Director Ramell Ross isn’t your typical filmmaker. He doesn’t just capture stories; he embeds you in them. With his poetic approach to cinema, Ross brought Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, to the screen in a way that feels more lived than viewed. I sat down with him to unpack his artistic vision, the unconventional filming techniques he used, and how Hale County This Morning, This Evening prepared him for this powerful adaptation.
From Hale County to Nickel Boys
Ross is no stranger to the nuances of Black life in the South. His documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening laid the groundwork for his approach to Nickel Boys.
“I think Hale County basically produced this film,” Ross told me. “I found an aesthetic that allows for poetry in the everyday. I wanted Nickel Boys to feel experiential rather than explanatory.”
Rather than spoon-feed audiences, Ross lets the story breathe, forcing us to sit in the moments that shape the characters’ lives.
A Unique Visual Approach
One of the most striking elements of Nickel Boys is its use of POV cinematography. Ross and his team employed multiple camera rigs to immerse the audience in Elwood and Turner’s perspectives.
“We weren’t just looking at history; we were embedded in it,” he explained. “There were four different types of camera use—some handheld, some actor-operated rigs. It was all about making the audience feel as if they were experiencing it firsthand.”
Ross’s goal was to balance realism with the poetic nature of memory, making every frame feel like a living photograph.
The Epic in the Banal
If there’s one phrase that encapsulates Ross’s approach, it’s “the epic banal.”
“It’s about finding metaphor and meaning in the everyday,” he said. “Most of life is quiet—waiting, watching, thinking. But even in those moments, the cosmos is at play.”
This philosophy guided how he depicted Elwood and Turner’s time at the reformatory school. Instead of focusing solely on the overt trauma, Ross highlights the spaces in between—the fleeting moments of hope, fear, and brotherhood that define their journey.
The Impact of Nickel Boys
Bringing Nickel Boys to life wasn’t just a job for Ross—it was a deeply personal experience.
“This film gave me hope,” he said. “Hope that audiences are open to unconventional storytelling. Hope that we can find new ways to tell old stories.”
With Nickel Boys, Ross proves that history isn’t just something we look back on—it’s something we feel. And with his signature poetic touch, he ensures we’ll never forget.
