After months of work, we finally premiered "Inside" and "Model Citizen" in a dual screening event!  The evening was complete with Q&As with cast and crew, live music by the talented Brian Revels, great food and of course, both films! I couldn't be more grateful to all the amazing people who came out to support our work.  I said this to them during the event, but I'll say it here too-- telling stories, making art, etc is a very vulnerable thing.  You expose yourself in ways most people don't ever have to do.  So when it comes time to share those stories with the world, it's a very personal, emotional thing.  That being said, it feels incredible to have the kind of support we have had from our creative community, family and friends.  I can't thank you all enough.

We made a big announcement at the event as well!  Dominick and I are very excited to welcome Bethany Tiller as an official partner in our production company, Wild Palette Pictures.  Bethany brings so much talent to the table and has already proven herself to be a valuable member of our team.    

Below are a handful of photos from the evening, taken by Adelle Drahos (Della-Be Photography).  I encourage you to take a look at the complete collection of photos on the Wild Palette Pictures Facebook page as well.  

As always, thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way.  I look forward to seeing you all at screenings and film festivals!  

What a whirlwind this year has been so far!!  I've come to a point in my filmmaking career where it felt best to branch off and start my own production company.  This is a pretty big and exciting venture for me, but it feels so right... just knowing that any films I make henceforth will truly be mine is elating.  So, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Wild Palette Pictures.  

I'm so pleased that Dominick Racano, of Scattered Films, will be joining me as a producer on the Wild Palette team!  The two of us have quite a few films stewing, but most recently, we completed our newest short film, Inside (featured in my previous blog).  We're also deep in preproduction on our upcoming project, Model Citizen!  

We plan on submitting both of these projects to film festivals worldwide and will certainly keep you all in the know on screenings via our Facebook page here:  Wild Palette Pictures

Thank you for all of your love and support... and I look forward to helping you FIND YOUR WILD!! 

There are so many hilarious YouTube videos about things that particular groups of people say... well, we actors are SICK of everyone saying these things to us!  Don't get us wrong, we appreciate your interest and know you don't really know what else to ask outside of these questions... but we hear them all the time.  And some of them, well, we just can't give you a satisfying answer.  

We made this several months ago but I didn't really consider posting it here until now...
​Thanks to everyone who was a part of this!  You guys rock! 

Dear fellow actors, musicians, filmmakers and entertainers of all kinds,

I hardly know where to begin when I write this because there are so many things flying through my head right now and weighing on my heart.  I suppose I'll start with what prompted this letter.  The recent passing of an incredible actor who I've spent my life mesmerized by, one who I've had the utmost respect for and always hoped to work with: Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Today, his name and photos have been splashed all over our televisions and computer screens.  We've lost one of our own.  And what's worse is that it was preventable.  Philip Seymour Hoffman died of what is believed to be a drug overdose.  But folks, he's not the only one.  So many of our fellow entertainers have lost their lives to drugs.  It's an epidemic.  We've lost the talents of Cory Monteith, Kurt Cobain, Lenny Bruce, Jim Morrison, Billie Holiday, Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland, Elvis Presley, Chris Farley, Whitney Houston, John Belushi, Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Janis Joplin, Marilyn Monroe, Brittany Murphy and sadly, the list goes on.  

We must band together to make sure this  never happens to one of our fellow artists and dreamers again.  We need to love ourselves and love each other enough to say "stop", to seek help, to find a way out of this.  I have seen too many people ruin their lives after turning to drugs, entertainers and otherwise.  Even when they haven't lost their lives to drugs, I've seen countless careers trashed because of them.  PLEASE stand up for yourself, stand up for your friends and get the help needed; be the person another can come to for help.  

If you are reading this right now and know you have an addiction, or if you know someone who does, make today count.  Do something to end the epidemic.  Go to your best friend, your band mate, your acting coach, your parent... come to me.  Even if I don't know you.  And I'll be honest, I don't know a thing about rehab or drug counseling, but I guarantee you I'll figure it out and help get you there.  

Please, don't let yourself or your loved one become another name on this tragically long list.  DO SOMETHING TODAY.  Be remembered for how you turned your life around, how you showed other people the way, for your talents and not your tragedy.  Let's keep building the amazing community of artists that we have and be there for each other, inspire one another, be a support system, a safety net.  

You are worthy.  You are talented.  You are loved.

Love,
Nicole

So you know how Doritos, for the past few years, has hosted a competition that invites filmmakers from all over the United States to submit a 30 second commercial which may be played on the Super Bowl?  Well, this year, they opened it up to not only the USA, but the world... and we at Scattered Films are ready to take on the world!   My team and I decided to create something different than what we've seen in years past-- no animals, no gimmicks-- just an honest portrayal of love, innocence, peace and the American spirit.  So we came up with this heartwarming commercial for Doritos and we need your views, ratings and support to win the big daddy of prizes.  Please watch, rate and comment... and most of all, share it with everyone you know!  Your help makes all the difference.  Being one of the top viewed, rated and commented-on videos helps us get the judges attention at FritoLay.  They'll be the ones to pick the 20 Semi-Finalists, followed by the 5 Finalists, and then after that, we'll REALLY need your votes to make it to the Super Bowl.  THANK YOU to everyone involved in the making of this project and to everyone who I know will share it! 

