I did. This is the first time I had ever like reached like 150 likes or something. And I so many comments, and all these DMS like it was the first time that people actually like, was like, yo, let me get questions. I know what the frame rate is you shoot that? Oh, man, that looks amazing. Yeah. Do you
Corey Allen 1:04:04
just leave them on red?
Bill Cornelius 1:04:06
Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:04:08
You know, I mean, so. I don’t know. I just I think that was a really cool shot and a really good idea on accident. But I it made me so happy. Yeah. And I look back at it now. And I still think you know, this was this was executed. Like even now I’m like, Oh, yeah, this is well executed. Like this is how you did it on accident. So I say keep your spirits and ambition Hmm. Because I think sometimes I shoot these videos and I’m just like, I don’t want to do this anymore. You know? And then and then I shoot videos. I’m just like, Oh, this is the one this is
Bill Cornelius 1:04:50
why I’m in
Moise Nicolas 1:04:52
the Call me after this one. You know? So I was I guess I switched creativity to ambition.
Corey Allen 1:04:59
stay in bed. Yeah, it’s just like, just keep shooting, like, take risks. Yeah, I think that’s great. I just use a ND filter. Like,
Moise Nicolas 1:05:14
I thought about making a video about that on my YouTube ND filters, you know me kids similar stuff. And I’m like, yo, your whole video would change if you just screw the ND filter on you just chill. Yeah. Because their backgrounds completely blown from when I tried to crank the shutter speed, or crank the aperture all the way up. Yeah, so like, everything’s in focus, but it’s blown out. Yeah, because I don’t have an ND filter. And it just, it looks so cringy to watch. It’s like hearing the song. It’s not mixed. past the first scene because it’s just so ND filters, please, please buy ND filters. Save your life?
Bill Cornelius 1:05:50
That is a great piece of advice.
Corey Allen 1:05:52
Yeah. You can even buy that Peter McKinnon with the pro mist built in. Peter, we’re looking for a brand deal.
Bill Cornelius 1:06:02
Or the shirtless
Corey Allen 1:06:03
backpack? Yeah, yeah. backpacks ND filters, whatever you want to send us
Moise Nicolas 1:06:07
polar pros is just come holla at us. We’ll
Corey Allen 1:06:09
take it. Alright, always you ready for this lightning round? Yeah.
Bill Cornelius 1:06:15
We did an intro so
Corey Allen 1:06:16
you could potentially produce us we need like a good intro just like a big steel lightning round, lightning round and push the button and it’s like just, I don’t even know.
Moise Nicolas 1:06:29
Send me an idea of like what you’re looking for. I probably could
Corey Allen 1:06:32
be a little disappointed. Your first response should have been what’s your budget for that?
Moise Nicolas 1:06:38
Well, I haven’t I haven’t made music and so long. Yes. I’m kind of afraid to like, give you something that I don’t trust or I’m not confident and yeah, I think I’m going to fiber. JOHN,
Corey Allen 1:06:52
or john Bailey. Yeah, we’ll figure it out. But for now. lightning round.
Bill Cornelius 1:06:57
Did you did you did you get alright. Yeah.
Corey Allen 1:07:00
Moyes all time favorite movie. Can I can I name sir? Well, I guess so.
Moise Nicolas 1:07:10
Not in any particular order. But the reason why and they’re not the best movies in the world, but they’re the ones I resonate with really well. Okay. Yeah. Forrest Gump and that sounds crazy. Anything army? Because I think like is, is the genius level of him is just cool. Yeah. But, um, and then. Friday. That’s it. Now I will say just the first one, maybe just the first. Yeah, just the first one. The other two are cool. But the first one is the one that’s like, and the reason being is because like I know, I know his I knew his limitations. It’s like Napoleon Dynamite. I knew his limitations and he was still able to pull off a movie. I still Oh,
Bill Cornelius 1:07:57
yeah, that was a low low budget. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:08:00
So yeah, those movies so boys in the head for us come Friday. Anything I’m probably it but
Corey Allen 1:08:06
if you had to pick only one could you? Like if you get that if you get that? password question like the password. Like your favorite movie? Yeah. What do you put in
Bill Cornelius 1:08:22
the recovery question and whatever, like a secret question.
