We were lucky to catch up with Gustave Cadet recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gustave, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi there! I’m Gustave Cadet, a Haitian-American artist with a knack for weaving stories through writing, filmmaking, and the world of digital art, particularly 3D animation. My journey into this eclectic mix of mediums started early, and funnily enough, it was a Choose Your Own Adventure book, ‘The Cave of Time,’ that sparked my passion. The idea that I, as a reader, could control the story’s direction was mind-blowing to me as a kid. It wasn’t just about the stories. It was the realization that you could merge writing with game design to create something extraordinary.

As I grew older, my storytelling evolved. I dabbled in everything from comic books to video game development, but filmmaking captured my heart. In college, I discovered my love for character-driven stories – the kind that makes you look inward and feel something unexpected. My stories often draw from personal experiences, making them relatable to a broader audience beyond just genre-specific fans.

What sets me apart, I believe, is my love for blending different mediums. Take my current project, for instance. I’m using Unreal Engine – yep, a game engine – to create an interactive short film. This project is the culmination of various skills I’ve honed. It’s ambitious, but I’m thrilled by the idea of combining these elements into one immersive experience.

I’m particularly proud of the range of skills I’ve developed and how I use them to create stories that resonate with people. A few years back, I produced a short film called ‘Id,’ which delved into the Haitian-American identity and the struggle to fit into American society. What struck me most was the audience’s reaction. People from various backgrounds reached out, sharing how they connected with the main character’s journey, even if they weren’t Haitian-American. Moments like these reaffirm my belief in my ability to craft stories that move and surprise people.

In essence, my work is about creating connections, blending art forms, and telling stories that matter – stories that entertain and make you think and feel. That’s what Gustave Cadet, the artist, is all about.

Gustave, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Learning everything I know about filmmaking and writing has been quite a journey. My college days were filled with film theory and media production classes, but most of what I’ve learned has been self-taught. My hands-on experience started in my first year with WSUB Productions, a student film organization. Since then, they’ve changed their name, but those early days at WSUB were crucial. That’s where I got to grips with the basics of video production, from the idea stage to the final product.

I’ve always been a sponge for knowledge, so I soaked up every bit of information I could find. Books, video tutorials, you name it – if it was about writing or directing, I was on it. And, of course, nothing beats real experience. I shot various projects – short films, music videos, documentaries – during and after college. That hands-on practice was invaluable.

Looking back, if I could’ve done one thing differently, it would’ve been to focus on a specific genre or niche earlier on. I was all over the place, trying to do a bit of everything for everyone. That approach spread me thin and made it hard to master any aspect of filmmaking, whether writing, directing, or editing.

Speaking of which, writing and editing turned out to be my most essential skills, especially writing. It’s an art form you can never truly master – you keep getting better. And it’s so foundational to filmmaking. You might make a bad movie with a good script, but you can’t make a good movie with a bad script.

Of course, there were obstacles along the way. Time was a big one. Juggling a full-time job and family life meant I had to find those precious hours here and there for learning. I’d snatch a few hours a week to watch a tutorial. And then there was the financial aspect. Many great learning resources cost money, which was always challenging for a broke college student. But somehow, I made it work, one tutorial at a time.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

You know, this major turning point in my life was back in 2022. I lived in Los Angeles since 2014, chasing the dream of becoming a TV writer. Like many in the creative field, I was drawn to the allure of Hollywood, eager to start from the bottom and work my way up. But life had other plans. My mother, back in Boston, where I’m originally from, fell ill. As her only son, it was a no-brainer for me to move back home to care for her. It was a tough decision, but one I don’t regret at all.

Reflecting on my time in LA, I realize I was scraping by, especially after the pandemic hit. I was so fixated on the traditional path to becoming a TV writer – starting as a writer’s assistant, sitting in a writers’ room – that I overlooked other avenues. I wondered why I didn’t start a YouTube channel. Why not crowdfund a short film and hit the film festival circuit? Sure, I entered and even won a few screenwriting competitions, but my career wasn’t taking off the way I expected. Instead, I found myself working odd jobs that, more often than not, drained my creativity.

Then came the move back to Boston in 2022. My mother’s illness, as stressful and unfortunate as it was, turned out to be a sort of catalyst. I’m happy to say she’s doing much better now, thankfully. But that move forced me to step away from my Hollywood screenwriting aspirations. And, you know what? Since then, I’ve tapped into my creativity like never before. I’ve been using all my skills to put together projects that are not just meaningful but also innovative.

So, I guess the big lesson here is that sometimes, a pivot is exactly what you need to flourish as an artist. It’s about adapting to change, embracing it, and discovering new paths to creativity and fulfillment.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Absolutely, I do have a specific goal driving my creative journey. I dream of one day opening my own entertainment company. I’m inspired by visionaries like Robert Kirkman and JJ Abrams and how they’ve shaped their ventures, Skybound Entertainment and Bad Robot Productions, respectively. Their approach resonates with me because I can’t confine my interests to just one medium like them. I’m drawn to having a hand in everything – from comic books, TV, and movies to video games and real-world immersive experiences.

Right now, I’m focusing on creating immersive content. Remember the interactive short film project I mentioned earlier? That’s a step in that direction. And there’s more in the pipeline. I’m working on a comic book series I plan to crowdfund and produce later this year. The pivot I made in 2022 was crucial. It helped me realize that I could never be fully content working in just one medium.

I aim to tell my own stories in the most fitting mediums they require and enjoy the process. I envision a career where my narrative flexibility can thrive, creating diverse and immersive experiences for my audience. It’s about blending storytelling with innovation, and that’s the path I’m excitedly walking down.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/gustavecadet
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavecadet