Nicole Lenora has been in the industry for over 20 years starting out as a fashion model and red carpet host before getting her Master’s in filmmaking from Kingston University, London and founding Retrofit Media. She has written and produced several shorts, luxury commercials and independent films. Her most recent documentary, “The Original Influencer” about the LA punk scene is in post-production.

How many years have you been a judge?

1-3 years

What excited you about judging for the Telly Awards?

I’m always excited to see up and coming filmmakers and creatives express themselves through commercials and content. It’s exciting to see how others tackle the same directives of a client brief and make it their own through engaging video.

What do you look for to determine excellence in video?

Witty, surprise hooks paired with stunning visuals always equals a winner for me.

What are your current roles and responsibilities and what do you love most about your job?

I run a boutique film and marketing commercial agency and my days typically include client calls, writing and producing video content, and tracking progress. I love my job because every day is different and I get to trial my latest ideas on client briefs to deliver wow results.

Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?

Make sure to give your self time to wonder. Go outside and take a walk. Go to a pumpkin patch. Check out that farmer’s market. Buy some flowers for your kitchen table… Being connected to wonderment and allowing yourself to explore is the seed to all creativity.

What inspired you to pursue your career path?

I started out in the industry as a fashion model and then became a red carpet host and entertainment journalist. I loved working both of those jobs full-time but I wanted to take my writing to the next level and decided to pursue film. After seeing my characters come to life on the big screen with the help of a huge cast and crew all following one vision was when I became hooked and fell in love with the process, comeraderie and artistry that is filmmaking and I never turned back.