Meet Gagan Gill | Writer & Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gagan Gill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gagan, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I have a complicated relationship with risk. When faced with the idea of taking a risk, my first thought is – “avoid it.” But every single time I have taken a risk, I find that I have grown by leaps and bounds.

Coming to film school was a risk. Making the projects I have made was a risk. Jumping out of a plane was a risk. Performing stand-up comedy was a risk. Every single time, I was far from ready to take on those challenges. I even considered delaying until I was ready.

But I didn’t. I made the choice to keep moving forward. To take that risk. To jump, not knowing whether I would land safely or not. In doing so, I learned more than I ever could have if I just waited and prepared and waited longer still.

Taking risks taught me to trust myself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m a writer and director, two years into my film career. In this time, I have directed several spec commercials and short films.

Telling stories is what gets me out of bed every morning. In my 25 years on this blue dot, I feel like I’ve lived so many different lives that the only way to make sense of it all is through storytelling. I’m good at it, and I can’t shake the urge to do it whenever I can. Wherever I go, I’m the gremlin in the corner of your mind, whispering things both bizarre and profound.

I’m originally from a small town in Western India, and the path that brought me here has only been possible because of the unwavering support of my family and friends, a lot of luck, and a fanatical passion for filmmaking.

The journey had a lot of roadblocks, but in hindsight, I wouldn’t take out a single one. It taught me to persist; to endure.

The key thing I remind myself of is to keep moving forward, to keep gathering experiences. In the end, my work is a constant search for the right words to make sense of my life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting, we would go to all the nice theaters in LA and watch a LOT of films. But I think he would get annoyed really fast and then we’d go to Los Feliz and Highland Park and he’d feel better.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Sirtaj Bhangu!

Sirtaj is a cinematographer and camera operator based in LA. We have collaborated on 4 projects over the course of the last year, and in that process he has become a good friend and mentor. He’s as critical as he is supportive, which makes him an excellent collaborator.

Sirtaj the first person I call when I get an idea. If I hear excitement in his voice, I know I’ve got a winner.

Website: https://www.directedbygagan.com

Instagram: lord_ofnothing

Image Credits
Sirtaj Bhangu (Cinematographer)

Anderson Ballantyne (Behind-the-scenes)