Latest / The Winning Culture Podcast / Nicki Micheaux's POSITIVE Message About Rising To The Occasion | The Winning Culture Podcast Ep. 9
Transcript
- speaker-0: All I ever knew was how to win! speaker-1: I'm gonna win, I'm gonna speaker-0: Hello everyone. My name, y'all know me, Vernon Wiggins, and I'm the host of the Winning Culture Podcast. For this episode, we have someone. Y'all, she's an actress, she's a producer, she's a director, she's a writer, she is all of the above. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Nikki Michelle to the Winning Culture Podcast! speaker-1: Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm so excited. Winning culture. I love it. speaker-0: Yes, Nikki, we've been wanting to get you on here. So glad that you're on here. It it's a blessing for us to have you on the Winning Culture Podcast. How you feeling tonight? speaker-1: good. I'm feeling good. Things are things are good. I've never I've never been on a number one show before. So this is kinda like this is really fun. This is this we've had it's been crazy. Like there's so it's been fun, exciting and then like, God, they're they're talking about everything on the show. So it's it's these are good times. speaker-0: Yes, yes. Well, I tell you what, winning culture, that's what you do. So it's fitting to have you on here. Yeah. And it's it it's amazing that you're on here. You have a lot of great things going on. you've been in the business for speaker-1: Thank you. speaker-0: quite quite some time. And you know, I I just love your shows. I love everything that you've done in this industry and you're still doing more. speaker-1: thank you. speaker-0: You're very welcome. You're very welcome. And I just wanna ask you, so Where did this start for you? Wh where did the acting begin? speaker-1: you know, it was really, you know, I was in college and I was taking a really heavy course load and I my roommate was a dancer and shoot and so I was like, well, I should take an acting class. Cause I knew I didn't I didn't really want to take a dance class. I was like, I'll take an acting class. It'll be an easy A to offset all of my pre-med courses. That's why I took it. Okay. but I had been doing some acting. I was acting in the community center in when I was in Houston. and but I was so nervous. I was I was so nervous. Like I got and I auditioned for the plays in high school, but literally I would get on stage and my leg would not stop shaking. So I just never thought I was act. Yeah, I was so nervous. So I mean like devastatingly nervous. So I just figured I'll never be able to act, but I'll take this class because it'll be easy. And I'm gonna focus on all my my doctor stuff. And then my first monologue in that class, something just clicked. And you know, there's these moments have as an actor where, you know, the kind of the whole world drops out and you're just so locked into the character and it's so real for you and it's real for the audience, and you can feel like everything. And after that, I was so high. and I think that's what they call getting bitten by the acting bug. So I was doing every play I could. I was I was my whole life became about getting on stage. I just couldn't stop speaker-0: wow. speaker-1: much to my parents it was a big difference. speaker-0: That's That's amazing. Y you know, Nikki, that sounds like to me that it was meant to be. It was meant to be. Look at that. speaker-1: Yeah. Look at that. Yeah. You've caught Well, I would think so because, acting's not an easy business. Holl there's nothing about Hollywood that's easy. So the fact that I've been able to sustain for three decades, pretty much you know, I won't say I've worked consistently, but I've worked. I've always worked. And I I th I don't know if it was meant to be or if I willed it into being, you know, 'cause I do think there is a little bit of that that it takes. But it's definitely something. It's definitely a blessing without a doubt. 'Cause some of my biggest jobs, you know, hadn't have really have had nothing to do with me. It's just I just got picked and it was amazing. And those are just the miracles that, you know Hey speaker-0: You know what? Ain't no talent when these people. Ain't no. They know. speaker-1: Yes. But I'm I'm so excited about it. I mean I love what I do. I love I love acting. I love pr I love the whole process, storytelling process. So I I couldn't be happier. Yeah. speaker-0: Yes, yes. Nikki, that that is great. I mean, you you obviously have a very great resume. I mean, it it's phenomenal. And that brings me to I mean, you you produce, you write, you direct, you do it all, you know, and I know that you had a very, very, very good f film festival run run for your film. Yeah. speaker-1: Yes, thank you. Yes, I wrote and direct we wrote I wrote it, directed it, produced with it with my team, Summer of Violence, which we did in 22, which has now just now been released internationally. So we have to spread the word. Yes, we have to spread the word to