Moise Nicolas 1:08:31
Probably, probably boys in the hood. Okay. Probably boys. I think I know that movie. Like word for word. Yeah, it’s insane. Yeah. Okay.
Corey Allen 1:08:42
I remember the first time I ever watched boys and I was obviously much younger. JOHN Singleton. Yeah. It’s it’s good, good storytelling.
Moise Nicolas 1:08:52
But it’s not. It’s not the most. And again, these movies aren’t the most well put Forrest Gump is pretty well put together. But these movies aren’t like the most well put together movies. Like I know he had limitations to
Bill Cornelius 1:09:03
the first was that his first feature john Singleton? I don’t know it was it was one of his earlier.
Moise Nicolas 1:09:10
Yeah, but I just I just know, like, growing up where I grew up, I resonate a lot with a lot of us. Like, I’ve literally seen my friend get killed in front of me. So like, I resonate a lot with that movie, because I’ve seen a lot of that stuff happen, seeing, you know, crackheads go up and down the street. Yep, all of these different things. So it’s not much it’s not so much of a like this movie was shot well and composed, like not like, not like parasite parasite was really well done. Right. It’s more of a I can relate to this 100%
Corey Allen 1:09:41
I think that’s like filmmaking has so many different aspects. And probably the most important is the ability for the filmmakers story to translate in a way that exactly to your point, like, I can see myself in that story or like that resonates with me. That is absolutely my story. And to me that
Bill Cornelius 1:10:01
makes the movie a big success. Yeah. Because you resonate with it. Yeah. That’s that’s a filmmaker that has succeeded. Yeah. In my opinion. Yeah. For sure.
Moise Nicolas 1:10:10
Yeah. Okay. And then Forrest Gump a close second. Because it’s just like a special need kid is like, Hey, I don’t even realize how rich he is. Like he gave me like all of these things that he tapped into throughout the movie and started and, man, it’s crazy. Yeah. This is funny. Yeah.
Corey Allen 1:10:30
All right, the last movie that you watched. Oh, we
Moise Nicolas 1:10:33
just watched American wedding today. It was terrible. Yes, we watched it right before we came here. Got off. We watched the Zack Snyder movie. The if
Corey Allen 1:10:44
you want to retract your American wedding statement, Zack Snyder.
Bill Cornelius 1:10:48
Yeah. I love how you named all these great movies and just now and then American wedding. And it sucked.
Moise Nicolas 1:10:57
We watched the United Washington movie. There’s like, it’s so hardcore and so intense. And then you just want to watch something that just makes no, it’s just something to just completely flush the brain. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, that’s what that American would it was. It is hugging me that.
Corey Allen 1:11:16
I’ll that’ll work. Alright, your all time favorite director.
Moise Nicolas 1:11:20
I really cuz I really liked a lot of his job for fabbro fabra. I love a lot of his. And I never really thought about it. Until you just asked me, but when I think about other movies, I like even his like his food truck movie was like,
Corey Allen 1:11:40
y’all. Yeah. Oh, you know, he’s turned that into a Netflix series. Yeah, I’ve seen that. Which is amazing.
Moise Nicolas 1:11:45
Yeah, so it’s just probably him. Yeah. Again, in a crazy way. Probably him. That’s far other. I mean, maybe the Russo brothers or something. I don’t know. But him cuz he didn’t. He did a man. He did them. Right. Yeah,
Corey Allen 1:11:58
so yeah, fire man. showrunner. I don’t know if he was the showrunner but I feel
Bill Cornelius 1:12:03
like February is very underrated. Yeah, nobody talks a lot about him. But man, he he basically birthed the formula for the Marvel. Yeah, he did. This he picked that thing off with Iron Man. And he knocked it out of the park.
