This was a truly international effort that spanned 3 months - which is really short, in the animation world! The track and label were commissioned out of the UK, the production company is US-based, and the animation teams were from Serbia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. As a predominantly live-action director, this is only my third animation but I already feel a heavy draw towards the genre. Fun little fact: there is an iconic shot in this video that pays direct homage to a very similar shot of two samurai dueling under a gigantic moon in the animated series, "Afro-Samurai." Being personal friends with the creator of that show, Leo Chu, I asked if I had his blessing in referencing that moment. And he said yes!

Renowned for a unique ability to find beauty in imperfection, Nicholas has crafted international campaigns for brands like Google, Samsung, Vivo, Toyota, Nestlé, Timberland. His signature visual language — a fusion of polished grit and emotive spontaneity — has attracted global agencies as BBDO, Ogilvy, Dentsu, Publicis, VMLY&R and Iris Worldwide, creating campaigns awarded by the Cannes Lions, CLIOs, Promax, Tellys, 1.4, Citra Pariwara, MMA Smarties APAC, Shots and more. In the music world, Nicholas has directed videos for artists including Nick Jonas, Blink-182, Sara Bareilles, Bastille, Divine, J Hus, Jess Glynne and Monsta X. Notably, he is the first and only American to garner an MTV VMA nomination for Best K-Pop. A noted thought leader in minority representation, Nicholas has published articles on diversity, culture and artificial intelligence. His influence was formally recognized in 2023 when he was named a Next Generation Leader by the Committee of 100 — a prestigious, non-partisan organization comprised of the most prominent Asian Americans across the arts, sciences, business and academia. His work and viewpoints have been featured in leading publications such as Vogue, The LA Times, Rolling Stone, Variety, Billboard, Complex, Forbes, Little Black Book and The Telegraph, amplifying his voice in both the entertainment and cultural landscapes. When not orchestrating chaos on set, Nicholas can be found carving the canyons in his race car, traveling the world hunting crazy street food, or talking fashion and anime with fellow ‘heads.