the international audience. It's available for streaming international. All you have to do is go to my website, summer of violence dot com. we're doing it independently so that every dollar goes straight to the filmmakers. And I'm so excited that we finally figured it out. Because they always say black doesn't travel, right? Right. And it was so hard to get anyone to pay attention to this film internationally. But we finally we just said, you know, we'll sh we're just gonna do it ourselves because we know there are people out there who would appreciate this film, even though a lot of times, you know, in twenty twenty six there was only one black love story. speaker-0: Well. speaker-1: That made it in the theaters. One. Yeah. Okay, maybe two, but but definitely one. And so I didn't know that making a black love story was gonna was gonna be quite so hard in terms of you know getting it out there because I mean you know it's just you're fighting so many obstacles. So we we got it out there, it's available internationally, and I could not be prouder for people getting a chance to see this really beautiful love. speaker-0: Congratulations. Congratulations on that. Yes. Thank you. You're welcome. So, how how long did it take you guys to film that amazing movie? speaker-1: We filmed I think we had a seventeen day, eighteen day shoot. We prepped for about I feel like I it all happened really fast. I wanna say we prepped, I don't know, a couple of weeks. Not long enough. It really wasn't long enough. We were because when we when we were able to secure the funding, we were running into winter and we wanted to be able to get the summer of of violence without having to wait a whole year we're going to be able to get some shots. Yeah. And we didn't want to shoot. We wanted to shoot in Colorado to get the mountains and everything. and so it would have been a little bit more challenging to double LA for Deborah. So we were trying to get there be while it was still summer and it was gonna be like, you know, the light and the we didn't you know, and we didn't want the leaves to change color. So it was a little a little fast, but I would say that but it was crazy. I mean, we were in three cities in seventeen days, which is a lot for an independent production, honestly. 'Cause in indiv independent production, you really want to be in one or two locations. Yeah. I was in three cities plus multiple locations in each city. Ridiculously ambitious. speaker-0: Okay. speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn't I many things I would not do and I don't and when I teach, I'm like, don't do this, don't do that. Period peace, don't do that. As an indie, it's so expensive, so expensive. so there's certain things that I would definitely have learned that I would not do the same way on a tight budget. Got it. Just 'cause it just you're just making it really, really difficult. So the fact that we got the film done and it's good and it and it won some awards and now we have international distribution is just you know, it's it's exciting. speaker-0: That that is wonderful. Major congratulations to you and the entire casting crew for that film. Thank you. You're very welcome. And I know it's so amazing, for the actors, to get that opportunity and, you know, to have that kind of success. speaker-1: to s speaking of that, it was really interesting because when I did the film, one of the things that really being on the other side of the camera, controlling the money, casting, everything, seeing all the parts. What I really was so surprised by was the high level of talent that was auditioning for these really small roles in an indie that paid scale. I was so surprised. Some of these really talented actors I knew them. They're work they had been on TV, they had done big stuff. But work was so so tight, And then some of my actors 'cause we had smaller parts that were just for Colorado locals. Okay. Some of my actors drove themselves to Colorado to be a local to get this job. That's how dedicated actors can be. Just actors are very dedicated to the craft and to, doing good work, but y you won't The passion of an actor, man. Just Yeah. speaker-0: Well speaker-1: You know. I mean we love what we love what we do. speaker-0: Right, absolutely. Absolutely. So you know what what I what I think and I would say about that. So you know, hey, look how the leader carries herself. How could they not carry themselves like you? You know what I mean? You set the example. Hey. You set the standard and you know, then that was the result. So super happy for you, Nikki. And you know, just just shout that film out and just let everybody know what he can watch. speaker-1: Yes, summerviolence dot com. That's where you go and you can watch it right there. And every and remember, you rent it for international, you can rent it for domestic, even though you can watch it on other places, but rent it from the filmmakers. Rent it from the filmmakers. We need your support. and it's it's like I think it's only a dollar ninety nine. So it's it's really just to help us, you know, you know, pay our bills and and that's it. speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. Hey, y'all go watch. Y'all go watch everybody. speaker-1: Some revilers dot com, yeah. speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. Alright, now I want to get into Lincoln Heights. Okay, so speaker-1: my goodness. Okay. Cause what Lincoln Heights is now s twenty years old. speaker-0: Wow. speaker-1: I know this because my daughter's twenty one and she was six months old when I shot the pilot. