Nick LaRovere | Filmmaker & Cinematographer

Holy cow! It took way too long, but the juggling of life priorities and my great dislike of sitting at a chair for hours to study got in the way of me getting my Part 107 drone license. Well, I finally did it. 88% on the first try. So, I'm glad to finally announce that I am officially available for commercial flying of drones. I have 5 years experience flying drones and own a Mavic 4 Pro kit as well as an Air 2. (Both for rent as well) If you have any aerial photo or video needs, including real estate, let me know. Thanks to my wife Elizabeth for motivating me and being an inspiration to become better every day!

Just a little tease.... I'm working on my latest cinematography reel. Sometimes it gets neglected. This year, I wanted to wait until a few particular projects were complete before I cut the new reel because they added so much material I could use in my reel. I always aim for about 90 seconds, starting with some of my best, most impactful work to hook the viewer. I try to keep the pace moving, showing a variety of styles/projects, while also showing a couple shots from the same scene so the viewer can see the consistency between shots and how well they tie together. I was inspired to update my reel due to the upcoming workshop I'm hosting, taught by cinematography Jayson Crothers. The workshop, "Reel Realities", is Sep. 13th in the morning. Sign up at the link in my bio. @jaycrodop #cinematography #filmmaking #freelance #filmlighting

I've had the opportunity to work on some awesome projects and wanted to share some of my favorite images from some of those projects. I was the cinematographer for all of these projects - but what you see is definitely the culmination of a lot of hard work from a whole team of people. I enjoyed every one of these shoots, and I learn more every time I step on set. I've only been back home a few short months, but I'm glad to be home and creating amazing things with all of my filmmaking friends around Arizona and abroad! I've got some awesome projects in the works for 2025 and can't wait to help those filmmakers bring their vision to life. That being said, I do have some availability, so if you have a project in the works and need a cinematographer, hit me up and let's chat. I can usually make something work with just about anyone. I travel for work. LA, ABQ, LV, and southwest generally are very easy to get to. Features projects by @a.chaffon @upland_band @david_estrada_suarez @amber_mbah @tonycsilvadirector Nick Crowder, and myself. Features talent such as @marian.valentino @joseph_mbah @dianakindra seandillinghamactor #cinematographer #filmmaking #gofilmaz #filminaz #indiefilm #musicvideodirector

One thing I’ve learned over time - don’t judge a location by how it looks when you visit. What matters is how it will look when you shoot. Light changes throughout the day, and that shift can completely affect your image and how you approach lighting, allocating resources, and shooting your scene. If you don’t plan for it, you end up adjusting on the spot and maybe getting less than ideal results. You’ll be kicking yourself, and the shoot schedule could be impacted as well. As part of my scouts as a DP, I always check sun position while on location using PhotoPills or SunSeeker. If you can’t do an in-person scout, a site like [app.shadowmap.org]() is very useful. It doesn’t take long, but it makes a big difference. Being prepared just makes everything smoother. It makes your work better and saves pain, frustration, and time / money.

Worked as gaffer on a Crocs ad a little while back. Had great collaboration with the DP as we adapted to real-world conditions on location, problem solving around to get as close to his vision as possible. Originally the ad was meant to be filmed at a location without any barrier between the front lobby and the back of the salon, which would have given us open access from the front windows to blast gobs of light into the salon. However, there was a wall between reception and the back so we had to shift our plans. Overall really happy with how things turned out. I think it has a great, warm and sunlit look, with a distinct style. Big thanks to @thebrothersmitchell for the opportunity. Gear provided by Eclipse Rentals @eclipsefilmsupply

Get your customized actor T markers! Thanks @reddlegendmedia for grabbing a set of these. Now your clients will think you're even cooler. DM me for orders! $25 for 6 with your name or logo!

Exhibiting at the National Agri-Marketing Association conference today and tomorrow!

DM me to get cool customers T markers. Cheaper than the ones you can order online. Plus, mine includes a keyring, which is cooler.

This was a fun music video shoot… sometimes simple works so well. This music video was for artist @Barcenilla Super talented guy. Great voice. I did a series of music videos with him where we only gave ourselves a few hours per video - just me and him. This video only used 3 lights - an Aputure Nova 300c and two 150w Arri fresnels - plus a beautiful Arizona sunset outside. If you’re working on a project and want visuals that compliment your music, let’s connect.

It’s always interesting learning about others’ professions and what goes into them. It really makes me appreciate them more. Another fun part about video production is I often work with people who are very passionate about their craft. Such is the case with Nate Farley, co-owner of Renew Full Arch Lab, who has been a great client of mine. I spent a few hours with him recording a surgery procedure for him to share with his clients (dentists) as a way to make their lives easier.

7 truths people don’t tell you about freelancing: 1. You are running a business - get comfortable with the fact you are your own sales and marketing departments. 2. There can be big ups and downs. We call those peaks and valleys, or busy and slow season. Plan to endure these slow seasons by marketing and networking even when you are busy so you line up work. Also make sure you have a good emergency fun to hold you over. 3. You probably won’t work very many days compared to normal people. But to be successful, off-set days should be spent connecting with people to book future work. This won’t ever stop, but in the beginning it will be more intense. 4. Being unreliable is a death knell for you ever being hired again by someone. Trust me, I’ve been there. I’ve made my share of mistakes when I was starting. Being very late or (God forbid) a no-show (ever sleep through an alarm?) will severely damage trust with a producer or boss, especially if they were counting on you for something critical. 5. Good communication and a good attitude will get you re-hired. People can learn skills. It’s nigh impossible to teach work ethic or attitude. Don’t be a whiner. Whiners don’t often get rehired. 6. You will work for free or very cheap for a while. Don’t expect to start rolling in the big bucks for a while. As you gain experience and portfolio, you should be raising your rate up to the standard over time. Working free or cheap, getting on a ton of sets, immersing yourself and doing a little bit of everything are fantastic ways to get real-world experience and build connections for future paid work. 7. People don’t hire the most talented people. They hire the people that get the job done, every time. Talent will only get you so far. Hard work, good attitude, communication, and reliability will get you the rest of the way.

What do you think?