Moise Nicolas 1:12:17
And then he’s always a producer on like, all of the all of the other ones too. Yeah. So like, he’s, he’s always around. Yes. Oh, yeah. Um, and then. I don’t know, I would probably say Ryan coogler second, just because I think Ryan does a lot of things that are not Spike Lee. You know, like when I so and it’s funny. So I know a lot of times people say you know, Spike I can’t I’m trying to think of the guy that’s on he did one of the episodes for the Mandalorian his bike I can’t remember his name but um Spike Lee stuff is funny because I see everything like oh, everything I’ve seen now is based it looks like his stuff. Like the The problem is filters being bloomed all the way up. And I mean, like all the black content that I’m seeing on my timeline, it looks like Spike Lee inspired stuff like the sitting in the field with like, the promise filter on your camera. Yeah, or whatever like that. Or I just seen a video the other day where like, they have all the plants hanging and stuff like that. And in the cutaway It was like on TV. And like I’m like holding a nephew or something. Or it was like grandmother and like, you know, Spike Lee does his movies and he does a cutaway. And he’ll play like his favorite song or something like that for performance playlist and it’s just like, I don’t know it’s just it’s just two ladies sitting on the bench bark smiling at each other just in like an awkward way or something like that. Yeah. And then even like his his his style and so like I’m seeing it everywhere, right so that’s why I said not like not like Spike Lee but I like Spike Lee but I think Ryan coogler had has done films and I probably would want to do like Black Panther i will i want to shoot Black Panther like when we all I’m just saying that like but I guess I guess what I’m saying is like if Spike Lee shot Black Panther will be like questions we seen him shoot that other movie not in like the one on Netflix with the about the army man. Yeah, the one where they would go to they go to find that walking over the minds and stuff. Oh, I thought that was terrible. And I hate to say that, but it’s just
Bill Cornelius 1:14:35
like terrible. Well, I mean, some filmmakers really have a specific thing that they’re great with.
Moise Nicolas 1:14:40
So would you want to see Spike Lee shoot Black Panther movie?
Bill Cornelius 1:14:43
I think just out of curiosity.
Corey Allen 1:14:47
Yeah, interesting. I would be interested to see what that looks
Bill Cornelius 1:14:50
like the Quentin Tarantino Star Trek movie, like people talked about, like, I don’t know if it would be good, but I would love to. I would love to see it just it would just be Interesting,
Moise Nicolas 1:15:00
and I like quitting. I like quitting too. I just think all his movies look just like yeah, I think people like Steven Spielberg like I like I watch Ready Player One. Oh, I love that movie. I love the anime, but then you can watch something else from Spielberg and just be like, hey, wait, what he shot that? Yeah, yeah, it’s like listening to Timberland or Kanye West. Like, you don’t know who produced it? Yeah, they don’t make the same stuff over and over.
Bill Cornelius 1:15:24
Spielberg is a hit machine. Yeah. For decades. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:15:28
Yeah, it’s just a lot of his movies don’t resonate with, like, my mindset or like, how I grew up or like what I feel about, like creed i can i can resonate with that, that maybe not the boxing, but his story. Yeah, I can resonate with that. Or like Black Panther. I mean, that’s so cool. Like, the first time that like, they make Africa look cool. And I’m saying, I’m not saying there’s not cool places in Africa, but like, normally when you see Africa is feed the children blah, blah, blah. Right. Right. And then you get this like, future like a strong story.
Bill Cornelius 1:15:59
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:16:01
Yeah. So, um, and spike has good stuff, but I don’t think he has enough stuff that I’m just like, he’s just he’s not your style. Yeah, he’s not my style.
Bill Cornelius 1:16:12
Well, you when you talk about Black Panther, it’s like the creative just design of that movie. unlike anything I’ve seen, like it just it was its own vision. Yeah. Which I thought was just incredible. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:16:25
And then I also like how they kept it culturally like, yeah, yeah. I had I brought like, the different tribes of Africa together. Yeah. But they put them in like the future. See,
Bill Cornelius 1:16:35
I love, love stuff like that, like that. That type of creativity will take stuff that has a basis and, you know, reality. Yeah. But like, amps it up and gives it it’s this fresh, like, take a love stuff like that.
Moise Nicolas 1:16:48
And then Christopher Nolan is really good. I love his stuff. He’s he’s he does his thing.
Corey Allen 1:16:52
Yeah, that’s my number one.
