We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gianpaolo Pabros. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gianpaolo below.
Gianpaolo, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I can attribute all of my confidence and abundance of energy to my theater program at ACHS. Before I could even conceptualize myself as a creative artist, I lacked direction and had no place to call my community. I joined this program during my freshman year of high school and wanted no part of it; for almost that entire year. Entering my sophomore year, I ended up in the second level of the class by happenstance. I tried joining *three* different elective courses until I found out there was only Drama 2 available. I joined it without a care in the world and was not participating during those class periods. It wasn’t until I got to meet my backstage crew (AKA Booth Gang) that we put together a beautiful show, “Almost, Maine”.
From that point on, I began to see the appeal. I entered my cocoon of young adulthood with reluctance and fear and came out a confident and resilient young man. I give all my flowers to Summer Heartt, Casey Cenal, Grace Warioba, and Aaron Santos from that program. They have everything to do with how I act today and built the foundation of my personality. Not only did they provide reassurance and love during a fragile point in my lifetime, but they also reminded me every day that no one truly cares how I live my life (in a good way, of course).
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a 21-year-old professional photographer and emerging filmmaker! I have enjoyed navigating various niche arts for the past few years and will most likely continue until something sticks. I am still looking to solidify my artistic identity but am coming close to what makes sense for me; at least right now.
The one piece of every project I have thoroughly enjoyed thus far is the human connection portion. Whether it was producing my short film and gathering passionate artists at 3 A.M. or curating an art gallery filled with 200+ artists and attendees, I knew that I loved creating for a community and providing a welcoming space to any friend that came my way. Moving forward, I’m looking to pursue that feeling a lot more!
I’ll be looking to direct, DP, and edit a lot more video projects and get deeper into the medium of filmmaking.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
#1. Live Moves On!
For the majority of my life, I have experienced a lot of life-altering moments that have all easily put me in a rut for longer than I always wished. Every time I went through these valleys, I was reminded of how constant time is. Change comes quickly and never waits for me, so pivoting my perspective was super important to keep growing. I knew it was okay to complain and feel upset when life did not go how I thought it would, but taking every moment like that as a lesson has become invaluable. Being able to work past these obstacles in an appropriate amount of time has allowed me and my artistry to grow exponentially.
#2. Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve.
Everyone in my life knows I’m more of an emotional character than a logical one. I’ve found this quality to give me a better sense of what I make my art for and why art appeals to me so deeply. A person who can showcase their vulnerabilities and shout from the rooftops who/what they stand for is the strongest person I can conceive, in my opinion. I have never seen the value of making yourself out to be someone that you aren’t!
#3. Give Everyone Their Flowers.
As someone who’s only been around the Bay Area art community their whole life, I can tell you how important it is to maintain the love and support for everyone else around you. We do not offer the same supply and demand as some of the creative powerhouses of the country, so the spirit of competition does not run as deep. As far as I know, we operate on a system of love and care to make sure everyone is getting fed and that we are making strides to serve our community in any shape or form. Remind yourself that everyone is trying to make it just like you are. With that in mind, you will always want to spread the love.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My mom, 100%.
She has passed away and has been physically absent for more than half my life now, but the stories of her life and her spiritual energy give me more strength than most people can imagine. I have mentioned this to my friends and family before, but it is hard for me to not see her in all of them. Her charisma, courage, humor, love for food, and sense of adventure live on in everyone in my life now, and it feels impossible to imagine what my life would be without my mom and the impact she’s made on not only me but everyone around her. She is the reason why I do, well, anything. She’s my number-one fan!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gianpaolopabros.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeepeezee/?hl=en
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
