Artist Spotlight: Nyri Yaghoobian
She's a filmmaker, screenwriter, and photographer
I’ve known Nyri since high school, we first met in freshman P.E. I remember laughing and being entertained, always looking forward to chatting after our sophomore English class and on Facebook messages. We stayed in loose contact after graduating, and when the pandemic hit, we became much closer. We bonded over watching movies, following Chloe Ting workout videos, and going on beach picnics.
Knowing someone in a personal way is different than knowing them in a creative way. We’ve had opportunities to collaborate—I’ve modeled for her photography ideas and she’s helped me with videography for social media content for an apothecary shop we both worked at. But I’d never really asked her about her interest in film and movies.
Let’s get a deeper dive into the motivations of Nyri as a filmmaker, screenwriter, and photographer.
How do you define your art and yourself as an artist?
I’d say my art is unpredictable. I don’t even know where it goes half the time, but that’s the journey of it. I think specifically for me, expressing myself isn’t my strong suit. So I like to use art as a form of expression, it varies based on how I’m feeling and what I want to create. I’m more of an observer in life and I keep my emotions to myself a lot of times. But I do find that whether it be films, photography, scriptwriting, whatever it is, creating is a good release of the feelings I haven’t expressed.
Do you prefer one art expression over the other?
Film.
What about making films do you enjoy?
Definitely the conceptualization of a project, directing, and editing. I think the process of it having your vision and bringing it to fruition. When you have an idea and have the ability to create it and the satisfaction of bringing it to life. All aspects!
So you consider yourself a storyteller?
Yes.
Is it your story you want to tell through your art? Or concepts?
Depends on the project. Photography can be concepts that I’m intrigued by. For scripts and films, there’s definitely a subjective view of things. It’s often I hear “write what you know.” I think everyone can relate to having experienced things that are unique situations that could help others in some way.
Do you call what you make “art” or something else?
I usually call them projects. It depends on my mood.
Is there a certain mood that gets you most inspired?
I think that I get a lot of my muse from getting in the midst of an emotion. I have a system where I freewrite when I’m angry, sad, heartbroken, or happy. Like a brain dump. Then when I’m in a space where I’m a little more relaxed or in a balanced mindset, I go back and take those raw emotions and I put it together.
Who do you make your art for initially?
Me. It’s for myself. That’s why it’s hard to put it out sometimes. Vulnerability and putting yourself out there, it’s scary. It can be overwhelming because you start to focus more on what others will think rather than the reason you first made the art.
Do you think about an audience when envisioning the stories you want to tell?
All are welcome! I can’t even grasp the concept of others viewing my work.
Do you only make art for yourself? Or do you eventually want to share it on a grander scale?
It’s hard to have a spotlight on me because I’m such an observer. Turning that lens back on myself and being the subject is difficult for me. I want to be in a place where I’m making artwork, that’s the recognition I want. I just want to follow through and make the ideas that are in my head. That will satisfy me. And hopefully my art will evolve over time.
When did your desire to create begin?
Ever since I was little, I was always creating visual stories in my head. And I think that’s where the fascination of storytelling began. I spent a lot of my childhood alone, so movies were kind of like an escape and comfort so I kind of got drawn into that.
What sparked a personal interest in making your own films and taking photographs?
Photography came during Covid, but I was more interested in creating movie stills, like moments that would be captured in a movie. I remember I was in fourth grade and I took my grandmother to Best Buy. I begged her to buy me American History X— it’s dark subject matter, especially for a fourth grader. I was drawn by the storytelling of someone who started off as a hateful Nazi and undoing the hate that he was brainwashed with. He befriended a person of color and it showed him the hate he carried. It’s storytelling of human emotions, how we feel something, even hate. It was impactful storytelling. I don’t even remember how I found out about the movie, I think I saw it on HBO and kept watching it. I still have the DVD.
Do the stories you see in your head create a bigger spark to create something else from it?
