Meet Paul Cadenhead | Writer & Director

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

Hi Paul, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is to prioritize working with good people. When you’re making a film, you obviously want to work with people who are the best at what they do. But it is far more important work with people who I like being around. I don’t like when the work feels militant and soul sucking. Not to say I don’t like working hard… working hard is the most important ingredient for success. But I find that I can work harder and longer when I surround myself with people who make me laugh and feel happy. Life’s too short to be miserable.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I write and direct left-of-center films about what means to be a man in the world today. Not that I have any answers in my quiver – but I like ask questions and peel away the layers of who we are. I was born and raised in Wyoming, a place where I’ve met manliest of men you could ever imagine – cowboys, outdoorsmen, ranchers, musicians, artists, drunks, laborers, athletes, cowards and heroes – some are all of those things at once. But I also know a lot of people who are just plain sad. Sad because as a man these days we can be looked down upon for being vulnerable or emotionally available. I don’t know to fix any of that, but I like to observe it. What does a good man look like? What does a toxic man look like? Can toxic men be good? Those are the kinds of questions I ask when circling the projects I work on. Sometimes I teach myself a lesson or two in the process. Most of the time I don’t. And that’s okay, because I don’t believe films should be standing on a soapbox trying to tell people HOW to think – films should just make us think, that’s all. More importantly, they should entertain us.

I’m pretty proud of the last film I made while at AFI. It’s called The Cowboy Pecan Pie, and it follows a young boy who discovers the bravery within himself while experience abuse from his neighbor. But what I’m really excited about are the films I’m writing with my partner, Don DiPetta. One is a detective thriller called The Event. It follows a UFO hunter as he comes to terms with the fact that maybe he’s spent his entire life searching for something that doesn’t exist. The other film we’re working on, which will most likely be my first feature, is a true coming of age story about a 17-year-old criminal mastermind. I won’t spare too many details on this one yet. But it’s going to be something special.

I’ve been writing since I was a little kid, and I discovered filmmaking when I was in my early twenties. I always loved movies, but I never knew it was something I could pursue. It didn’t even seem like an option in Wyoming. After writing a few features (that never got made) when I was just out of college, I realized that I was always more visual in my writing approach than most others. So I got the notion that maybe I should try my hand at directing. The moment I made my first short film I knew I found what I was born to do. It isn’t an easy road, and I’m still very much climbing it. But it fills my cup bringing stories to life, so I won’t ever quit it. I believe that as long as I keep working hard and keep meeting good people, then eventually I’ll be able carve out my own little corner. When I look back at my career the last decade, I realize how far I’ve come. So it seems to be working. I’m psyched to keep going.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My wife rescues horses that we keep up in Topanga, so the first thing we’d do is drive up there and go for a trail ride in the Santa Monica Mountains. We would wrap that up around 5pm – just in time to grab some pizza and beers at Endless Color in Topanga. The next day, we would go to the beach and probably people watch in Venice. Then I might drag them to Quiadaiyn on Venice Blvd in Mar Vista for Oaxacan food. If it’s a Sunday morning, we’d probably go to the Mar Vista farmer’s market to get arepas from The Arepa Stand. The lady there is a legend – she basically talks dirty to you while she serves up the best arepa I’ve ever had. We’d probably cross the 405 to get food at Jitlada on Sunset Blvd. Frog legs, fried worms and all that always seems to strangely hit the spot after being washed down with a cold Singha. If we’re staying in, I’ll go to Bob’s Market in Santa Monica and get those huge tomahawk steaks to grill up in the back yard. And if it’s a Friday, we’d go to the live music over at The Penmar on Rose Ave. I haven’t met the guy who owns that place in person yet, but he found my dog Mungo when he ran off a few weeks ago, and saved me from my wife possibly killing me (it was my fault Mungo got out). Other than that, we’d probably go for a few sweet hikes, maybe ride our bikes around.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shout out to Flora Hackett, Don DiPetta, Jake Miller, Karl Herrmann, Ben Clune, American Film Institute, All the books by Kurt Vonnegut, and the state of Wyoming.

Website: www.paulcadenhead.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-cadenhead-048968116/