Meet Garrett H. Dumas

We recently connected with Garrett H. Dumas and have shared our conversation below.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I didn’t have a typical life but I had my life, I lost my mother at an early age and my father didn’t want anything to do with me. I lived with different family members growing up so life wasn’t bad just different. I got to see the whole United States before I was 18 basically. My senior year I got to experience homelessness before I joined the Air Force, but I still graduated. Right now I’m focused on storytelling, I’ve spent my whole life acting in television and film and in the meantime creating my own short films on the side. I found that the arts or film is a great way to reach people in a way they could have ever imagined. I started doing background work on a show called The Originals which eventually turned into stand-in work, and started my love affair with film. From that, I learned to put together all the intricate pieces of filmmaking and that eventually led to me working on Fast & Furious 7, I showed up just as background and had a blast, the director even acknowledged me to my surprise. I thought he was just being kind until I was called back to jump out of speeding cars and pull an assault rifle on Vin Diesel. That sparked the need for more, to create more, I wasn’t just a guy moving in the background anymore. On the set, I met a good friend of mine Carnell Holley and he became my Black Panther and I became Deadpool. The little fan film had an abnormal amount of success but I can’t take credit for all the work I had a brilliant team. I’m currently producing, directing, and acting, in the first feature film I’ve written. It’s a beautiful psychological, supernatural, thriller. This will be my first true step in creating something that’s not a fan film, and we’ve put together an amazing cast.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back I learned life is the biggest teacher, I don’t regret anything throughout my life. My Faith instilled in me at an early age by my Grandparents helped keep my compass pointed true north. My ability and willingness to learn from anyone served me well, and I stayed humble regardless of my achievements and being able to live with less than what others require to live. For those early on this walk, don’t rush things, relax it will all come in due time. And the only way to get better at something is by doing, I found repetition is life’s best teacher.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Right now I’m looking to grow and work with different people, grow and create something amazing where we can all eat and live creative lives. So any filmmakers want to collaborate hit me up. This gives me life, and success alone is no fun, but a circle of success that’s beautiful. Creatives, people that do this for the love, no egos! Let’s get together and bring our visions to life.

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