Meet Nick Gatsby | Filmmaker

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

Hi Nick, do you have a budget? How do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?
As far as budget goes I’ve never really had one up until now. I’ve always just looked over the story, looked at my resources, and got to work with whatever I had at my disposal. My last feature film, “My Neighbor Wants Me Dead,” was literally made for $0. With my current project “ZAPPER!”, I knew a budget was going to be necessary, because it is a far more ambitious project; so we started crowdfunding and were able to conjure a little bit of money to get production started. Eventually what we conjured ran out and lead actress/producer Skye Armenta and I have been paying out of pocket since then. As far as personal finances, I’m a struggling surrealist filmmaker on the come up, so I try to hustle and be strategic with every dollar I receive. Over the years I’ve become a bit of a minimalist, which I feel is a pretty humbling lifestyle. I don’t always make the smartest spending decisions. Sometimes it’s hard for me not to buy a Blu-ray I really want or a video game, but personal finances have taught me to not indulge in as much purchases that aren’t essential.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The stories and structure of my films always embrace a surrealist and experimental art style. Surrealism in storytelling is what I connect to the most. I’m always trying hard to create stories, worlds and character and tell them in a format that hasn’t been visually in film history, or at least not as much. Bringing the world something unique and innovative is what inspires me the most. Since I first got started I’ve come a long way from making passion project short films to making feature films, as well as winning awards at festivals and even earning money for my services with filming and video editing. The biggest challenge has been consistently; I could’ve made 100 films by now but balancing the passion to be a filmmaker with a 9-5 lifestyle makes it difficult to really crank out a movie every year. What I want to know the world about myself and Gatsmenta Films, is that we are really striving to bring fourth groundbreaking cinematic experiences on a shoe string budget. We don’t worry about high end special effects or pristine images. We make rougher underground films and feel creativity and story/characters is more important thing compared to trying to make our movies seem like a Hollywood production. Anyone who cares about a unique viewing experience should definitely invest their interest in Gatsmenta Films.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to roadhouse cinemas where we could catch a movie and then dinner at Lucky Dumpling over in downtown Colorado Springs.. After that, we could go to Frozen Gold for way too much ice cream. Oh! Or we could go to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and get a rocky road caramel apple! We would definitely have to go to Meow Wolf and maybe some karaoke at the Dublin House.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my beautiful girlfriend Skye Armenta who is my partner is both filmmaking and in life. We run our indie film production company Gatsmenta Films together, and I couldn’t ask for a better business partner. She is my greatest inspiration and has helped me consistently to continue my dream, no matter how difficult of a craft it can me at times. We’ve been through troubling times with our current film project and she has soldiered through and kept me engaged to finish our task. Thank you Skye, I love you to the moon and back.

Instagram: @ngatsby303

Facebook: Facebook.com/gatsmentafilms

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCjJyr5plH56HX68Sr1U9SMw

Other: Tiktok- @ngatsby303

Image Credits
Skye Armenta Thomas Howell and Ralph Giordano