Join me and Nainoa for an epic conversation as we dive into his journey from working a job that didn’t align with his purpose to becoming one of the first to walk the path of a travel filmmaker. Nainoa has toured with Illenium, created films for global brands like Hublot and Corona, got his start with Beautiful Destinations in NYC, and even won an Emmy alongside Sam Potter. His career has taken him around the world, collaborating with well-known tourism boards and pushing creative boundaries.
We explore the mindset behind his filmmaking, the role of collaboration in his journey, and how he balances multiple passions—filmmaking, music production, jiu-jitsu, and surfing.
In the second half, Nainoa breaks down the magic behind Layers, his passion project video series featuring three-minute films on extraordinary people. He unpacks the ideas, inspirations, and themes that connect his creative work.
This episode is all about putting passion projects into the world, balancing creativity and lifestyle, and trusting that dreams happen when you take the first step.
Topics Covered in this Episode:
Transitioning from misaligned work to creative storytelling
Collaborating with global brands and winning an Emmy
Balancing filmmaking, music, jiu-jitsu, and surfing
The inspiration and process behind the Layers series
Embracing patience and trusting the creative journey00:00 - Intro to Time Capsule
02:48 - The 3-Bookmarks Question
07:58 - The GoPro Era of Filmmaking
11:34 - The NYC & Beautiful Destinations Chapter
15:25 - Filmmaking Friendship with Sam Potter
17:19 - Winning an Emmy with Sam Potter
21:57 - Why is Collaboration Important?
26:42 - Making Films for Illenium on Tour
32:20 - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu & Chess
37:32 - Balancing Multiple Passions
42:24 - Nainoa's Passion Project: Layers Film Series
45:32 - Connecting 'Follow Your Stoke' to Layers
49:30 - Recap of all Layers Films
50:43 - Analyzing the Jiu-Jitsu Film
56:07 - Analyzing the Cliff Jumping Film
01:00:00 - Analyzing the Mural Artist Film
01:11:09 - What Artists Need to Hear Right Now
01:12:39 - The Future of Layers
01:18:15 - Advice for People About Passion Projects
01:20:27 - The Time Capsule Question
01:22:50 - Final Words by Nainoa
01:23:22 - Outro to Timecapsule
Instagram: @nainoalanger
Youtube: youtube.com/@NainoaLanger
Website: nainoalanger.com
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YouTube: youtube.com/@AnthonyDo
Website: anthonydo.com