Nick Adrian views films as an expression from the heart...if your heart isn’t in your work, then why is it important? Currently a Cinema Studies grad student at NYU but based in Birmingham, Alabama, Nick began his filmmaking career out of a desire to make art under his own terms; to rebel against the traditional system and keep things as pure and real as possible. His DIY style originated from necessity as all he had was an iPhone as his camera and his friends as cast and crew. Though his equipment has upgraded, his work method has remained the same. Greatly inspired by the works and style of John Cassavetes, Nick aims to make true-to-life human experiences with a raw energy that is authentic to the senses. His work has been laid primarily in shorts so far, beginning with 2015’s silent iPhone-shot Like A Complete Unknown, continuing with his experiment in sound with 2017’s Smash House, followed by his love letter to French New Wave cinema and Hollywood musicals with 2019’s In Beautiful Dreams and an experiment with improvisation with 2020’s single-take Five Star Ride. His most recent effort is inspired by the surrealist work of Maya Deren, 2022’s A Day on the Lake and his next project is tackling the feature film with a lovers on the lam character study, Moon Beams. All of Nick’s works have been shoe-string budget affairs at best, but that’s how he likes them. The limits give him the opportunity to be more creative and work around his obstacles. If he is happy with the result, and the result can touch at least one viewer, then his work is worth it.