The motto of the writer, filmmaker, painter and helicopter pilot Niky Byrne on her Instagram account is 'Put your head down and work like a motherfucker', which would be something like a celebration of concentration and hard work.
We are intrigued to talk with this Californian, director of the film Evan Wood (2021), about her expeditions by helicopter from Alaska to Los Angeles to film scenes of her work, and also of the street photos of her, behind the scenes and aviation, that have appeared in countless publications.
Niki has made her way onto the California creative scene as a feature film writer and also paints oil portraits, which can be found in various galleries on the West Coast.
Portrait of Niki Byrne taken with a Leica Q2.
Always accompanied by her Leica Q2, which has also been her ally in her latest project, Decisive Moments, her 'personal journey' involves capturing unforgettable moments: fly a helicopter, go motocross in the desert, find the extraordinary in the everyday.
Full-time screenwriter, film director, oil painter, helicopter pilot... Without a doubt, this is a great adventurer and traveler, what would you say has been your greatest adventure?
Fall in love, of course! But let's talk about Alaska. Is more simple. A few years ago, my brother and I went to Anchorage in November to fly in a small single-engine helicopter up the coast to Los Angeles. The winter weather was approaching, so we had to equip ourselves very well for the trip. We flew in orange survival suits, complete with life jackets and a trunk full of camping gear. I even carried a 44 Magnum strapped under my shoulder, in case our shotgun went down with the ship.
Decisive Moments.
In the end, the plane flew beautifully and the weather gods were kind to us. We return to Los Angeles in five days after flying over some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. It was the most risky and rewarding expedition of my life, and it changed my relationship with time in significant ways. I realized that time (T) is not constant, but rather reflects decisions per minute (DPM). On a trip like that, the rate of decisions per minute is very high, as is the stakes, and time slows down accordingly.
How did you become interested in the arts and the audiovisual world?
I think it all started with the word 'no'. When I was little, my parents wouldn't let me watch TV or movies on the weekends. I guess it backfired on them.
Who or what has been your biggest inspiration?
The movie titanica blew me away as a child . I dragged my poor mom to the movies three times to see it before we got the VHS. I admire James Cameron for his problem solving, his curiosity about the world, his holistic technical understanding of the filmmaking process and his ability to encourage studio executives to take massive risks.
Niki Byrne during a photo session.
People take for granted that all her projects turned out well, but surely they must have seemed terrifying at first. I think it takes an inspired strategic leader to fight for projects of that scale and complexity, and to convincing people to "embark on the journey", so to speak (especially when they are the ones paying!). He earned everyone's trust and hasn't broken it yet.
I also love the way women blend into their worlds. They are always unique, dynamic and intelligent, which is still today, unfortunately, rare. When I was young, I saw myself in the women of James Cameron.
On balance, I would also have to take my hat off to the brilliant work of Geena Davis and I owe a lot to fictional characters like Ellen Ripley (Alien), sarah connor (Terminator), Rose Dawson (Titanian), Vasquez and Ferro (Aliens), Lindsey Brigman (The Abyss)...
Niki Byrne photo taken with Leica Q2.
Like most Hollywood fans, I have a long list of filmmakers I admire: Darren Aronofsky, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Redford, Martin Scorsese, Greta Gerwig, Nora Ephron, Sydney Pollack, Peter Weir, Ruben Östlund, Nolan, Fincher, Tarantino, Leigh. Many men, I know. This list can go on forever. I'm already thinking of ten people I forgot to add.
It has also inspired me the founder and chief pilot of HQAviation, QuentinSmith. I learned to fly at headquarters outside of London, mainly with James Stewart (who is an absolute hero), but Q came by from time to time to rock my world.
His finely honed skills aside, I admire his approach to life. He firmly believes in self-determination, in deep knowledge, in captaincy. He put the reins of the helicopter in my hands and said, "You must not go wrong." Of course, I asked, "What if I make a mistake?" and he replied simply, "You must not." There is a lot in that. I can say without reservation that working with Q changed my perspective on life. and he made things a little more interesting.
Niki Byrne photographing her 'Decisive Moments' project.
philosophically, I'm attracted to Carl Sagan. Contact was one of my favorite movies growing up (it's by Robert Zemeckis, who I should add to my list above), and I studied a bit of cosmology in college. Carl was eloquent, brilliant and pragmatic, and he truly believed in our potential as a species. He gave a keynote address in 1990 at the Emerging Issues Forum that I find myself revisiting over and over again. I wish I was still here.