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. And it's been off the air for seventeen years because my son was born when we were shooting the last season. He was born. I brought him to set every day. And he's seventeen now. So that's how long the show's been going. Yeah, speaker-0: Wow. And it's a classic. speaker-1: I know. It doesn't feel like that, does it? speaker-0: Hey, I'm telling you it's timeless. It's timeless. speaker-1: thank you. We are so pr I think all of us, I think all of us are so proud of that show. it was an amazing show. speaker-0: Yes, it definitely was. And so you were nominated three years in a row NAACP image award. How amazing is that for your performance in that? speaker-1: dream come true. it is I I I it's it was so crazy to be nominated because in those days I think we were always against Gray's Anatomy, you know. So and it was a it was a tough category. Tough, tough category. So just for a little show like ours to be able to get some recognition, we were I was so grateful. It was so exciting. It was so but it was it was so funny. I was always so nervous that I that they would call my name and I'd have to get on stage because usually I had like spanced myself into some dress and some shoes that were like killing me. And you would sit there like, you know, would sit there like all just tied together. And I and secretly I was like, maybe not tonight, because everything I was I was so uncomfortable. but now I'm ready. Now because now I'm like, you know, I wear flats. speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. Wonderful, wonderful. speaker-1: comfortable now. So I but it was great. I saved all my I saved everything about it, you know. And and hopefully we get another chance with the drop to to to make history again. speaker-0: hey, you know what? The drop. One of my favorite series. Stop it. Yes, yes. It's one of my favorite. That's great. I'm telling you. Look, Mama G, Mama G ain't playing that mess. Mama G not playing that mess. Mama G say, hey, you know what? Nope, nope, nope. He is not going record no music or produce music. You know, and I understand that, you know, that you wanna Mama G wants the best for her grandson. Yeah. I get that. So yeah, just tell let's get into that. So let's talk about it. speaker-1: Yeah. Well, I think Mama G is scared. You know, the music industry is is tough. The gangs are all over it. And she just trying to you know, just trying to control the situation as best she can. I mean she thinks she's trying to save their lives. Really, that's she's trying to save their lives and like help them live the best life they can and and escape all of that stuff, all of that negativity. that's that's surrounding them, and just keep this try to live in this little bubble. I think so many working parents do when you're in a neighborhood that's got some of that element. You just doing the best you can to protect your children. And it isn't always I mean, you do what you you do your best. Right. You know, and you'll see as you learn more about Mama G, you know, where it comes from 'cause you know, she has her own flaws, which I love. I love that she's got her flaws too. But I just feel like I mean, I think I c I can identify with that as a mom because you're you you think you're doing your best. You think you're doing right by your kids. Okay. And you never know when to step back. I mean, you know, when do but I think that but honestly I think Mama G trying to keep him out of the rap game is actually he's making he's making records with a with a blood. speaker-0: Woo even snuck him in the house. Snuck him in the house. speaker-1: I mean, I mean, I mean, and I don't think that Mama G knows all of that, but that's exactly why. I mean they're going over to Blood's house. I mean, it's crazy. It's crazy. The the this is my straight lace boy out there come on. So it's a it's a big it's a big bad world. It's a big bad world. speaker-0: Yeah. His cousin's playing a lot into that though, you know, she's speaker-1: Mama G has a complicated relationship with Wanda. