Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikko Cordero.
Hi Nikko, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is Nikko Cordero and I am a Filipino-American videographer and filmmaker who was born and raised in South San Francisco – aka South City. My love for filmmaking began when I was just 10 years old, making horrible stop-motion LEGO animations on my iPad (I thought they were pretty good at the time). As the years progressed, I continued to make short videos with my friends and family members. What started out as a small hobby grew into a craft that I constantly wanted to get better at.
The pandemic really gave me a chance to try my hand at freelance videography. It was at this time that I started to watch YouTubers such as Daniel Schiffer and Peter McKinnon for hours and thought to myself, maybe I could make promotional videos too. I started out by making these types of videos for my family friends and their businesses. As I continued to create more videos, I eventually got some attention from people I didn’t even know and soon began doing freelance video work for local businesses. Since then, I have made promotional videos for professional barbers, food truck businesses, music artists, the SDSU Filipino Club, and local San Diego events. Currently, I continue to work in San Diego as a freelance videographer, content creator, as well as a part-time multimedia assistant for SDSU.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Similar to many others, my filmmaking journey definitely has not been a smooth road, however, I believe the struggles made me stronger. All my life, I have always faced a flood of self-doubt. The fear of my work never being good enough to anyone was something that always held me back. However, my first true test came during my senior year of high school, during the college acceptance process. My top two Universities felt like the most realistic ones I could get into with my GPA and extracurriculars. I knew that their film programs were extremely tough to get into and I took this as a chance to prove myself as a serious filmmaker. I created a short film that I was proud of and sent in my application confidently. Months later, my number one school released its acceptance letters. The words, “We regret to inform you…” were all I needed to see. I sat in my room alone, crying at the result. However, a sliver of hope came around as I remembered that my number two dream school had yet to send acceptance letters. Weeks go by and I am notified that my second dream school’s acceptance letters had been released. I quickly open my phone to check the email and read the words…” we regret to inform you.” My heart sunk and once again, I sat defeated. I felt like I was right to doubt myself.
Being rejected by my dream schools made me question the career path I was pursuing. I even thought about switching majors entirely and entering business or psychology. This thought lasted for a while, however, I eventually decided I couldn’t give up on my dream just yet. As I am naturally a competitive person, I used rejection as fuel to work harder and prove that I can become a great filmmaker regardless of where I went. While sometimes I look back and think about where I would be had I gotten into those schools, I remind myself that everything happens for a reason and that being rejected was the motivation I needed to keep pushing forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Currently, I am a freelance videographer who specializes in creating promotional videos for restaurant businesses, barbers, local events, and music artists. My inspiration comes from creatives such as Ryan Higa, RDCWorld1, Linh Truong, Daniel Schiffer, and Peter McKinnon. Since I am purely interested in creating fun videos for myself and my clients, I do not have one area of videography that I focus on. If you need a music video, I’ll come and film it. If you need a promo video for your restaurant, I’ll come and film it. I will never turn down an opportunity to create a video for someone, as I am always looking to learn and gain experience. This past year, I have become more and more known for making hype recap videos, as I was the videographer for the SDSU club “AB Samahan.” I shot and edited all of their events and many people are starting to recognize my style of video making.
Something I am extremely proud of was writing, directing, and editing a short film that made the ConnectHer film festival. It was the first film festival I had ever submitted to and my film was fortunate enough to be accepted.
What sets me apart from others is that almost everything I have learned about filmmaking came from YouTube and other filmmakers. In my spare time, I analyze film techniques used in my favorite movies, draw inspiration from my favorite YouTubers, or watch filmmaking/editing tutorials for hours trying to learn new things. Whenever I am around other filmmakers and videographers, I constantly ask questions and take notes. If there’s ever an opportunity for me to learn and get better, I instantly take it, which sometimes leads to overwork. However, I am doing my best to find that balance between hard work and over-work.
I would also like to add that no client is ever just a “client” to me. I always look to build friendships with whoever I work with in an effort to create a comfortable environment that allows us to openly talk to each other about what we want for the video. It also helps make these projects more personal to them. This aspect of filmmaking is something I have grown to love, as I have made many friends and colleagues during my journey.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up I was always more reserved unless I was around the right people. Some days I preferred to stay home and watch YouTube rather than go out with my friends. Despite this, if I wasn’t playing video games or playing with my action figures, I always had a camera in my hand either recording myself, or the world around me. I would even sometimes make skits with my action figures. Even years later, I’ll stumble on old videos of myself vlogging before it became a thing. My interests consisted of playing basketball, doing martial arts, dancing, and playing the ukulele (yes, I know how to play Lemonade by Jeremy Passion). Although present-day me can still be an introvert most of the time, I have definitely grown to be more extroverted when I need to be.
Pricing:
- Going rate: $200 (final price depends on shoot time, location, and editing time)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/n2kfilmedit/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb5mfMQb9lQtsrCK0lIRixw/videos
Image Credits
Nikko Cordero
