ABOUT US
Nō Studios derives from the word play between a rejection artists are so often told, with, nō能, the Sino-Japanese root word for "skill" or "talent". Founded by Oscar winner and Milwaukee native, John Ridley, the desire behind our 40,000 square foot headquarters is to create a collaborative workspace, hybrid experience platform, and social community that offers an environment for artists and activists to come together.
Our historic building features offices, coworking space, a state-of-the-art screening room, performance stage, café bar, gallery, and rooftop lounge and deck
JohnRidley
John Ridley is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, novelist, playwright, and showrunner whose credits include 12 Years A Slave, Let It Fall: Los Angeles 19821992, “American Crime,” and Jimi: All Is By My Side.
Past projects include “Five Days at Memorial,” a limited series for Apple TV+, chronicling the first five days in a New Orleans hospital after Hurricane Katrina, The New Group’s Off-Broadway stage musical Black No More, and DC Power: A Celebration, which aims to amplify Black voices across the DC Universe.
His upcoming film, Shirley, which he directed, wrote, and produced, tells the story of Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 presidential run, starring Regina King, premieres on Netflix on March 22nd.
Last fall, he launched his new comic through IDW Publishing, The Ministry of Compliance, a sociopolitical sci-fi thriller surrounding an inconspicuous alien invasion.
In the fall of 2018, Ridley opened Noō Studios, a space for the arts and community, in his hometown of Milwaukee.
WHAT WE DO
SCOPE OF SERVICES
N
ō Studios Production Services is a full-service production company with capability and experience in live streaming, video podcasts, film production and video editing Beyond the technical expertise, we are adept at finding and telling the stories of the organizations and personalities that we excavate We are expert in creating content for a range of platforms including social media, newsletters, film screenings and live viewing. Short format reels and promos, as well as longer format, cinematic videos are all within our wheelhouse.
Our production services team owns its equipment including cameras, lenses, lighting, audio, and editing tools so we are able to support the entire production workflow from content capture to finished product delivery. See Video Selects for content examples.
VIDEO STORYTELLING
Short format ‘mini-documentaries’ and video narratives
PODCASTS
Nō Studios produces a weekly audio podcast for Deadline entitled Doc Talk and a video podcast for Good Karma Brands featuring Thanasis Antetokounmpo
LIVE EVENTS
Wecansupportlivemusic,paneldiscussions,talkbacks, conferencesandmore
AUDIO VIDEO TECHNOLOGY
Our tech team can support a range of performance executions including music, panel discussions and other live events
DIGITAL MARKETING
Our Marketing Services program works to place content on media platforms.
EDITING
Our team of editors is expert in storytelling and can fit the content to the platform whether it be social media or longer format streaming services
CONTENT CAPTURE
We are equipped to capture b-roll and/or audio for use in various projects
MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS
In addition to leveraging our own marketing channels, Nō Studios actively works with local and national media partners to elevate its content
See our Marketing Services handbook for more information.
BRAND LAUNCH Capability
Our convening capability combine with our production and marketing services to offer a vehicle for increasing brand awareness.
See our Brand Launch & Promotion handbook for more information.
NOTABLE PROJECTS
Nō Studios Production Services has been engaged to produce a weekly podcast series for Deadline featuring documentary filmmaker interviews by John Ridley and Matt Carey The podcast is titled Doc Talk
In 2023, the American Family Institute for Corporate and Social Impact hired Nō Studios to create a series of video profiles of local Milwaukee artists. The series is titled Creating Milwaukee.
Nō Studios does the content capture for, and episodically edits, Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s podcast, Thanalyis.
VIDEO SELECTS
Production Examples
Gego y Nony. Nō Studios, 2022.
