Originally from Georgia, NICOLE SMOLEN was raised in California and studied in London before graduating with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts at CSUN, where she won the Movie Magic Scholarship and the prestigious 2019 Wolfson Scholar Award. Nicole champions stories that raise important questions and challenge viewers to look beneath the surface. In addition to top-tier commercials and music videos, she has produced several award-winning films, many of which have debuted at acclaimed festivals (e.g., Palm Springs International Film Festival, Mammoth Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and Cannes Short Film Corner). Since 2018, she has found the right performers for commercials, print jobs, music videos, and a wide range of theatrical projects. Under Verve Casting, she cast 150+ performers in the 8-episode revival of the cult classic, BEYOND BELIEF: FACT OR FICTION, hosted by Jonathan Frakes. She also associate-produced season 5 and wrote an original story in the premiere.As an actress, Nicole has appeared on shows across ABC, CBS, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon, most notably CRIMINAL MINDS and BROTHERS & SISTERS. After starring in 8 DAYS, a non-profit film about human trafficking, she traveled to 8 cities across America to raise awareness. Nicole subsequently toured Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town in South Africa. In addition to speaking at benefits, she championed local anti-trafficking organizations and was later interviewed on STEVE HARVEY.Besides being certified in AVID Media Composer, Nicole specializes in Movie Magic Budgeting/Scheduling, Final Cut Pro, Google Drive, and the Adobe Suite. Her background in production, photography, and design inspired the launch of Smolder®, a creative studio with artists and makers in mind.