Meet Nick Candido | Producer at RDM & Founder of Candido Productions

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nick Candido and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nick, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is how my career started. Out of college, I had a stable career that I was proficient at, with a clear path or growth, but I just couldn’t take it. The prospect of doing the same task in the same place at the same time every day was eating away at me. I knew it wasn’t right. One day, I had it, and put in my two weeks notice with only one plan: To fall in love with what I do for a living. Nothing was off the table.

After hearing that I had left my job, a friend of mine called me up and said, “I know the 2nd 2nd AD on the new TMNT movie, would you want to PA on that?” My response at the time was, “I don’t know what any of those letters mean, but if you’re offering me a job, I’ll try anything.” So there I was, my first day on a film set, working on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Silvercup Studios, working alongside Megan Fox and Sheamus, calling rolls and cuts. Despite mostly holding doors open and running snacks to people for 14 hours, that day I did the thing I set out to do: I fell in love. I needed more.

From there, I took a one month course on Producing at New York Film Academy, met many other students, and PA’d on all their thesis films. Driving a truck after a student film shoot day is it’s own risk, but once you meet other filmmakers, the ball starts to roll, and you just keep working, keep observing, and keep growing. After 8 years in the industry, I now exclusively work as a Producer on films and commercials.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I launched Candido Productions back in 2015 with the release of Dating In Retrograde, a web series that served as my first foray into being the sole Producer. From a business prospective, I didn’t make much capital on that project, but that was never the point. I was making connections, memories, and art. With that webseries in my portfolio, other aspiring actors and professionals began to approach me with their scripts, and for years, I found a sustainable model in telling other people’s stories. Now, I work full time with RDM producing commercial spots, but I still find time to sneak away and film shorts with a handful of my favorite collaborators. As the producer, you get to hand jobs out to your friends, and plan a fun day of filmmaking to enjoy together. I will continue to do so until the day I die!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A good vacation requires balance. Now, I love to travel, but for me, it’s never about going to a resort and lounging on the beach. I can do that back home! If I’m traveling, it’s to a new place where we explore and discover what sets that place apart from all the rest.

Say we’re going to Japan, right? We’re taking the train to local onsens, or shrines, embracing the culture of smaller towns. Perhaps sneaking in a day of skiing, and then taking a dip in a hot spring. We’re tasting local food, drinking locally brewed beers as we plan our next destination. It’s kinetic; you can never sit still. Maximize the time you’re exploring so you earn that rest and relaxation, and in that moment, take in the fact that you’re in a foreign land doing new things.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
So many people deserve credit for helping me climb the rungs of the film industry, but none more than Carol Mazzoni. When I met Carol, I was a Production Assistant on a student film and she was the Assistant Director. The way she took command of the crew and the schedule astounded me. In the beginning, all I did was observe and take notes. I didn’t study filmmaking, and knew literally nothing about it. She is the one who inspired me to Produce and AD myself, because I saw the energy she brought to the role, and how that directly benefitted the production as a whole.

We’ve collaborated so many times since in my freelance career, and now we work side-by-side at RDM, a commercial production company, producing television spots for brands all over the world. I’ve been on 50+ flights with them since starting back in November 2021, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ll also give a special shout out to my parents for supporting me especially when quitting my job sounded like a wild prospect. They got me the course at NYFA that kickstarted my entire career, and I’ll never thank them enough for it.

Website: https://nickcandido.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nick_candido/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickcandido/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nick_candido

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candidoproductions

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@candidoproductions