We’re looking forward to introducing you to Nick Gelakis. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Nick, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
A common misconception about the film industry is that it’s all glitz, glamour, and creative genius. In reality, it’s logistics, repetition, and showing up. It’s about building trust, both in your crew and in your own process. You learn fast that you’re nothing without a team. Success doesn’t come from having a big idea or natural talent, it comes from how well you adapt under pressure, how you lead, how you follow, and how you stay committed when it gets boring, hard, or uncertain. You keep going because the work needs doing, and if you love film, you owe it your best.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Nicholas Gelakis. I’m a filmmaker based in Miami, which means I work in images, sound, structure, and every frame is a decision. I’ve been a filmmaker for just a little under 3 years now. My work is about resilience, passion, and the messiness of figuring it out. I like mistakes. They’re proof that something’s happening, and every project is an experiment, a test of my skills and what I can take away from each project.
Right now, I’m balancing a few things. I’m building projects of my own while helping others build theirs. One of my favorite community project’s I’ve been working on is reviving the FIU Filmmakers Club at my university, Florida International University. It’s not a club for talking about movies, it’s about making them. I want students to write, shoot, edit, and finish their projects within a semester. The goal is to give them a taste of the real work and the satisfaction that comes from finishing what you start.
I’m also working on a personal project. It’s a long-term documentary on Haitian-born artist Dimithry Victor, shot over the last three years, and it’s a glimpse into what the American Dream looks like now. I’ve been filming for three years and still adding to it even now, as it’s about staying with a subject long enough to accurately portray what I want.
When you follow someone’s life, it’s hard to decide where to stop. It’s like trying to scoop the sea into a cup and saying, here, this is the ocean. You can’t. So it keeps going. So while it is a passion project, but also a test of patience and commitment. It’s the next step now that I’m transitioning away from my short documentary Florida Boys, which premiered earlier this year at Miami Film Festival and will be wrapping its fall run at Subtropic Film Festival in South Florida.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
My earliest memory of feeling powerful was picking up a pen and starting to draw. Before film, I wanted to be an artist. I’d sit for hours, sketching anything around me, faces, objects, anything I found appealing. It was the first time I realized I could make something appear out of nothing, just by moving my hand across paper. That feeling stuck with me. Drawing gave me control in a world that didn’t always make sense. I could decide what existed, what mattered, and what didn’t. Though I found myself not actively drawing as I got older, I think it’s the source where filmmaking comes from for me now, the same impulse. You start with a blank page, build something piece by piece, and suddenly there’s a world looking back at you, and realizing that creation is the definitive form of power.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Multiple times.
There’ve been moments I call “too many holes in the boat”, when everything starts leaking at once and it feels like the whole thing might sink. The problems pile up, the pressure hits, and you start wondering if it’s even worth patching anymore. But even then, I keep pushing. There’s always a way through, even if it’s messy.
I’ve never walked away from something I’ve committed to. Once I decide to give my energy to a project, especially when other people are involved, I see it through. You learn from the chaos, you fix what you can, and you come out sharper on the other side.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A project I’m deeply committed to right now is building a real space for filmmaking at FIU through the FIU Filmmakers Club. Back in late August, I was just looking to get involved on campus, meet some students my age, find a place that felt right. I stumbled into a late club meeting one night, not expecting much, and found about ten students talking about moviemaking with the same kind of spark I felt. I knew immediately I wanted to help build something real.
After quick elections, I ended up as Co-President alongside the other President, Nicholaus Romeo and our cabinet of officers; Amanda Rodriguez, Justin Lieberman, Ryan Reyes and Prissy Seaye, all who’ve been vocal about their belief in the club. We decided to revive the club with one clear goal: make a short project within a month. I knew in prior iterations of the club, there had been delays and no real proof of concept of ideas, just brainstorming that went nowhere. So I decided, no endless planning, no waiting for permission, just figure out the technicals, shoot, finish, and stamp it with the club’s name.
Since then, the club’s grown fast. What started with nine members now brings in twenty to twenty-five people each meeting, plus others who join virtually. My focus is to empower these young filmmakers to actually do the work, to stop dreaming about making films and start making them. I see a lot of myself in them, and I want to help them skip some of the doubt I once had.
Long term, the goal is bigger than the club and emphasizes my personal philosophy about community; an opportunity to create. FIU doesn’t have a full film program, just certificates and a few classes, so we’re building something that fills that gap that hopefully the university can notice one day. We’ve already made two short projects in three months, and going into next year, we plan to keep producing more and creating real opportunities for students to learn what modern day filmmaking feels like from the inside out. It’s about creating a foundation that’s impactful even after I’ve gone — something that will be growing until it’s seen, no matter how long it takes.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m doing what I was born to do. Not a moment goes by where I’m not exhilarated by the range of emotions this work brings, both the beautiful and the brutal. It’s a rollercoaster I have no desire to get off, and if I lost a single day of it, I’d feel it like grief.
Nothing could pull me away from this. No matter the challenge, I’m ready for whatever comes next. I’m grateful I found what I was meant to do, because once you do, it’s impossible to imagine doing anything else.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://woahniko.com
- Instagram: @woah.niko
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-gelakis
- Twitter: @woahniko
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@woah_niko
Image Credits
Personal Image: Malaika Maycock
