Life & Work with Paul Cadenhead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Cadenhead.

Hi Paul, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. 
For whatever reason, I was always drawn to writing as a kid. I think some of it is nature, and some of it is nurture – who knows? What I do know is that I write a lot about where I grew up. I’m from Wyoming. I live in LA now, but most days I’m still there in my mind. 

I didn’t know that I was going to direct films until I stumbled into it in my early twenties. I always thought I’d be a journalist of some kind. There’s not a lot of people in Wyoming. And there’s certainly not a lot of filmmakers from there, either. I didn’t know it was even an option. 

When I started writing screenplays, I realized I was always trying to use words to communicate in a visual medium. In other words, I was trying to direct on the page – which is often a big no-no. To illustrate – here’s a few sentences from a script I’m currently working on: 

“The lushness of late spring creates fading contrasts of dark green prairies supplemented with chalky green sagebrush. All of this backed up by jagged mountain peaks covered in glacial snow – poking in the sky like an antelope’s horns. Sapphire rivers and streams flow cold and clear in some sections, muddied from snow runoff in others. Horses in pastures. Cattle grazing. Real cowboys at work. Miles of rough buckrail fence interrupted periodically by red or green gates and cattle guards. The sky is big, and the country seems infinite. And with the recent break of dark, long winter, all living organisms, humans and so on, are left mystified by the prospect of sunshine and long productive days. 

Screenplay purists will think, “All of that is unnecessary; what the hell is a director meant to do with that?” And they’re right. But the thing is, I know what to do with it. I know a lot of screenwriters who think they’re directors, and I was the opposite – a director who thought he was a screenwriter. So, I started making short films while working as an assistant at a production company, and eventually, I got into the AFI directing program. I finished AFI in 2021, and now I’m developing features while working as a director for hire. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course not! It’s still a struggle, and I think it’s fair to say it always will be. Sometimes, I have to remind myself that if a version of me from 10 years ago could see me now, he’d be proud. But there’s always going to be another ridge on the horizon, so I’m just trying to figure out how to be happy with present circumstances. The list would be much shorter if you asked what hasn’t been a struggle. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
A lot of people will read that and think, “What the hell is a director supposed to do with that?” But the thing is, I know what to do with it. I know a lot of screenwriters who think they’re directors, and I was the opposite – a director who thought he was a screenwriter. So, I started making short films while working as an assistant at a production company, and eventually, I got into the AFI directing program. I finished AFI in 2021, and now I’m developing features while working as a director for hire. 

I like to make two things: Westerns and naturalistic dramas. If I’m not writing a Western or something inspired by Westerns, then it’s usually a character drama. And often, it’s both. But I’m also not above directing other people’s work. If I can connect to the story and characters, I pride myself on being able to elevate anyone’s material on screen. 

There are a lot of really fantastic directors out there. More than any other time in history – that’s for sure. But what I think sets me apart from most others, and also what I’m most proud of, are the professional relationships I’ve been able to build with my collaborators. I always tell myself before I begin a project that no matter how it turns out, it will be successful if everyone I worked with wants to work with me again in the future. As a result, I proudly foster several loyal relationships with people of all different crafts who I always look forward to working with time and time again. At the end of the day, no matter what the project is, life is good if you’re making movies with your friends. 

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
If you can enrich the lives of others while also pursuing what makes you happiest, then I think you are successful. 

Contact Info:

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