Moise Nicolas 1:16:55
Yeah, it makes sense. He knocks up every movie. I watch. 10 people say it was bad. I was like, I like it
Corey Allen 1:17:01
was amazing. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:17:02
Like, I don’t know what else was watching. But
Corey Allen 1:17:05
I think anybody that shits on that movie, they are not smart enough to understand his storytelling style.
Bill Cornelius 1:17:11
I’ve said that. I talked that movie up all day long. And people hate on it. I do like, love. And so I do too, I think is a really good and it’s like, I just want to tell people you don’t get it. That’s why you don’t
Moise Nicolas 1:17:24
exactly and I was reading comments. I was like, Oh, this movie just like as such. I’m like, No, it’s not. It’s so it’s so like, different. So good.
Corey Allen 1:17:33
The only thing that’s similar is it is an intricate story that you have to think about. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 1:17:37
yeah. And the set pieces are very complex, which is Yeah, like Christopher Nolan Hallmark.
Corey Allen 1:17:42
Yeah. I mean, come on. He blew up a real fucking plane. Yeah, that was real. And it was cheaper to blow up a real plane.
Moise Nicolas 1:17:52
Like that. He takes all the same actors and like, yeah, it gives them different roles and
Corey Allen 1:17:57
executed like his own little Yeah. His own person doesn’t know what verse Yeah, he’s really good. It’s good. Coffee or tea?
Moise Nicolas 1:18:06
Um, personal preference here. Tea probably. Okay. Yeah. Unless it’s a caramel macchiato. Then coffee. Tea tea.
Corey Allen 1:18:16
Tea. nine hours unless it’s liquid candy. Yeah.
Bill Cornelius 1:18:21
It’s got a taste.
Corey Allen 1:18:23
All right. Pineapple on your pizza. I don’t mind it. I feel like I’m really element here. You are
Bill Cornelius 1:18:32
out of it. Like guest
Corey Allen 1:18:32
after guest is like yeah,
Moise Nicolas 1:18:35
I mean, it’s not bad. Yeah, yeah, it kind of gives you that sweet salty kind of I love like I love pineapple fried rice. Okay,
Bill Cornelius 1:18:44
yeah, that’s why double fried rice is good It’s really good.
Corey Allen 1:18:48
I haven’t I don’t know that’s new to me. What is this fried rice
Moise Nicolas 1:18:52
so you live in Murfreesboro, right. Yeah, how to summarize order pineapple fried rice ago.
Bill Cornelius 1:18:57
Yeah, I don’t remember where I’ve had it but it’s
Moise Nicolas 1:19:00
just go in and these are you into like cashew nuts and stuff like that. Yeah. Yeah, just just order. Just say I want pineapple fried rice ago. And just sandwich thing. All right. Summarize. This is not gonna lead to pineapple on my pizza just for the record. It’s I think it’s fine. Like, like a Hawaiian style pizza.
Bill Cornelius 1:19:24
He hates it. This interview is over. I love when we did your lightning round where you were just like no, throw it in the trash. No, burn it. Alright, you answered that question before I finished asking.
Corey Allen 1:19:38
You’re like cuz I knew it was coming in like pineapple and No. Absolutely not.
Bill Cornelius 1:19:43
I’m a different man.
Corey Allen 1:19:44
I just like to thank everybody we’ve talked to other than me is like, okay, yeah,
Moise Nicolas 1:19:51
I think I probably the last choice. Okay, but it wouldn’t be something that I’d be like, if that’s if that’s all we had. I mean, If If you brought in pizza and was like you want a slice and that’s that what was on? I mean, sure, yeah.
Corey Allen 1:20:05
But would you also then question Bill’s ability to make smart decisions?
Moise Nicolas 1:20:11
No, no. Because I mean, thank you. It’s just like one of those things where like, I know people that like dip fries and like they’re frosty at Wendy’s and they like that.
