Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Shipley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I came to LA fifteen years ago to pursue a career in acting. During my time auditioning, networking, and working on set, I experienced firsthand the negative ways in which many women in our industry are treated. I felt a deep desire to make a shift – one that allowed me to expand my contribution to the entertainment industry while also holding more power than I did as an actress. This began by producing YouTube videos, which led to producing indie films, and eventually, I had my breakout producing moment for the Golden Globe-nominated film A Private War (2018). Shortly thereafter, I Executive Produced The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). My experience working on these two films unlocked for me the love of working on projects with a social impact. It became my mission to follow this journey, so I co-founded an impact media company called Safe Space Pictures with my longtime friend and producing partner, Jeff Sobrato. I am so proud of our company and look forward to seeing where we go from here!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey has been full of struggles and the beauty in that is that it fuels me to keep moving forward and makes the wins so much more rewarding. As an actress, I came to realize that I didn’t have a seat at the table to promote real change. It was a struggle, and I felt powerless. Making that shift from acting to producing felt like a real pivot for me, and the momentum I’ve had producing has grown very quickly. I believe that when the Universe gives energy to something in your life, and it feels like things are “easy” or “falling into place” that’s how it should be. Tap into it and ride that wave. The road is constantly changing. As of right now, the market for independent filmmaking is not where it should be or used to be.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the co-founder and CEO of Safe Space Pictures and could not be more proud. Our small company is only a few years old and has already made waves in the film and social impact arena. Battleground, Safe Space’s debut documentary, was an urgent and timely window into the intersection of abortion and politics in America. The film premiered at Tribeca 2022, right before Roe v Wade was overturned. I think it’s important to tap into social change movements right as the seeds are being sown and use film as a tool to shine light on those issues. Battleground was followed by a prison reform project called The 50, where we did significant work expanding an offender mentorship program across multiple California prisons. Our debut narrative feature, Fairyland, which premiered at Sundance 2023, is based on a beautiful memoir about a girl being raised by her single gay father in 1970s San Francisco. We have so many meaningful projects come our way. Our goal at Safe Space is to give resources to underrepresented filmmakers who are passionate about telling their stories.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I met Robin Williams when I was about 7 years old on a trip with some friends and family in Italy. We were so excited to see him eating at our restaurant, but our parents wouldn’t allow us to bother him. I snuck out from underneath the table and ran over to him and his family- (which was terrible), but he was so sweet. The manager came to pull me away, but Robin promised to come and find me before they left. About half an hour later, the manager came to grab me and my cousins and brought us to the alley behind the restaurant. Robin was waiting and proceeded to do impersonations from all his most famous characters, including the genie, Aladdin had just come out. It was an unforgettable experience. He took pictures with us and really gave us his undivided attention for almost 20 minutes. Core memory :).
Contact Info:
- Website: safespace.pictures
- Instagram: @shipleynicole
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-shipley-6408195a/
Image Credits
Richard Korman