Movies sparked my creative outlet—theres so many genres and it’s exciting with how many types of movies there are. I love all the different stories. Being able to jump back and forth between stories is pretty incredible.
What and/or who inspires your art the most?
Movies are a definite inspiration. But also the people in my life can inspire me.
Can you give an example?
Wait, let’s manifest this out loud. I’m currently writing a script based off of an intense experience I had with someone. Think of it like the Lana Del Rey song “Cinnamon Girl.” I’m a cinnamon girl who can’t tell this man what he did but I can show everyone else.
Where do you want to see your work?
In the cinemas! I want my artwork to be something exciting for people to watch. Like coming home from work and looking forward to watching. Or for it to be a multiple part series on TikTok with breakdowns and theories. I want my art to bring joy. I want it to start conversations.
What is your aim with your art?
To profit off of my pain. Just joking, maybe. I focus on other people so much that I’m creating it just for me, so I don’t really have an aim other than getting it out of my head.
Has your inspiration changed over time? How have you evolved?
It’s changed with more life experience and I’m learning to appreciate different forms. Like photography wasn’t my first interest. I know someone who is a photographer but it’s a different style than mine. That’s where I learned that you have to find your own style. You have to follow a format to a point but creative expression comes in and you get to twist it to what you envision. My photography style is candid or to create a moment/still. I want it to invoke an emotion that makes the viewer question what’s happening in the photo.
Do you remember your first creative idea/project? What was it?
I directed a short horror film called Rotting Beauty. I had just finished school and I wanted to create something. It was definitely a learning experience and a lot of work. It’s a proud accomplishment to see how I’ve evolved since. It was a lot of work to put in and see how every small detail in production matters, whether or not you notice it. I wore many hats for this project. I wrote, directed, produced, camera operated, did special effects makeup, and editing. I feel like I’m still worn out from it.
Can you walk me through your creative process from start to finish?
I saw this artwork on Tumblr that looked really cool. And then I wanted to recreate it in a sense. I showed my friend Christina and she loved it. From there it was a process of where and how to shoot it. Most of the concept stays in my head. We drove around Griffith park for a while until we found a spot that worked. She’s naked in the photo, so we had to find somewhere safe and secluded. The spot we found was perfectly eery, especially considering what we needed—it was a full moon and there were even bats. Then, I set up the lights and I had her pose in two specific poses. I knew when I was going to photoshop them together that I was going to lay one image on top of the other, so the two poses were all I needed. Then I just color correct it, keeping the photoshop to a minimal to keep it surreal.
What do you feel/experience leading up to a project and after a project?
Before the project I’m excited! That’s the brainstorming aspect, the possibilities are endless. I can go a little overboard and have to get realistic. But definitely eager and excited. And after, I’m sick of it. I don’t want to look at it anymore. Then, you let time go by and you’re like “oh yeah! I did that.” It’s like a weird process.
What deters you the most about sharing your work?
Feeling like it’s not good enough. I think I’m way harsher on myself if the vision doesn’t come out exactly as I wanted.
Has that happened?
With the script I’m currently working on, there is fear that the message isn’t going to come off as I want it to. So there has been a lot of rewrites. I take a step back frequently to revisit what the initial message was. Which I can’t disclose because its not finished yet.
What’s the toughest part about being an artist?
Doubting the worth of your art and whether or not you’ll be able to completely deliver the vision you want to create. Also just trying to make money off of it—it’s not easy so you have to get other jobs to fund it. There’s a fear of the instability because of it, too. You are taking a risk on something that is just considered art for some. Like everyone has that thought of “oh, she’s an artist. So she’s either successful or broke.” If your art isn’t making money, people don’t see you as successful. But that’s the views of other people I guess.
What’s the best part of being an artist?
The whole process of it. Thinking of an idea, creating it. Like scriptwriting, filming, and editing and then not looking at it for a couple days. You get to come back to it and be completely proud of what you’ve made. The best is yet to come! Stay tuned!
Keep up with Nyri on Instagram @nyri_y
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