Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Earl.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Well, my story starts in Flint, Michigan. Before the water crisis, all the national attention, and Little Miss Flint or Jaden Smith, Flint has been a small working-class city. The majority of my family has been employed by General Motors, save for my mom and uncle. I’ve been an artist from a young age, drawing religiously (usually to impress my mom) and always having this obsession to be some Walt Disney/Picasso hybrid. Years later, after moving to San Diego, I lived a childhood dream of attending the University of Southern California. After being introduced to the world of cinematic arts, I left behind pursuits in animation for ambitions as a filmmaker-writer/director to be exact.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I can’t think of a good story without some obstacles, and I guess I’m no exception. When I was ten years old, my mother passed away after a three year battle with lung cancer (she was not a smoker). From there, I bounced between my grandparents and my great-grandparents for about a year before moving in with my uncle and aunt. Due to a strained relationship between aunt and my siblings and I, plus issues with commutes, this living situation fell through.
I moved in with my great-aunt and stayed in Flint, for two years, while my sister finished high school. My grandpa passed away shortly after my sister’s graduation, leaving me and younger brother with no choice but to move back to San Diego with my great-aunt. Although my relationship with my great-aunt wasn’t the best once we moved, life worked itself out and we’re on much better terms today.
“God don’t ever give me nothin’ I can’t handle”. – Kanye West
Please tell us about Duke Entertainment.
Duke Entertainment is a small, independent production company that I started in order to own parts or the entirety of my content as my career grows. I want to use the company to ensure that I’m always making the most money I can off of the content I create and that I have the most creative control possible.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
It was not too long before my mom had passed away. She hadn’t been feeling great for a few days but I remember she woke up one day feeling a bit better and wanted or had to run some errands. I don’t really remember where my brother or sister were but I was the only one around to tag along. It was really just a day at the mall but I was just really happy to see my mom was feeling better and I could never get enough of her, so I enjoyed being around her. I think it was the first (and really the last) time in a while I got to spend with her without having to worry about school or her work or chemo or even my siblings. It was just me and my mom.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dukeofhollywood_/?hl=en
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/duke.entertainment/?hl=en
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