Corey Allen 1:20:24
Okay, I feel personally attacked right now,
Moise Nicolas 1:20:26
but do not feel that like that sweet, salty, kind of,
Corey Allen 1:20:31
because that’s french fries and a frosty. It’s still sweet and salty, but it’s still sweet. I wouldn’t do that. When you really break it down. You’re like, so you’re dipping your potato in ice cream? like yeah, that does sound disgusting. Yeah. All right, well, I’m probably gonna cut this whole section. Or we might leave it Who knows? Alright. Your favorite camera? pry Alexa. Okay. I really expected you to say Blackmagic cuz No,
Moise Nicolas 1:21:03
no, no, because every movie I like. I think of every movie I like which I don’t read it will probably be read. every movie I shot was sat on black magic black magic, but every movie I like a shout out are
Bill Cornelius 1:21:17
they use reds for suicide cameras a lot in like, big superhero movies. Oh, yeah. They’re always like be cam suicide cams. Yeah. Because they can they can afford to throw those away.
Moise Nicolas 1:21:29
Yeah, but every movie that I see shot on my back camera. And in my opinion, black magic has that that light airy light. It has that feel. I didn’t say look like it just has that like next question, please. You know how like, you know, red has this like this look? Yeah, it’s kind of like kind of got a little more contrast to like black magic doesn’t have that much like it’s kind of I don’t know it’s like light in areas like very it just has a look that’s like it’s not too dominant you know, maybe you can swing either way with it fell
Corey Allen 1:22:05
send all your area hate mail to love. I know but you’re comparing
Moise Nicolas 1:22:12
I’m saying I’m saying I like it because it doesn’t have a dominant look.
Corey Allen 1:22:16
I feel like it’s it’s more neutral. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 1:22:18
I don’t feel like there’s there’s like any aggressive airy fans out there like that the aggressive camps are like black magic and red no sonian Canis. Really? Yeah, well black magic can read I’ve experienced in the side. Yeah, like they those there’s some some sounding war going on with
Moise Nicolas 1:22:40
Sony and Canon shooters. And when I switch to canon, oh my god.
Corey Allen 1:22:44
Did you also get like DMS of people telling you the worst mistake ever? You’re gonna regret it. Yeah. Oh, it’s gonna overheat you know where it is not overheat at one time. I could not get over how many people felt like they were entitled enough to tell me how bad of a decision it was to buy
Moise Nicolas 1:23:03
anything. And uh, you know, my favorite thing about it all. When I put stuff out there like Blackmagic wouldn’t know. I just put a video out I was like, yo, those colors are amazing. As like, canon are five. 4k HD. Yeah, get you so? Yeah, yeah. So like not so I personally, I don’t care what you shoot on. If you make a good film you make if you shoot a potato you make?
Bill Cornelius 1:23:32
Yeah, well, like we said, yeah, it’s all about no one lighting. Yeah, yeah, lenses and things like that. If you can have the most expensive setup in the world, but if you don’t know how to light a scene, yeah, exactly.
Moise Nicolas 1:23:43
You’re not gonna maximize. And that’s me. Like, I wouldn’t care. If my Blackmagic took Sony lenses. I will still have a seven three. But with that being said, once you use a cannon or five, you kind of sought out a seven three.
Corey Allen 1:24:01
I’m gonna keep showing up on your sets with red though. I’m gonna
Moise Nicolas 1:24:04
no I love reds. No, no, I actually, like if I could buy a camera today. It’ll be red. I’ll just
Bill Cornelius 1:24:11
just don’t show up on a team black magic set with a red because it’s like the Yankees and the Red Sox. Like
Moise Nicolas 1:24:18
we add these conversations. But But honestly, if I could buy a camera right now, it would be a red unless I could afford it Alexa
Bill Cornelius 1:24:27
Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:24:29
Yeah, if I can find if I tell them if I as soon as I can find a commodity. I’m like I will no longer own a black magic. I will have a rare commodity
Corey Allen 1:24:37
and like I tell everybody like he can always just rent mine.
Bill Cornelius 1:24:40
Yeah, you could you could just do that. Yeah, like the boat the whole boat that you
Moise Nicolas 1:24:45
know. I’m gonna be so honestly it’s not that I think Komodo is just that much better black magic is that much better. Show up on set with a red. I don’t know how it is in you guys’s camps. But when I If I had to do a read on it could be the red one. I’ll have to do say red. They don’t know. Oh my god. It’s justified. We shot casino i don’t i don’t know if you know the hip hop community we shot casino when a futures artists, I put out a a seven, three. I thought he’s gonna walk off set. He was like, What is that? I was like, Ah, so you know, and I put it on my router and everything. He’s like, yeah, I’m not really manager walked over is like, you’re
Corey Allen 1:25:29
not really feeling it.
