▁films ▁Take ▁Sh elter ▁( 2 0 1 1 ), ▁M ud ▁( 2 0 1 2 ), ▁and ▁L oving ▁( 2 0 1 6 ), ▁which ▁have ▁been ▁crit ically ▁acc laimed . ▁ ▁Career ▁Nich ols ▁studied ▁film making ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁North ▁Carolina ▁School ▁of ▁the ▁Arts . ▁He ▁wrote ▁his ▁first ▁screen play , ▁Sh ot gun ▁St ories , ▁with ▁actor ▁Michael ▁Sh annon ▁in ▁mind ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁lead , ▁and ▁contact ed ▁the ▁actor ▁through ▁a ▁former ▁teacher . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁shot ▁on ▁a ▁budget ▁of ▁only ▁$ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁released ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁Later , ▁Nich ols ▁moved ▁into ▁larger ▁independent ▁produ ctions ▁with ▁ 2 0 1 1 ' s ▁Take ▁Sh elter , ▁also ▁st arring ▁Sh annon , ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 2 ' s ▁M ud , ▁st arring ▁Matthew ▁Mc Con aug he y , ▁which ▁competed ▁for ▁the ▁Pal me ▁d ' Or ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁C annes ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁Nich ols ▁acted ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁J ury ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁Rome ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁ ▁His ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁sci - fi ▁drama ▁film ▁Mid night ▁Special ▁competed ▁for ▁the ▁Golden ▁Bear ▁at ▁the ▁ 6 6 th ▁Berlin ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival . ▁The ▁same ▁year , ▁he ▁directed ▁the ▁drama ▁L oving , ▁a