Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nick Clark. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nick, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Hello again, Atlanta! The last time I got to speak to you fine folks, I was but a wee tot entering into my final months of college. Now, I’m almost two years down the road. I gotta tell ya, I’m having the time of my life, in the truest sense of the phrase. But my journey has looked nothing like what I expected when I first embarked.
And you know what?
Thank goodness. I don’t think I could have written a better story…
In a normal year, actors hoping to get their start in the film industry are pretty much resigned to auditioning “self-tapes.” You set up a camera, stand against a blank wall, and act your little socks off. Maybe you get a call from a casting director, but probably you never get a call from anyone, ever. Until the next audition.
If a tree falls in the middle of the woods and no one says, “Nice death scene,” did it really happen?
And now, with the Actors’ Strike, we don’t even have self-tapes going for us! As I was writing this, the New York Times released an article entitled “As the Strike Wears On, Actors Return to Restaurants.” The struggle is real, folks.
So… how do I keep the creativity alive?
Well, the answer came to me in the Summer of ’21 (let’s make THAT a thing), when I decided to start writing my own stuff to shoot and star in. I got tired of waiting for the phone to ring…
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is “Good” Nick Clark (‘cos I ain’t a “no-goodnik”). I’m an actor and filmmaker based in Atlanta, GA. I just premiered my first feature film, M∙T∙H∙D (pronounced ‘Method’), and started a production company called Batting 1000 Productions with my best friends: John, Alex, and Lucas.
I love making movies and being on both sides of the camera, but these past few years have shifted my perspective on why I love it. Used to be, I loved telling stories, but I also loved being the center of attention. Woof. Let’s just say, the Lord has done a great work in my heart these past couple of years.
Now, I love telling stories of redemption and using those stories to connect with others. My dream is to embark on a “house tour” – going on a road-trip adventure and finding new friends along the way who are willing to open up their homes to me and my merry band of “goodniks” for a night. Theoretically, we’d provide a projector and sound system to premiere our movies, and the host would invite their neighbors, friends, family, and fellow film enthusiasts. It’d be BYOBC&P (Bring Your Own Beer, Candy, and Popcorn… maybe a lawn chair too!)
What follows? A night of fellowship and communion. New friendships that last through the ages. A home-cooked meal and a couch to crash on. In a world of isolation and tribalism, what could be better than that?
Whether you live in suburbs with a house full of kids, or in a city apartment with a bunch of your best pals, or even in Buckingham Palace (King Charles, I know you’re reading this!) […] If this little adventure sounds even a little bit enticing to you, I encourage you to reach out through one of the channels below.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The first aspect of living that comes to mind is the art of slowing down. One of my all-time favorite bands, The Arcadian Wild, recently released a song called “Dopamine.” You might guess what it’s about. There’s a line towards the end of the song that goes, “Wake up and break yourself out of here. Don’t be one of the cold souls who disappear.” That’s the first step to starting any worthwhile venture – breaking free of the black mirror that distracts us into oblivion.
A few years ago, I read an orange book called ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’ by John Mark Comer. It changed my life. It helped me slow down, simplify my life, embrace silence & solitude, and most importantly, devote a full day each week to rest with my Creator.
The second aspect of living that made a big difference in my journey was finding a community where I could be deeply known and, more incredible still, deeply loved. I’m currently single, living alone in an apartment, and every time I enter through my front door, I am in danger of isolating myself from the rest of the world. The modern miracles that my phone can perform are wonderful. Every single one of my impulsive desires can be immediately satisfied by an app.
Hungry? Postmates.
Lonely? Tinder.
Invalidated? Instagram.
Bored? Pick your poison.
According to James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits,’ ancient humans developed a natural instinct for instant gratification as way to survive. If I eat as soon as possible, I survive. If we mate as soon as possible, we survive. But now, the tools at our disposal have obliterated any resistance or friction that our ancestors would have experienced.
The result?
Goldfish apparently have longer attention spans that modern humans.
Is that true? I tried Googling it but got distracted.
Does that prove my point? You bet it does.
This is why having roots planted deep in a community has been so good for me. Sharing life with people is so much better than with a phone. I have a close-knit group of guys that I can be completely vulnerable with. I can tell the truth, see where it leads me, and let that be the adventure of my life.
Do I still have a phone? Yes. Is that okay? Yes. I’m not advocating we all become monks. But I’ve taken a long look in the mirror, and have come to the conclusion that I need to be intentional about the role my phone plays in my life. The community on the screen is but a shadow compared to the community… something that rhymes with screen. You get what I’m saying.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m always up for a good collab! In case you just skimmed to the bottom of this article (King Charles, I’m looking at you), I’m an actor/filmmaker based here in Atlanta, GA. I love the independent film scene and just started a production company with the best people I know called Batting 1000 Productions (‘cos we don’t miss).
If you are a writer, director, actor, DP, or any other kind of production guru, please reach out! I can’t wait to see the stories we’re gonna tell.
Contact Info:
- Website: goodnickclark.com
- Instagram: @goodnickclark
- Other: Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Ian Morrison, Alex Ramos, Savannah Kelly, Zach Welliver