Moise Nicolas 1:25:31
And then I played it back. He’s like, Oh, you know what you’re doing? Okay. Okay, let’s do this. Right. You know, and his manager pulled me aside. He’s like, Yeah, he used to shoot on a Cinema Camera. I can’t think I said read. He’s like, Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Bill Cornelius 1:25:46
So it’s a name brand.
Moise Nicolas 1:25:48
I showed up with a Komodo. As long as I say read on it. Yeah, it’s been it’s been. It’s a brand. Yeah, that’s crazy. Now. Now granted, though, no, pull up. Black Magic with it fully Mac, like, built out? I get no questions. Because of the size. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 1:26:05
yeah, that’s the thing. I was saying to my wife the other day, I was like, How big does the camera have to get before suddenly? You’re not a weirdo. You’re a professional who knows what they’re doing? Yeah. And it’s like, there’s a certain size that a camera gets. Yeah. And then people are like, Oh, he’s legit. Like, if it’s, if it’s big enough. It has to go on your shoulder. Yeah. Like, Oh, yeah. The smaller it gets, the more it’s like, who’s this guy running around? Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 1:26:31
but I will say this. You remember when we shoot an LPs video? And you pull it out to Japan? You see his reaction? Oh, yeah. If I were to pull it out my Blackmagic next to that, he probably get this offset. So the red name, it just rains and especially in light what I’d like especially in hip hop world. Fishing already uses. It could be red Raven, and I could have like black magic 12k Yeah, I don’t care what the red read
Corey Allen 1:27:09
for 4.5k. Yeah,
Bill Cornelius 1:27:11
I’m in some Facebook groups where the divide between the black magic camp and the red camp is a heck of it. Yeah, they’re there. That’s why I’m saying like there’s some there’s some heavy feelings about those two characters.
Moise Nicolas 1:27:25
And I’ve seen I’ve seen amazing work from both. I don’t know if you’ve ever watched any of David Pearsall’s work, but he shoots everything on his Blackmagic because he shoots almost everything. Blackmagic is the Blackmagic 4k at that.
Bill Cornelius 1:27:39
But I’m with I’m with you like it’s about what it looks like. Oh, this video it’s about how you use the camera. It’s not about the brand. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:27:48
But then I don’t know Do you know no big deal. Okay, so there’s a there’s a rapper no big deal. cinematic shoes all his stuff on like, I think Sony A seven three or something? Yeah, it’s maybe it’s only a 72 or something like that. I don’t know what he’s using. I just know it looks great. Yeah, now watch. I go. Oh, this is but it looks fantastic. Your story, your creativity, your execution. VFX it looks amazing. So lighting. Yeah, yeah, I see kids. You know, eight seven, Tuesday seven s threes. And? Yeah, I don’t really care because it says so well executed. That’s all it matters. Yep.
Corey Allen 1:28:30
All right, last question. three films. Everyone should see before they die.
Moise Nicolas 1:28:35
parasite. Anything Marvel nonskid so I was
Corey Allen 1:28:44
I would say watch the Infinity saga standard.
Moise Nicolas 1:28:48
No, I would honestly say pericyte because it is well executed. Um I would say Catch me if you can. Okay. My girlfriend put me on to me. I’ve never had never seen it. It’s good. I love that movie. So parasite Catch me if you can. And if you’re not from the boys, but if you’re from the US I’m sure you’ve seen it
Corey Allen 1:29:15
if you’re from Forrest Gump. If yes.
Moise Nicolas 1:29:19
Yeah, let’s add a little a little inspiration. But yeah, those are the movies. I think those three movies have. Again I want to know I want to swap out boys. Okay, Dark Knight. Okay, yeah.
Corey Allen 1:29:38
This is your list so
Moise Nicolas 1:29:41
yeah, so parasite Catch Me If You Can dark night I can watch those movies every time they come.
