Directing Duo Nutmeg on the Adventures that Enriched Their Creative Vault
Nutmeg is the directorial duo formed by childhood friends Andres O’Beirne and Loucas Tsilas, now represented by New York production company SLMBR PRTY. They’ve spent a decade together as filmmakers, as well as working on social campaigns and leading direct-to-brand collaborations through their creative studio ALTO Visuals. But their friendship goes further back, unknowingly meeting for the first time on the tennis court as children, and later reuniting on the football pitch.
“Hence ‘Nutmeg’,” explains Andres. “Loucas and I would keep a tally of how many times we could nutmeg each other. The lengths of this game would get pretty ridiculous, and ‘Nutmeg’ sums up our friendship, competitiveness, and never-ending process of keeping each other sharp.” Off the pitch, they also shared interests in skiing, photography, biking and general outdoorsy activities - which eventually became the subjects of their early filmmaking experiments.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest in immigrant families, Loucas says the duo are “fortunate to have a kaleidoscopic worldview”. Having spent significant time in their parents' home countries - Colombia and Ireland for Andres, Greece and Brazil for Loucas - they’ve been exposed to many cultures, traditions, and perspectives, and learnt the similarities and differences between them. “As we rotate our kaleidoscope, the cultures, stories and adventures merge in various ways, creating a multi-coloured image that shapes who we are, which in return enriches our creative vault.”
“We‘ve always related to these grand perspectives of the world,” adds Andres, “and our work naturally unfolds into an expression of this combined POV.”
Rooted in a can-do attitude and entrepreneurial spirit, Nutmeg truly started with creative passion projects back in high school, using their creativity to fund their summer travels and equipment purchases. This led to them starting Alto Visuals, a way to brand themselves, build a following, and do business.
“I recall when Andres and I put together a presentation deck to persuade our parents to let us miss school for a few days and head to Los Angeles for a project. It’s quite comical what we did when we were younger, but thankfully our parents gave us free rein to explore our passions despite having no idea how to support us. For this, I will forever be grateful to them.”
The pair took it to the next level by enrolling in Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where they learnt the ins and outs of filmmaking. “Our experience at Chapman revealed the pinnacle of the craft, its masters, and the processes that support great work,” says Andres. “Surrounded by other young and hungry filmmakers, we strengthened our senses of building, leading and executing a project with a passionate crew. We further developed our strong DIY approach to filmmaking and a deep sense of narrative storytelling.”
Just months after graduating in 2021 came a project for Trek Bicycles that would act as a catalyst for the duo’s career. With access to the biggest budget they had ever worked with, they used specialised equipment like pursuit vehicles and FPV drones, conducted ITC road closures, and generally had fun as directors to capture some thrilling, dynamic footage. “Creatively, the project was a dream come true and the experience solidified our confidence to tackle any opportunity that came our way,” says Loucas.
Even while doing lots of lifestyle shoots today, Andres says the pair still always tries to add a playful flair and unique POVs into their work. Describing the style as “candid, adventurous and vivid”, they’re open to using anything, from GoPros to iPhones, VHS camcorders and Super 8s to achieve it.
Nutmeg are also still drawn to the great outdoors, naturally chasing “type-two fun” and “character building” situations. “In our youth, this meant exploring the outdoors, whether biking, skiing or hiking,” explains Loucas. “Now, it means doing that but also making films. This is the ideal zone for personal and creative growth, and it often bonds us closer to each other and our crew. We’ve been dripping in sweat, lugging gear up mountains, and freezing our hands off, waiting for the perfect shot. These adventures and experiences make it that much more worthwhile.”
First honing their skills in the Pacific Northwest, a lot of their early work involved vivid, natural backdrops that spoke for themselves. From Washington’s snowy locales - be it Mount Rainier or Snoqualmie Pass - to more recent adventures in Malibu or on the luscious Hawaiian island of Kauai, they’ve developed a specialty along the way for setting up scenes that let the action unfold naturally, even in challenging landscapes. “The outdoors always puts our creativity and crews to the test,” says Andres. “Those early projects always required a big physical lift from the production team.”
It’s for this reason that Nutmeg often features younger Gen Z talent in their projects. They mirror the directors’ own energy and aspirations, helping them relate and engage with younger audiences. “Ultimately, we're committed to producing the kind of vibrant, engaging work that we, too, would want to watch,” says Loucas.
“Like our latest work, ‘Explore Without Limits’ for Scout Campers,” adds Andres. “A lot of our work has this high-paced energy and quick cuts that work well for lifestyle work, but we wanted to try something that allowed the scenes to unfold on screen for longer.”
Keen to avoid the typical compositions that get overused in automotive work, the pair explored new, creative ways of showing the epic scenery and interior shots of the camper in a way that also supported the narrative and product-sell. “What resulted were some of my favourite shots we’ve ever captured, alongside DP Mason Prendergast,” says Andres, “where we positioned the viewer as a fly on the wall, like in our opening shot, or [in] the ones looking through the camper’s window.”
After a decade of working together, Nutmeg are as collaborative as ever, but have also developed their individual strengths to prepare and work more efficiently on set. Loucas is the brain behind the writing, working with the camera crew and dotting every i on prep materials. Meanwhile, Andres provides the structure to their creative prep, working closely with the talent and art department on set, and assembling a first cut in the edit.
“Together, our attention is always on leading our crew and providing them with all the prep direction we can to set us all up for success,” shares Andres. “Every project, we learn something new. We interchange, yes, but we also lean into our rhythms and strengths!”
And the duo seem to have found their rhythm together in 2024 after joining SLMBR PRTY - “a significant milestone in our directorial journey,” says Loucas. “Their seasoned presence in the industry opens new avenues for us to create impactful work. We are excited to see how this next chapter will unfold.”
For Loucas, this next chapter is being written with a focus on creating more treatments, hoping to bid on more projects with work that expresses who they are. And for Andres, his sights are set on a story with an international production scope. “This is something we’re already working on! We are in creative development for a project that’s slated to shoot in Tokyo this August.”
Reflecting on their creative partnership and friendship so far, Loucas recalls an analogy he learnt from his directorial counterpart, handed down originally by Andres’ father. “This ‘dance floor and balcony’ metaphor describes the need to engage directly in activities, while also stepping back to observe and strategise from a broader perspective,” he explains.
“Over the years, we’ve learned how to be hands-on with our projects - really getting into the thick of things together and enjoying every step of the dance. But we also know when to pull back, look at the broader trends, and strategise accordingly from the balcony. This dance between being in the weeds and taking a bird's-eye view has really powered our success and kept our partnership strong.”
Finding it difficult to put all the deep lessons shared between the two over the years into words, Andres adds, “I talk to and spend more time with Loucas than anyone else in my life, haha! But a couple of years ago, we realised that we always have a choice to approach and reflect on any challenge or circumstance as an opportunity for growth. This beginner's mind and positive outlook is something we commit to daily, whether it be directing on set, adventuring in the outdoors, or running a creative studio. And when you truly feel like everything has potential, it does!”