TO WATCH, RATE AND COMMENT (AND MAKE IT COUNT), GO TO THE DORITOS SITE HERE:  
http://bit.ly/168RLru

We should know by December 11, 2013 if we are one of the 20 semi-finalists.  At that point, Frito-Lay will review all the submissions and narrow them down to the top 5.  Once we're there, like I said above, we'll REALLY need your help and support!  That's where the public vote comes in and decides which commercial submissions make it to the Super Bowl!!!  Please stay tuned to the Scattered Films Facebook page, my personal Facebook page and the Doritos website to see if we made it to the Finals and how you can VOTE!!  

Now that we're finished with "Friends Like Mine", we thought that this past week would be a great time to celebrate our artistic collaboration with those that made it all possible!  For our cast, crew and their special guests, we held a private red carpet premiere party at the Embassy Suites at Cobb Galleria.  The evening started with drinks and photos by Natin Photography, and lead into the screening of the film.  Mind you, this is the very first time that anyone has been allowed to see the film, despite pleas from multiple cast members and friends, we wanted everyone to see it together for the first time.  As a director, it was so exciting to see everyone's reaction.  We had a brief Q&A after the screening, which turned into more of a discussion about the film and how each person was affected.  I really couldn't ask for more out of this project than to have the story affect people in a 

personal way.  Mission accomplished.  Following the Q&A, we watched back the film one more time, but with open discussion throughout.  I've never been to a screening like that, but found it very fun.  I'd definitely recommend that to anyone who does a premiere for a short (not a feature.. most people won't want to sit through nearly 4 hours of anything).  We were able to answer questions about particular shots, why we made the choices we did, and what inspired different aspects of the film, as well as call attention to the background talent, favorite moments the actors created and get a little goofy.  All in all, the night was an absolute success!  THANK YOU to every single person involved in the production of "Friends Like Mine".  This was a very successful team effort  that

required a dedicated, talented group of people.  Also, a huge thank you goes to Dale for helping put together the event, Natin for taking care of our photography and to Georgia Carpet Recovery for providing our red carpet.  

Now, we wait for film festival acceptances!  We'll be announcing acceptances as they come on our Scattered Films facebook page, so be sure to "like" it so you can stay up-to-date and have the chance to see it for yourself when it comes to a festival near you!  Hope to see you there!  

Dare I say it?  We're finished!  I'm so happy to finally be able to say those words.  Not that the entire process of creating "Friends Like Mine" wasn't outrageously fulfilling, but it's nice to now have a final product to present to festivals and share with the cast and crew.  I must say, this has been an incredible learning process that I'll never forget-- all the preparations that must be made for filming (finding locations and crew, casting, wardrobe, props, perfecting the script), the three days of principal photography, the days upon days of editing with Eric Hollinshead (aka nitpicking every detail while drinking beer over his shoulder) and working with Alec Roeser to compose the perfect music to fit each scene.

the official theatrical trailer for "Friends Like Mine".  It is my hope that you love it as much as I doand that it inspires you to go see the full version when it comes to a festival in your area.  

Thank you, again, to EVERYONE involved in this project.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  As I watch back the film, I realize how it truly takes a village of talented folks to create something so beautiful and touching.  Every person involved had an important role in making this happen and I am forever grateful.  Tonight's special thanks goes to Taylor Mosbey for cutting this trailer when I had no idea what I wanted when I walked in.  So blessed to have you on board.

To see our behind the scenes photos and read anecdotes from the days of principal photography, click HERE.

Chances are, if you're in the film industry, you've heard of the 48 Hour Film Project.  If not, then here's the scoop.  The 48 Hour Film Project is an annual filmmaking competition that takes place in cities all over the world.  Filmmakers are given exactly 48 hours to create a film from start to finish.  Crazy.  At 7pm on a Friday night, they're given a prop that must be used in their film (this year, it was a towel), a character name (Liam Oakley-Brown) and a line of dialogue ("you know that's not what I said").  These are for every team in that particular city.  Then, each group draws from a hat to determine what genre of film they'd be creating.  We drew "Vacation or Holiday Film".  Fair enough.  They then have 48 hours to write it, film it, edit it, and tie up any loose ends before submitting it at 7pm on Sunday.  The films are then screened about a week later in a film festival.

It's a pretty fun experience to be a part of one of these.  This is my first year doing it and I'm glad I jumped in as an actor because I don't know how these filmmakers do all that they do in 48 hours.  Kudos, guys.  Major kudos, by the way, to the writer and director of our film, Robert Berris of Jive Turkey Films.  I'm still trying to decide whether I'm fearless enough to take one of these babies on next year... to be determined.  

Anyway, check out the video here to see what we all turned out.  I think it's pretty funny and absurd.. enjoy!