Corey Allen 1:29:46
Okay. I like you talked about parasite a couple times. Did you know the exteriors of that house was green screen. Like everything from the windows up? Yeah. All green screen. Yeah. When I saw that in one of the BTS scenes that was the first time in a long time I was legitimately blown away like a holy No way. Yeah. Like everything else you’re like, yeah, like that’s, that’s not practical. Yeah, like that’s that’s a calm Yeah, yeah. This house. It just it it don’t I didn’t know no is so well done I didn’t know that’s awesome and it almost you’re almost like well why not just find the right house? Exactly but then like, he goes on I think at some point to like tell the story of like it had the aesthetic that they absolutely needed from the windows down. And everything up was just like, you know are quiet, but easy to flip. But it was so well done. iMovie so
Moise Nicolas 1:30:52
well done. And I love that execution that you said, I’m gonna have to watch it tonight. You should watch it. I mean, I’m gonna
Corey Allen 1:30:59
I’m gonna ask you tomorrow if you watched it.
Moise Nicolas 1:31:02
I’m not gonna lie when I first started it. Oh, you know how you described. It was on Hulu. I’m just scrolling through Hulu. I guess I watch this. Yeah. And it starts out slow and it is
Bill Cornelius 1:31:12
kind of a slow I watched the trailer and I was like, I don’t know what this is. I don’t know what’s Oh,
Corey Allen 1:31:17
you gotta and you definitely it’s not the kind of movie that you can like be on your phone or no, you got Well yeah, like just subtitles. Yeah, pay attention.
Moise Nicolas 1:31:25
Yeah, but I genuinely enjoyed it. And I watch it every time that like I can or like if I just want to learn stuff. If I’m just looking for like, creative ways, or in some tog, Rafi. I just watch it. Because I mean, I’m watching a lot of movies. I’m learning like they don’t use they don’t use a lot of stuff that I feel like I need. Like I feel like I need Gamble’s in this I think parasite was shot on a tripod. Yeah, yeah, I don’t think they have any track. They might have a couple No, the one shot so they are walking just walking past the camera.
Corey Allen 1:31:59
There are there are i would i would say the largest percentage of shots in that film are locked off.
Bill Cornelius 1:32:05
Well. What’s up very still movie, you know another?
Corey Allen 1:32:10
every frame tells a story. Yeah, like it’s so it’s really good.
Moise Nicolas 1:32:15
You know, another director. I really really really like. Um, he’s not my favorite, but I can watch all his stuff. Hiram hero mirror. Oh, yeah, yeah. Atlanta. You ever seen the show? Atlanta? You ever seen anything Childish Gambino? Any?
Bill Cornelius 1:32:29
I’ve seen his videos. Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 1:32:31
you know what I noticed he do all his videos too. I think he does a lot of them. Okay,
Bill Cornelius 1:32:37
that he do. This is America.
Moise Nicolas 1:32:39
Yes. Oh, yes. That’s him. You know not so this is America head tracking shots. Yeah, most of his stuff don’t have tracking shots. Even like the one where human Rianna the Runcie. Have you noticed that every time it was him running past the camera? Yeah. Even like when he was running towards the camera and it would cut to the other side? Yeah, he doesn’t he always, always locked always locked on. Always. He saw some of the most amazing stories. That’s cool. Like, if you ever seen any of Atlanta, I don’t think any of that is tracking.
Corey Allen 1:33:07
And he comes from a stills
Bill Cornelius 1:33:08
background. That’s why
Moise Nicolas 1:33:11
probably he thinks that way. I love his creative like his I don’t know if it. You know what, I don’t know if it’s Donald Glover or not, Donald. I don’t know if it’s Donald Glover to him. But I know he has a style. That’s just like, so different. I mean, it could be bone unorthodox. Yeah. Have you ever seen them?
Corey Allen 1:33:33
I have not seen Oh, yeah, watch
Moise Nicolas 1:33:35
them. Yeah, I think you will love them.
Bill Cornelius 1:33:38
I feel bad. I have not seen anything Corey.
Moise Nicolas 1:33:40
Corey taught me in that style. That’s kind of what we married this. Oh, gosh. Yeah. Oh, I missed it.
Corey Allen 1:33:46
Yeah, um, goes hard. in it.
