Camille Lindelien and her husband Niels Lindelien met during the Summer of 2005 at NYFA’s Los Angeles Summer Camp Program. Niels was studying Filmmaking and directing while Camille was in the Acting for Film program.
“I spotted Niels on a balcony staring at Cahuenga Peak and felt like there was something that set him apart from the other students who were all trying hard to fit in with the L.A. ‘scene,’ shared Camille. “He was calm, casual, and in love with the mountains as much as I was.”
After multiple encounters and helping each other study for their classes at NYFA together, the two became inseparable after that, spending our time helping each other study for our NYFA classes. “We had our first kiss on Dockweiler beach, at the NYFA end of program bonfire. When it came time to leave camp, we thought we would never see each other again because he lived in Costa Rica, and I lived in New Jersey. Our only hope was that we might be reunited in LA again because of the passion for our crafts.”
Both Camille and Niels ended up talking on the phone every night for five hours and dating long-distance for 2.5 years. “He even helped me complete my Acting Senior thesis by coaching me across the miles in how to use Final Cut Pro, utilizing the skills we learned at NYFA! By the time he joined me at Chapman University, we had only seen each other in person for 23 days. We worked on film sets together in college, just like during our last week at NYFA, and then graduated and went on to work together on professional sets in LA.”
“Even though it seems like everything went to plan for us on paper, if there was any advice that we would give to current students it’s that life doesn’t go as planned, and fighting against the flow only causes pain. Niels needed to combine both his technical and creative brain, which led him to Steadicam and Cinematography and his current career success and fulfillment.,” shared Camille. “I pursued acting and reached so many of my goals, but after I was hit by an SUV while cycling, I spent my years of recovery re-learning to walk and creating a new business in content creation for brands. I’m happier now working for myself and taking on acting and modeling projects for clients that I choose and projects that support my greater aspirations of environmental stewardship, equality, and human kindness.”
Niels is a Cinematographer and Camera Operator specializing in Steadicam, Trinity, underwater, and drone operating. He works on shows for Netflix, Hulu, HBO, as well as feature films, commercials and music videos, such as the 2020 VMA nominated The Weeknd video “Blinding Lights.” He was recently nominated as Best Cinematographer at the 2020 Youtube Streamy Awards for his work on Lindsey Stirling’s music videos.
Camille is an actress and member of SAGAFTRA, whose career spans television, feature films commercials, and music videos. In 2016 Camille married Niels on the beach where he grew up in Costa Rica, and they went on a honeymoon around the world which helped launch their travel-centric production company Couple a Wanderers Creative. Camille is the Founder and Creative Director at Couple a Wanderers Creative, which focuses on creating content for travel and adventure brands as well as tourism boards. Their production company gives Camille and Niels the opportunity to travel and work together. Camille has created content and run campaigns for Jet Blue, United Airlines, Visit Big Bear, and Cambria Tourism Board, to name a few.
You can follow their adventures on Instagram and check out their recently launched brand page @CoupleaWanderersCreative or view their portfolio of brand photography and videography on their website.
NYFA thanks alumni Camille Lindelien and Niels Lindelien for sharing their unique story about NYFA bringing them together and looks forward to see what these two creatives will get up to next in their careers.