Storyteller Spotlight - Nick Stout
How did you get into filmmaking?
I actually started in the action sports industry. I grew up riding bmx with friends and bought my first camera when I was 15 with my first tax return from Walmart - a Sony hi8 camcorder. Man, that was so long ago! From there, I just always filmed friends and made small bmx videos. I ended up going to school to learn more about editing and my professor got me to stay a full 2 years and get a degree in Broadcast Media. Right after I graduated, I got an internship at a production company in KC. Mainly I shot and edited there for a slew of different docu-style pieces. B-roll, interviews, audio, lighting, you name it - I did it. I'm one of the lucky ones that got offered a job straight out of that internship and I stayed there for 4.5 years. After I left, I tried the advertising route and ended up at a big company in KC on their internal video team. I spent 3 years there and realized advertising was NOT for me. I entered the freelance world a little over 2 years ago and haven't looked back. Now, I primarily work as a 1st or 2nd AC, but I also cam op and am working on becoming a DP.
What's your favorite Part of the Creative process?
What advice would you give someone starting out?
Don't give up. Things take time. You've got to keep learning and shooting and practicing. Advice I have to remind myself daily.
What's next? what are you excited about?
Well, with the pandemic, I'm trying my hand at writing a short film that I want to make while no one in the industry is working. Aside from that, I'm working on learning as much about lighting, camera motivation, and anything else I can to become a dp.