Bill Cornelius 1:33:49
It’s hard to know Dutch without looking camp though. You gotta you know, it’s
Corey Allen 1:33:54
not a do it. Well, it’s so serving of the story. Like it’s anytime it said that shot like you know, like, that’s
Bill Cornelius 1:34:02
something particularly that’s that’s the right way. Like it’s really well done. Yeah,
Moise Nicolas 1:34:07
but it because I asked Corey what it was. I could I know I was just watching it. Like I don’t know what this is. But every time they do it, my anxiety goes. Yeah, you know? Yeah. Cuz like it messes with shuttles. Yeah. And so I like that because it unsettles you just from the horizon line being off, and then something happens. So it’s like not only does it make you feel unsettled, but it also like draws you so into the story because you know, something’s about to go now. It’s like playing a game and then when you hit a boss music, yeah.
Bill Cornelius 1:34:43
Yeah, that’s like well, we were talking about with promethease that that whole sequence where she’s got the got to get the squid out of her stomach like that whole quick move to handheld and that whole cord or shot is Dutch. Yeah, probably handheld and shot on a really wide lens with it. tilt shift. Yeah. And so and she’s like stumbling and holding her stomach. Yeah. And you feel like you feel the anxiety like, like I felt lightheaded and my palms are getting sweaty. Good translation of Yeah,
Corey Allen 1:35:14
story. Yeah. He’s gone for hours. Yeah. We appreciate you coming by today.
Moise Nicolas 1:35:21
I appreciate you for inviting me. This is fine.
Corey Allen 1:35:24
It’s great. This is the I don’t want to say it’s the best one. I don’t want anybody to get jealous. I like that. You could just come by we could just chop it up.
Bill Cornelius 1:35:33
Yeah, it’s been good. Talking shop. Yeah.
Moise Nicolas 1:35:38
I learned a lot to this was fun.
Corey Allen 1:35:41
I’m glad if it was good for you. It was good for me, saying that’s what’s important. Yeah. Hey, if you got what you need out of it. Then one
Moise Nicolas 1:35:51
last thing. I just shot a music video. This kid is brand new, and I’m not throwing shots at him. But he’s like, what do you think? And I suggest, I don’t like that. He does what he wants to do anyway, so I just shoot what he wants, right? But every single take He’s like, what do you think? And I’m like, why does it matter? What I think you don’t like me?
Bill Cornelius 1:36:13
Asking me to be nice.
Moise Nicolas 1:36:14
To the video. He was like, so do you like the video? And I’m like, it doesn’t matter as long as you like it. As long as you like it. That’s all it matters. Because I lit it. well executed it well, you know all the different stuff. So as long as I did my dp job. I don’t if we were shooting Forrest Gump to like, if that’s what you like, that’s what you I was hired to be a dp though. Like Yeah, but so I think I just thought that was funny. He kept asking me what I thought I might I recommend like I I think you should in this thing. It should look more powerful. So let’s shoot at a lower angle. I don’t like that. I think we should shoot how Okay, let’s see. Well,
Bill Cornelius 1:36:52
what do you think about it? I think this
Corey Allen 1:36:58
Do you think that’s great. Thank you again for coming by Thank you. It’s been it’s been great. And I’m looking forward. I think we’re gonna work together again soon.
Moise Nicolas 1:37:10
Okay, yeah, we got Yeah,
Corey Allen 1:37:12
we got something coming up. That’ll be good. So awesome. Well, we’ll leave links to all of your things in today’s show notes. We’ll make sure we link to your website, your all your socials, all those things. And for our listeners, we know you have a lot of podcast options. We appreciate you choosing us. Check us out on Instagram at infocus pod or online at infocus podcast.com. To learn more about today’s sponsor gnome studios, you can find them online at gnome studios.co or on Instagram at gnome studios. gnome studios is located in a centuries old warehouse just outside of downtown Nashville and is an amazing full service recording studio. Check them out for your next project. If you like what you heard today, go ahead and subscribe. If you’re on Apple podcast, please leave us a rating it would help us out a ton and until next time.
Bill Cornelius 1:37:59
Feed your crew
Corey Allen 1:38:00
feed your crew
