About us

Formally established in 2018 by Nays and Mehrdad Baghai, Running Cloud is defined by three core values:

  1. Depth. A lot of our stories are set in underwater environments, so we frequently descend literally into the depths of various underwater environments. However, we also place a huge emphasis on character-driven, psychological storytelling that is deep figuratively.

  2. Independence. We are not a large Hollywood corporation focused on profit. We are a small team that operates autonomously and believes in focusing on smaller, more authentic stories that resonate.

  3. Professionalism. We believe in maintaining the highest standards for collaboration and delivery. We make it our utmost priority to be communicative, knowledgeable, collaborative, hard-working, efficient and courteous.

In 2020, Running Cloud completed its first long-form production, Descent, which went on to win the Best Documentary award at the Sydney Film Festival, screened at Hot Docs and Raindance, and is now available to watch on Amazon Prime ANZ and Vimeo UK.

Our second feature film, Diving Into The Darkness is at the end of post-production, with a wide release set for 2024. We currently have a multitude of other projects that are in development, including features, series and music videos.

Running Cloud’s name is derived from our ability to work at a fast, efficient pace (“running”) whilst being imaginative and creative (“cloud”). The name is also a reference to the striking Tolkienesque landscapes of Australia and New Zealand that have been both our home and a source of great creative fuel on multiple occasions for us.

Meet the Team

  • Nays Baghai

    CREATIVE DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER

    Nays Baghai is an independent filmmaker and underwater cameraman from Sydney, Australia. As the creative director of Running Cloud, Nays is trained in multiple disciplines - directing, writing, producing, cinematography, editing, colour grading and sound design.

    A graduate of Australia’s national film school, AFTRS, his feature film debut, Descent, won the Oscar-qualifying Sydney Film Festival, and has been distributed by Amazon Prime ANZ. His second feature, Diving Into The Darkness, is due for a 2024 release. In addition to his long form work, Nays has won 30 awards for his short films, and has worked as a videographer for premier corporations (Deloitte, Telstra, CBA). His past underwater cinematography and photography clients include Rolex, Sony, SBS, ABC, Scuba Diver Magazine, and Tourism Australia. He is one of the world’s few film directors certified to dive on a rebreather for shoots involving cave and technical diving.

  • Mehrdad Baghai

    BUSINESS DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER

    Mehrdad Baghai is an entrepreneur, strategic advisor and executive producer. He is currently the Business Director of Running Cloud Productions, where his duties cover financial, legal, and strategic matters, as well as developing new concepts and stories.

    His credits as an executive producer include the award-winning feature documentary Descent and the upcoming feature documentary Diving Into The Darkness. His business career has included a partnership at McKinsey & Company, operating as the global CEO of the High Resolves Group, and chairman of Alchemy Growth Partners. He has multiple advanced degrees from Harvard and Princeton Universities, and is a New York Times best-selling author.

Our Skills

  • First and foremost, we are storytellers who know how to lead teams to produce high-quality, meaningful work. When we work with talent, we deploy our signature character-driven, intimate style that brings out the best of the human condition.

    When we work with other creatives and technical specialists, we forge working relationships that allow us to be completely focused on the craftsmanship and work harmoniously as a team. Our expertise in directing can be proven by the dozens of Academy Award-qualifying film festivals our films have been accepted into.

  • As producers, we thrive in projects that require intricate problem-solving, high organisational skills and both macro and micro thinking. The feature films we have produced involved multiple international locations, demanding schedules, tight budgets and volatile environments, so when it comes to logistics - especially for underwater productions - we are well-equipped.

  • We are firm believers in using cameras to maximise artistic expression and have developed an inconspicuous yet dexterous, nimble style of filming for our projects. We particularly thrive in the documentary genre, where the subjects, lighting and best angles are highly dynamic.

    We are familiar with every cinema camera system, own our own lighting equipment and are equally comfortable in the studio as we are outdoors. For any given project, we extensively flesh out the colour palette and stylistic influences prior to filming.

  • Shooting underwater has been one of our primary (if not the primary) passions the last two decades, and we relish any opportunity to put our skills to use. We have filmed in some of the most demanding environments - deep shipwrecks, dark caves, remote islands, cold murky water - and can still produce beautiful, artistic images under pressure, literally and figuratively. Whether we are armed with REDs, Sony A7SIIIs or GoPros, we are comfortable underwater - perhaps more than we are on dry land.

  • Our editing style is defined by the utmost precision, not just stylistically, but also in terms of productivity. As former corporate videographers, we are trained to deliver strong edits within tight deadlines, and can operate at a fraction of the time it takes most editors.

    Nays’ strong background in music and performance also affords us a rare kind of attention to detail when it comes to the rhythm and mood of a scene. Armed with the best editing software and technical support money can buy, we can tackle anything from a one minute short to a two hour feature amassing to 100TB.

  • Both our founders are experienced, confident public speakers familiar with a variety of settings, from small venues to large amphitheatres. We can speak with authority about a variety of topics in our field, from underwater production to complex problem solving, and we can easily adjust the style of our talks (eg. technical vs inspirational) depending on the audience.