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: As you will see. Yeah, tomorrow night's episode. Yeah. So it's very, very complicated. Yeah, it's very complicated. And and you know, Mama G ain't really having it. Mama G's not having it. And I don't think she's forgiven Wanda for being a crackhead. Yeah. speaker-0: Yeah, I speaker-1: I don't think she's forgiven Wanda for for being a hustler. Yeah. You know, 'cause she she she just doesn't she's not trusting her. speaker-0: So Mama G no matter what Wanda becomes, Mama G is still seeing that when she sees her. Hustler, crackhead, no matter what she does, that's what she speaker-1: Well, you know, I mean, and from Mama G's perspective, because remember now, in the first episode, I told her no. speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: And she's already gone behind my back. speaker-0: ho ho ho. speaker-1: Because just remember now, Mama G already said, I don't want Lamar in it. You know, and and what happens? Wanda's over there sneaking in the window to talk to Lamar to connect him with a blood. speaker-0: Yeah. Look, I speaker-1: So, when when Mama G does find out, you can un it's understandable that she's just like, Come on now. And she don't even know half the stuff that's been going on. speaker-0: It's gonna blow up. I speaker-1: Like I don't think Mama Jean knows that they got arrested. Like she doesn't even know that. speaker-0: Yeah, that's right. That's right. Big Daddy, he he trying to hide it from Mama G speaker-1: Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, y it's understandable. So as it all starts to come to a head is but you know, but I think parenting's just hard. Parenting's hard. And and I love seeing these two, Mama G and Big Daddy, trying to figure it out. I love that they got this this bond with James and Lamar and and the messy extended family of Wanda and Leon. You know, I just it's it's it's honestly I but When I when I first started working on the drop, day one, day two, maybe the table read actually. And I was like, This is everyone in the cast is so good. It's such a talented cast. It's just so fun. It's so fun to see everybody just commit. That's great. So fast. speaker-0: Great. That's great. you yeah, I could tell, from seeing it on the screen, you guys have great chemistry. And and you know what else? You guys are number one on Hulu. Number one on Hulu. Number one on Disney Plus. That's not by accident. That's not by accident. speaker-1: It's so crazy. It's so cr I'm so excited. And then you know what else? So we're number one on Hulu and then my vampire movie Night Patrol premieres on Hulu October seventeenth. Maybe we can be number one and number two. speaker-0: Hey, I'm ready for speaker-1: Night Patrol. Have you seen Night Patrol? speaker-0: No, but I I will watch. I know you you punk speaker-1: That is my vantage. speaker-0: on it. Yes. speaker-1: Brady Gibbs, YG, RJ Kyler, Tham Punk. I mean, dude, I'ma tell you right now. I'm a vampire cut hunter. I'm a Zulu vampire warrior. speaker-0: That hey look here, Nikki, that's on my list to watch next. Believe me. I'm telling you. Well I've been so busy speaker-1: October seventeenth. speaker-0: I've been so busy with the drop, but now speaker-1: Hey, I know it's it's hard, it's hard, it's hard. But th this unfortunately there's only eight episodes of the drop, so it will come to an end. Until season two. speaker-0: Okay. Well that that that's great that's great to know. I'm looking forward to it. Even more now. speaker-1: hopefully there will be a season two. I'm just putting it out there. speaker-0: It I'm claiming it for y'all. It will be. It will be. It will be. So yeah, just mention it again. Night Patrol. when is it coming to Hulu? speaker-1: Night patrol's coming to Hulu October seventeenth. Zuluween. Zuluween together. speaker-0: Y'all heard that, y'all heard it. Be on the lookout for night patrols. speaker-1: Yes, baby, yes, night patrol. speaker-0: Awesome, awesome, Nikki. You have a lot of great things going on. to me, you're the jack of all trades. And so I was the jack of all trades. You you really are. So hey, look, what we're about to get into now is another amazing thing that you do. So I was doing some scrolling right on your Instagram, and I saw a wonderful video. One of your students. raised a substantial amount of money for his film. Yes. And it was all because of you and your classes. So I just want to know how great did that make you feel? And please elaborate on these amazing classes, please. speaker-1: So I am the founder of Elevate Creative Talents and I run a program, The Insider Pathway. So it's basically a program where I teach you how to take your project, your idea, from idea all the way to raising the money and and getting your movie on the big screen or selling your TV show somewhere. I teach you, I show you how to do that and I show you how to wear a lot of hats. Cause you say Jack of all trades. I just wear a lot of hats, you know, writer, director, producer, because I am I am a fan of Issa Rae. And Issa Rae said a long time ago, we all gotta wear a lot of hats. And really everybody's been saying it for a long time. I just took it to heart. And so I started teaching people this is how you wear a lot of hats. This is how you get behind the curtain to understand what's going on in this business. And I Larry, who you're talking