Finding her place in the world of media, Nikko Turner is a fresh face in the industry and already making waves with her collaborations. Here we talk about finding her feet and entering the industry as and assistant director and her future plans.
Can you give us some background on yourself and your career to date?
Personally, I am only just starting out in the industry - I’m currently studying film at university, but I’m aware there’s only so much I can learn through my course so I’m trying to get as much hands-on experience as I can. That’s how I met Wolf and Alex, working on a student-led film before we reached out to professionals in the industry which led to us meeting Tequila.
Indie film commonly requires that crew multi-task, have you found yourself working more than one role on a project and what do you feel you have learned from that?
The roles I typically have on a film are producer and AD, but I have recently directed a 5-minute film and I’m working towards trying out other aspects of filmmaking too. Despite my typical roles the duties I take on often expand through a few departments - on our first film ‘Ellipis’ for example, I was also involved in set design, props, and costume. Doing this is allowing me to gain a lot of knowledge across varying elements of film production and it has given me a better understanding of how each of these pieces fit together to create the final outcome.
You are part of a newly formed film production team, what is your role and what is the plan for the company?
What we’re trying to do is create a dependable means of filmmaking, through building up connections, improving our skills, and evolving as filmmakers. We’ve found that we work really well together which is why we’ve formed this company, to grow together and learn from each other. It gives us an opportunity to try new things, whether that be roles we’re unfamiliar with or new styles and approaches to filmmaking. The ultimate plan is that we will be able to create bigger films; we aspire to be able to have the skills and resources to work on projects and ideas that are currently unfeasible.
What advice would you offer to people looking to enter the arena of film and TV in the digital market?
“I’ve found that building connections and expanding your network is one of the most important aspects of filmmaking.”
Making use of social media has been an effective way of connecting with people, finding cast and crew to work with on projects, and getting these projects seen - the digital age has really increased accessibility into the film industry, and I would recommend making good use of online platforms to reach likeminded people.
To learn more about Nikko or the Dead Origami Films team see:
*Images from the 48-hour film challenge project “Hear My Voice.”
