Ace Creative Partner Spotlight: Lakota Ruby-Eck

Dan Passante

Posted by
Dan Passante on

Mar 28, 2023

At Akullian Creative, we‘re proud of the stories we tell for the clients we have. As a company, we love working with talented people that share their passions and skills.  

Lakota Ruby-Eck is one of those talented people we are happy to call one of our Ace Creative Partners. Lakota is a cinematographer and camera operator in Albany who has worked on projects available on the Discovery Channel, Amazon Prime Video, Shudder and more.

In 2021, Akullian Creative worked with Lakota to make a commercial for The Anderson Group that was worthy of a silver ADDY:  

I caught up with Lakota and to talk about some of the projects, gear, and more, that he’s had the chance to work with in 2022.

What are some of the projects you worked on last year?

“A few months ago, I got to work on The Zombie Wedding, the first feature film of Weekly World News, directed by Micah Khan,” Lakota said. “I had the chance to fill a few roles on the production, something that I was happy to gain experience in. For The Zombie Wedding, I was the 1st Assistant Cameraman, 2nd Unit Director, 2nd Unit Cinematographer and the B Camera Operator.” 

Lakota also highlighted his role as the cinematographer for the film Earworm, directed by Kyle Kleege. “I do a lot of horror, it’s definitely the genre I enjoy doing most and want to keep getting work in.” 

What are some technical skills you’ve gotten better at most recently? 

“I’ve gotten much better at shooting ‘Night for Day’ this year: a technique that makes your scene look like the day when you’re filming at night,” Lakota shared. “Even the small lights count: a lamp in the background, battery powered lights, etc., can make a big difference when it comes time to color a scene.” 

Lakota described producing a “Night for Day” shot, oftentimes requiring putting lights outside the room you’re trying to light and using everything: walls, the floor, etc., to make it seem like there is sunlight coming in from the outside. “It’s all strategic, you are trying to bounce as much light as possible all over the room to simulate how sunlight would naturally fill a room.” 

Lighting, along with the practice he had with wide shots, are two skills that Lakota worked on this past year. “Like the ‘Night for Day’ lighting, it takes time, but I’m getting to a place where I can more confidently shoot and light wides.” 

How would you describe the Albany film community?

“We are one giant family. So supportive, so well connected to each other and so caring.”

“In my time working in film in Albany, I’ve traveled a lot and seen other film scenes that are not as tight knit as we are here. There are many diverse people in Albany that care about the projects they’re working on. It is a special place to be.” 

What gear have you used this year? 

Something Lakota used quite a bit recently are his Apurture lights. “I have a Nova P300c that I use quite a bit,” Lakota said. “I also use the Apurture MC’s on set too, they are quite small, but their incredible versatility makes up for that.” 

Aputure lights are a favorite of the Aces at Akullian Creative. In the studio, and in the field, we like to bring our 300d lights with us. 

What are some of the larger lessons you’ve learned in this past year? 

“Communication and organization are key to success,” Lakota shared. “Without getting the right information to the right people, it makes everything harder for everyone.” 

Take it from someone who is deeply involved in the Albany film scene: If you want to be successful, be prepared. 


Check out Lakota’s work at https://www.lakotarubyeck.com/. Follow him on instagram at @totes.lakotes. Keep up with all of our Ace Creative Partners and follow us on Instagram at @akulliancreative and Facebook at Akullian Creative.