about, my student Larry, raised a half a million dollars after taking my program. First of all, I was shocked. I was shocked, but so excited because Well, I I I I have my free class, which is called Insider Secrets, and we'll we'll we'll give them a link so they can we can watch that class for free. It's a free training. And it's the first step of kind of I break it down for people and I call it Insider Secrets because Hollywood likes to keep information online. And I believe in telling you the information because you it's hard to succeed no matter what, but if you got one arm tied behind your back and you're blindfolded. you you you don't have a chance. So my goal is to is to take the blindfold off, get your arms free, so you can so you can see it. So you can see it, you can see all the things and and then I create a support system. We got a community, my Hollywood Insiders, where I can help you go step by step, or me and the community, help you go through this whole process. 'Cause it's hard, it's lonely, it it'll burn you out. It's all the things. So I'm trying to I'm trying to help your mind and your well being. Because I know our I've been doing this three decades. Wow. This this town will chew you up, spit you out, and step over you. Okay. So I wanted to create a space where artists could come in, expand in the ways they need to expand and be lifted up and be empowered so that you can go out there and slay the dragon. Because being an artist is a revolutionary act. Right? It it it is it is the most powerful thing we can do. And if you're called to be an artist, Then then you must tell your stories. So when my when when I ran into Larry and he's telling me about this half a million dollars, I almost started crying. I was shocked because it's the dream, because I can only do so much as one person. But if I can teach a hundred people how to do this, how to level up, how to tell your stories, that's when you start to have change. So for me, it was like I had chills. I just That's that's everything in my life. A funny story because as I was doing my movie, and it's my movie and I'm excited about my movie, my, my, my, da-da-da. And you know, and I'm loving it and I'm having a good time. And in post production, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. and and I remember right? So you're living your dream, da-da-da-da-da. And you get a cancer diagnosis, and I was like, it just everything just shifted. Where you never think about your mortality. who does? speaker-0: All right. speaker-1: Who thinks about that? Yeah. And then all of a sudden I started to realize like I want to make sure I leave something behind that's bigger than me. speaker-0: Gotcha. speaker-1: And that's when and so that was really the inspiration. There were two things. It was one kind of coming to terms with my own my own personal limitations, and two Going through the process of summer of violence, trying to sell the internationally and all the walls and all the all the things that we ran into, all the isms. Sure. I don't really want to get into it because it doesn't it really isn't relevant. It just is. So all the isms that we went through to get to where we are today, internationally available. And I looked back and I was like, you know what? It does not have to be this hard. I am going to break this down and and and make this path clear for people so that more of us can get there because it's not just about my movie. It's just not. Right. it's about all of us telling those stories. Yeah. speaker-0: Yes, yes, yes. it's so speaker-1: I feel like I just was like on my little soapbox. speaker-0: No, no. Hey, that's what we want. That's what we do here at the Winning Culture Podcast. speaker-1: But that's that's because it's why I do it. It's why I do it even though I still have I mean, I got my show now, which is we're so excited to be on the air and working. Congratulations. But I still run the program because Yeah, but I still run the program because it's never it's can never be just about me. My success is never gonna be enough. I need a whole lot of people to be successful. and and my key thing too is monetary success. I'm really looking to see How can we help artists go from surviving to thriving? So the way things are happening right now with the Paramount Warner Brothers merger, the town is shrinking, the jobs are shrinking, your ability to negotiate is shrinking. And at the same time, you've got social media exploding where there's a and that's a real opportunity for us to take advantage and build in ways that we never really could before. So I'm kinda all about how can we shift our thinking to monetization, to revenue, as opposed to, you know, pick me, pick me, pick my script and give me my money. It's like, let's figure out a way to you go get your shit. How about that? You know? And and what are the ways to do that? And that's really what I am leaning into because I think that this studio system is is really tough for inde independence. Really, really, really