When it comes to writing, they inspire me a lot Kazuo Ishiguro, Joan Didion, Christopher Hitchens, and Anthony Bourdain. I did an oil painting of Bourdain about a year before he passed away (it's hanging in my apartment and she's glaring at me). Now that I think about it, too i painted hitchens somewhere around 2015 and I gave that portrait to a friend. I guess she hangs out in her apartment and watches her.
Decisive Moments.
In the world of photography, I'm a fan of Henri Cartier Bresson and Mario Testino. My parents had a book of Testino's portraits of Princess Diana, and when I was little I used to look at them for hours.
If we talk about art, I can endlessly contemplate a portrait of Rothko or David Kassan. I guess Rembrandt is pretty good too. And since this has turned into a ridiculously long answer, I'll just add that I'm heavily inspired by many people, and I can't forget Gene Kranz or Ayrton Senna!
Tell us a travel anecdote related to a shoot.
A travel anecdote… hmmm. I recently had a catastrophic (underwater) equipment failure in the Bahamas while attempting to shoot down one of Pablo Escobar's wrecked cocaine transport planes. I think there was bad yuyu in the area. My camera was 'killed' and the plane hadn't been doing very well either.
Photo of Niki Byrne taken with a Leica Q2.
How would you define your work?
I don't know. Ask me in thirty years, maybe. I think it's fashionable for artists to say "it's not my mission to define my work" but, in my case, I simply there is not enough work to draw useful conclusions. The sample size is too small. Imagine defining Scorsese for Boxcar Bertha or James Cameron for Piranha II: Vampires of the Sea. More data is required. I guess this brings me to something close to an answer; if forced, I would say: I just started.
I think you are a hard worker, what are your goals for the future?
keep me alive, make films.
Would you say that the pandemic has changed the way you see the world? In what sense? Creatively speaking, has it influenced anything?
The pandemic sent me into a major depression, but not because I was in lockdown or anything like that. My life just changed. I was still sitting at my desk working on projects that I assumed no one would ever read. I had to start disinfecting my food. That was new.
Decisive Moments.
My depression was due to observing the response to the pandemic. What a fucking show. As someone who keeps an eye on climate change, it was hard for me to see the science throw itself in our face. It made me wonder if we have any chance of saving the planet, which is much more important but also something more abstract. If grandmothers in hospitals on ventilators can't convince people to rely on science, why would they blink at greenhouse gas data?
I'm looking forward to seeing Adam McKay's new movie, Don't Look Up. It seems like a thinly veiled criticism of anti-scientific movements. I think he's substituted an asteroid for climate change, though maybe I shouldn't speculate on a movie I haven't seen. I'm also looking forward to the new Foundation series, which promises to address equally relevant issues.
All in all, I'm thinking a lot about the impact movies can have on our collective brain. I firmly believe that we need fewer superheroes and sexier scientists.
Decisive Moments.
Tell us how your project with Leica has been, why do you feel identified with the values of this brand?
It has been amazing. I hope this is just the beginning and I can work with them forever. I could say a lot about their values, but their products speak for themselves. There is not a single word that can add to the experience of shooting with a Leica. If you want to understand it, try it. Their cameras tell you everything about who they are.
That said, the common thread of our project together is: Life happens once. It's the best reason I can think of to spend a lot of money on a camera. Like my mother, who always encourages me to spend too much on protective equipment, and she always tells me: "If you have a five dollar head, buy a five dollar helmet." I think the same can be said for the cameras. How valuable are your memories to you?
Decisive Moments.
What type of traveler are you (spontaneous, planner…)?
Probably the annoying type.
What are your favorite destinations in the world and why?
I love small airports and their little cafes. They have character. It's always someone's ultimate life ambition become the owner of the airport cafe, so he is always interesting and full of passion.
It's worth noting that when I get to one, I'm usually starving, dehydrated and exhausted, so whatever they're serving (be it sandwiches or snickers bars) tastes great to me. Crossing France, I stopped in the mountains to refuel a bit and, I swear to God, I had a three Michelin star Kit-Kat.
Decisive Moments.
From the city where you live, Los Angeles, tell us what your five favorite places are.
Any place where there is good light ...and Canter's Deli.
Any hotel you would return to again and again?
Usually, if I stay in a hotel, I collapse after an 18-hour day without stopping to do something. Most of the time I don't even know which hotel I've arrived at. I just hand over the money and fall face first on the bed.
Although I have been lucky enough to spend one or two nights in luxury in several Peninsula hotels and, wow! I have to paraphrase Ferris Bueller: If you can afford it, I highly recommend it.
Decisive Moments.