AbelCine: Tell us a bit about your experience outside of AbelCine.
Gabriel Mays: My experience is extensive and crosses various genres, from feature films, shorts, music videos, documentaries, corporate videos, and commercials. I was also one of the first adopters to implement large sensor cameras into my filmmaking.
I began producing and directing at a pretty young age. I taught film at the collegiate level for nearly eight years, and in 2006 I started my own company Gabriel Mays Visuals. I've been fortunate to win numerous awards throughout my career, and most recently, I won Best Director at the SATO Film Festival for my film RED.
What’s your best advice when it comes to filmmaking?
The joy of filmmaking is in the journey. I love every minute of the planning, shooting, and editing. I think the most important thing you can do is work with people that enjoy the process as well. Never think that you know everything; when you work with talented people, trust them to do their role. Filmmaking is a team effort.
What’s been one of your most memorable jobs?
The use of media should tell a story, and one of my favorite projects that I have worked on was a short film called Safety of the Shore. The story has so much meaning behind it, it begs the question: What is our "mission"? What is our "calling"? We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to all of the men and women through history who have bravely defended this great land and done all in their power to preserve the safety of this shore. Many have paid a high price so that we have the freedoms we have, and this film was a way to say thank you to our veterans and honor them. This project was also special because I had friends fly in from all over the United States to work on it, including some of my AbelCine co-workers, Matthew Giblin and Paul Bertolino. The story is just so important.
How has working at AbelCine benefitted you?
AbelCine is empowering filmmakers all over the world. We are truly a one-stop-shop from sales to rentals, to service, to training, and so much more. I love the culture at AbelCine, we operate as a team using our multiple locations in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. It makes the experience seamless for clients that are shooting across the US.
This interview has been slightly edited and condensed.