tough. And if you look at the success of of films like Iron Lung and and Backrooms, which was kind of birthed on YouTube and even Obsession, another YouTuber, there's just so you you look at people doing their skits. Drewski YouTuber. yeah. Right. I was just reading about that. That I didn't even know that. I didn't I was like, 'cause apparently there's some article I just read about how every studio had passed and turned him down and he couldn't get anywhere and he started doing it on YouTube and then found his audience. And we and but that requires a different kind of thinking for artists. And that's really what I teach. It's like let's shift. We need to shift. It's a pivot. It's time to pivot, baby. And that's what I'm all about. speaker-0: Well, Nikki, we are so thankful for you. Trust me, we are. You've you've done so many great things in this industry. And me myself, I feel like you're you are an icon in this industry. One hundred percent. speaker-1: my god. speaker-0: You're an icon. Thank you. You are very welcome. And I wanted to ask you this because you're full of knowledge. I mean, you you know you you're so resourceful. You I mean you just helped the student raise half a million dollars for his film. So I gotta ask you where if anybody wants to, you know, tap into the classes with you and you know just just be a part of that, how could they? How could they do that? speaker-1: Yeah. Elevate I'm gonna tell you, you can just go to my website, elevate creative talents dot com. Or on my Instagram, there's my it's in my Lincoln bio. Like I got my free class there. You wanna learn about vertical dramas, everything's in my Lincoln bio. So whatever's easiest. My website, elevate creative talents dot com, or my Instagram, whichever. speaker-0: Y'all go? speaker-1: and my Instagram is is Nikki Me Show. speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. So with that being said, I wanted to ask you this. this is our last topic of the night. so speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: if any aspiring actors, producers, writers, you know, directors, if they want to get into the film business, what advice would you give them? What what what would Nikki Machot say to them? speaker-1: I would say pick up your phone and start filming something. Whatever instead of going online and ripping up somebody's performance or film, make yours. And I don't mean make a whole film on your phone, you could, but you start with like a short. Write five pages and go shoot it in your backyard, in your garage, around your house, in your neighborhood, at the park, whatever. Go shoot something. I would say pick up your phone, start shooting. I would say read all the trades. If you don't definitely follow me because I'm always talking about what's going on in the trades to try to help you understand how it's about, how it impacts you. So definitely, you know, my newsletter, you know, my link in bio, you can get my newsletter and stay kind of up to date on how it what it is for us. But, you know, just start. You know, and find your tribe too, because you this is not something you can do by yourself. This is a this is a a dream of people. coming together to make something bigger than themselves. So get your phone, get your friends and go. speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. Hey, y'all heard it? speaker-1: And I'll say one more thing. I'll say one more thing too. speaker-0: Go ahead, no problem. speaker-1: Don't don't worry about how hard it is. Everything is hard. Anything worth having is hard. So you can just take that word out of your vocabulary, call it a challenge, and you get to rise to the occasion. speaker-0: Wonderful. my goodness. That is some great information. Hey, our listeners, you guys, y'all getting the best information from one of the best. So take it in, apply it, and please run with it. For sure. For sure. And Nikki, I wanted to ask you so if anybody wants to follow you or anything at this time that you just want to mention. to the universe about what's coming from you, what we can look forward to, please feel free to mention. speaker-1: Yeah, please guys follow me at Nikki Me Show on Instagram, on YouTube, on TikTok. TikTok is at the real Nikki Me Show. I'm still on Facebook. I'm all the places. But you know, come and follow me and definitely join the newsletter. And I read everything. So if you reply to my newsletter, I read it. So that's the best way to get in touch with me if you have anything you want to share. And come to my classes when I do them live. Like come through, tap in. I got you. It's fun. speaker-0: Wonderful, wonderful. Nikki, thank you so much for coming onto the Win and Culture Podcast and blessing us tonight with your presence. Great information. Thank you. You're very welcome. You're very welcome, Nikki. So glad to have you. So everybody, that's Nikki Michael, actress, producer, writer, director, all of the above. Thank y'all so much. And we're signing out for the day. End the night. Thank y'all.