Meet Kaeden Beliveau | Aspiring Director

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

Hi Kaeden, why did you pursue a creative career?
I wanted to pursue an artistic and creative career path so I could make people feel a type of way after watching the films I made with my team. I grew up loving movies that made me feel happy, sad, annoyed, angry. But I think the best films are the ones that bring you back to your childhood, or push you to pursue that dream you’ve been keeping on the back burner, or make you call that girl you’ve had a crush on for years. These films make you laugh because you’ve lived that moment, or cry because you remember losing someone close to you, or it might get you to say “I love you,” to your significant other just because you wanted to remind them. I think that’s the beauty when it comes to making these films, you as the viewer is feeling something more than just an emotion. You are able to relate and relive a beautiful, scary, sad, humorous moments. from your past.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
One thing I’m most proud of is a recent project I did with my roommate Maurice Jerry. Just the 2 of us signed up for the 100 hour film festival. All we had was a DSLR camera, a backdrop with a white blanket to bounce light off of, a painters light and an iphone for sound. We took charge, wrote, shot, acted in and edited a film. To this day it’s one of my favorite projects. Mainly because the film was a comedy and everyone that watched had a specific part that made them laugh a little harder. There wasn’t just one scene that everyone took a liking to.

It made me realize why I wanted to create so badly. Making people laugh is my favorite thing to do. I love the idea of someone being able to sit down, turn something on and escape reality for a moment. It’s a cool thought knowing I could fix someones day because of a comedic film I created.

What sets me apart from others is that when I’m directing I want everyone involved. It’s not just my film. If it was just my film then I would be a one man band. I want ideas coming from every department, I want the actors to switch the script if they see fit, the director of photography to tell me the lighting would be so much better if it was slightly darker, and the AD to encourage me to shoot a scene different because they saw something I didn’t. I want people on my sets to feel heard.

I still have a long ways to go in the film industry. It’s not easy but it’s extremely rewarding. The biggest challenge I think is the wait. You apply to so many productions, hoping you’ll land a gig on set and it’s hard to consistently get turned down. But the wait is key because it pushes you to keep applying yourself until you land your first job on set. To me it’s everything you’ve dreamed of and more. To be a part of a team, creating something that could be seen by thousands and might encourage others to pursue the same job is an amazing feeling. You’ll have you lulls where you don’t get work for a while but keep pushing.

One big lesson I’ve learned is always ask questions but make sure you’re asking them at the right time. In film you can’t speak half the time because of rehearsals or when we’re rolling. But when there’s breaks ask all the questions. Learn about every job. Soak up as much information as possible. There is so much to learn on set and so many jobs you wouldn’t know existed. Also try everything until you know exactly what position you want to pursue. I love having the knowledge that I have today because it allows me to work on a lot of sets doing different jobs.

I’m a very simply man, I love to laugh, joke around and encourage others. I get to be in an industry where everyone has the same dream and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Day one: Relaxing day of BBQing by the pool, and showing them the local bars by my place. Day two: I would have to take them to the beltline, ponce city market for some lunch, little five points, and for dinner Cibo E Bev for dinner.
Day three: We would go hiking up Kennesaw mountain and then stop in at the brewery I work at part time Glover Park. Hang out around Marietta square and grab some dinner.
Day four: We’d hit the aquarium. I think it’s so beautiful there and everyone should experience it.
Day five: We’d go to piedmont park. After we’d have to hit a braves game because you can’t visit and not watch a braves game.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have so many people to thank for my success. First off is my family, my mom Christine Beliveau, my dad Mark Beliveau and my siblings, Taylor, Jade and Masen. They have been there through thick and thin with me. They’ve encouraged me, supported me and have been there for me when things go south. A few others that I consider family is Maurice Jerry, Austin Jansma and Paul Star. These people are some of my closests friends and favorite people to work with on set. I have many other friends from high school, college and friends here in Atlanta who I’ve met while on my journey, all these people deserve a thank you for my success and for helping me fulfill my dreams. I couldn’t do what I do without them.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kaedenbeliveau/?locale=en_GB%2Cen_GB

Image Credits
Austin Jansma Maurice Jerry Jade Beliveau Paul Star