Small Talk with Director Nikolas Meyberg
Welcome to CINQ's 'Small Talk', an interview series spotlighting directors, DOPs, and other talented crew. In this instalment, we hear from director Nikolas Meyberg on his first experience with filmmaking, his thoughts on AI, and whether he prefers Friends or The Simpsons…
Q> What was your first experience with filmmaking?
Nikolas> Filming a documentary about my pet rabbits and creating action movies with my friends using my father's miniDV camcorder. I constantly pushed myself to make each project more special. I learned editing techniques, added muzzle flashes, designed sound effects, and immersed myself in storytelling. I loved diving into another world and bringing stories to life.
Q> Are you from Berlin? Is there anything that surprises you there?
Nikolas> Originally, I'm from Ludwigsburg, a town near Stuttgart, the birthplace of the automobile. In 2019, I moved to Berlin and fell in love with its artistic vibes, diverse cultures, and constant activity. There's always something exciting happening here.
Q> Is AI somehow helpful in your business?
Nikolas> So far, it has been quite useful, helping me generate moods, images and texts for pre-production and post-production purposes. For example, I love the AI tools in DaVinci Resolve and Photoshop, as well as the ability to enhance poor audio recordings. I'm looking forward to trying OpenAI's Sora and its alternatives.
Q> Are you scared of AI?
Nikolas> I am, and always have been, a huge technology and sci-fi fan. I love seeing things I dreamed about as a kid finally becoming reality, which is pretty cool. I'm sure we can't even imagine what it will be capable of within the next two years. However, I'm a afraid that one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with the industry - travelling, getting to know new people and cultures, the adrenaline of live-action shoots, chasing a sports car in a camera car over a race track, talking to actors, or shooting with different crews worldwide - might become irrelevant. I'm also aware of the dangers AI brings, but I'm positive about the opportunities it will offer. Let's just hope humanity doesn't doom itself with it one day 😉
Q> You mostly work on automotive projects. Are you also fast and furious?
Nikolas> It totally depends. I love driving fast and exotic cars, and my FANATEC sim racing rig keeps that excitement alive at all times. But most of the time, I simply enjoy cruising around in my Mustang. However, there are moments - just sometimes - when I'm all alone, the road is empty, and I roll down the windows, let the roar of the Borla exhaust fill the air, and burn some rubber. It's those exhilarating, heart-pounding moments that remind me why I fell in love with cars in the first place.
Q> Friends or The Simpsons?
Nikolas> Definitely The Simpsons! No fake background laughing needed; the humour speaks for itself!
Q> Were you nervous during your cooperation with Linkin Park or Lewis Hamilton?
Nikolas> Nervous? Maybe a tad. But mostly, I was bubbling over with excitement. The whole collaboration with Linkin Park started when a colleague and I, both huge fans of their music, decided to use one of their tracks for an edit of an AMG commercial. The client loved it and gave us the green light. After another successful use of their songs by Mercedes-AMG, the partnership blossomed. Being the catalyst for this ongoing collaboration and finally meeting them in Los Angeles was an unforgettable experience. I even brought some vinyl records with me and got them signed.
Q> What is the difference between the German market and the US market?
In US productions, everything is big – from the crew size to the number of vans and catering trucks, and of course, the budgets. There are experts for every job, and they're all really experienced. You often find people who just worked on big movies like Interstellar or Fast & Furious. But sometimes, it's nice to work with a small team in Germany. It feels more close-knit and efficient. With fewer people, there's more freedom to be creative and work closely together.
Q> Do you have any big plans for the future?
One of my biggest dreams is to blend movies and games. I strongly believe that in the future, these two entertainment forms will blend seamlessly, distinguished primarily by the level of interaction they offer. Think about a world where you can smoothly go from just watching a story on your couch to actually being part of it, making decisions that change what happens. For example, you could download a young Brad Pitt DLC and then change how characters and visuals look to fit what you like. Maybe you want to adjust colours if you're colourblind or change other things to make the experience more fitting for you.
Currently, I'm in the process of writing a screenplay. Who knows? Perhaps one day, it will transform into a movie, a TV show, or something completely new that we haven't even thought of yet.
