Dust

Growing up near Madison, Wisconsin, Michael Nie and his brother would spend hours telling stories with action figures and a video camera found under the Christmas tree.  Little did Michael know he had started down the path of becoming a visual storyteller.

Graduating from home movies, the University of Wisconsin (UW) proved a valuable training ground. His work on student films allowed Michael to experiment and grow. He quickly realized that in choosing a career in cinematography, he was in for a lifetime of learning. This was a dream worth chasing.

A significant evolution came when Michael moved west and began spending time on professional sets in Los Angeles. Gaffer Michael Bauman, a fellow UW alum, was instrumental in helping the young cinematographer get started. Immersed in a variety of work environments from feature films and commercials to episodic television and music videos, Nie gleaned what he could from talented cinematographers and their union crews.  In 2004, Michael first worked with Mauro Fiore, ASC, who remains a source of inspiration for Michael’s work and a good friend. Mauro has taught Michael the importance of striking a balance between a career as a camera operator and as student of life. In 2006, Michael joined the International Cinematographers Guild.

As a cinematographer today, Michael strives to tell stories that are both visually compelling and emotionally accessible. He has an affinity for strong character pieces and believs that, “the most rewarding work is that which offers a fresh perspective on the world and challenges the human condition.” Michael continues to adapt and grow from his experiences in life, as he continues on his journey as a cinematographer.

The story of Dust is that of a socially marginalized tracker who joins a black-market merchant in an effort to save the industrial society that has rejected his way of life. The project is another chapter in Michael Nie’s ever-evolving body of work. Like any film, it was not without its challenges, chief of which was working with limited resources, including a cast and crew of only a dozen, on a remote island halfway across the world.  A typhoon rolled in two days before shooting began, but could not thwart the passion for this project that director Michael Grier had been developing for years. Dust may be a short film just shy of 30 minutes in length, but from inception to completion, it is a journey that some have been on for nearly ten years.

Michael Nie considers himself fortunate to have been a part of that journey. From his family in the Midwest who has shown nothing but unending support, to the friends that he has made along the way, Michael has been truly blessed. A recipient of an ECA in 2011, Michael is always looking forward to his next challenge and visual story to tell.