Full Sail University graduate, Nina Lopez-Corrado, is making waves in the world of television directing. After obtaining her degree in 2007, she has gone on to direct many well-known television programs. Take note, because you might just see her name pop up in your favorite show’s credits!
Nina’s Journey to Screen Success
Nina always had a soft spot for TV shows, they were her loyal companions. She liked being a part of the characters’ lives for hours on end, which in turn, sparked an idea for a career. She chose to study film and television at Full Sail University for a slice of the action.
Moving to Los Angeles after her graduation, she started her career journey with Chris Long, a producing director. She got her first gig working on FX’s Dirt in 2007. Here, she had hands-on experience with different tasks, which boosted her understanding of what goes on behind the scenes.
Learning the Ropes of TV Production
Working with Chris across different projects, including ‘The Mentalist’, gave Nina a deep understanding of television production. She attended numerous department meetings, scouted for film locations, and worked closely with editors. She was involved right from scratch to the final mix of each episode! By the show’s fourth season, she was a producer and got to direct an episode in the final season, called ‘Byzantium’.
Her range of skills and experiences started bringing in other opportunities. She directed several episodes of ‘Supernatural’ and achieved directing and producing credits on ‘A Million Little Things’.
Climbing the HBO Ladder
Her dream was to work at HBO, believing it to be the pinnacle of TV production. Tasting success with a few episodes of ‘The Nevers’, HBO gave her a wide variety of opportunities. From crime drama ‘Perry Mason’, she landed jackpot with ‘The Last of Us’. An adaptation of a groundbreaking video game, it was already attracting attention and Nina was delighted to be a part of the process. Now, she’s off to direct an episode for its second season.
Nina’s Aspirations for the Future
Although she has already reached many milestones in her career, Nina isn’t stopping anytime soon. She dreams of directing an entire TV series, and even dabbling in feature films. In the meantime, she wears her recent induction into Full Sail’s Hall of Fame as a badge of honor and a beacon of inspiration for future generations.
She left behind some strong words for Full Sail students during the induction ceremony. She stressed the importance of perseverance and hard work that led her to the position she is in today.
Nina’s journey through the world of television direction is an inspiring one. From exploring production aspects for FX’s Dirt to directing for HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’, she proves that with passion, hard work, and determination, dreams do come true. The perfect example, Nina continues to inspire many still in their studying days at Full Sail University, and we can’t wait to see what project she’ll take on next!
