Today we’d like to introduce you to Aidan Gomez.
Hi Aidan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Miami, Florida, and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when I was three years old. Growing up, I did Taekwondo for twelve years and eventually became a third-degree black belt. When I was younger, I would also often make fun iMovie short films with my friends, both at my Taekwondo school and at home, which eventually led to my interest in filmmaking. Now, I’m living in Savannah, Georgia where I attend the Savannah College of Art and Design as a Film & TV major about to start my senior year.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In fourth grade, I was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome and OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder). My Taekwondo school in Charlotte was very much a safe space for me as there was a strong community within the school and martial arts in general is a great way to release energy, so that was a big part of dealing with my Tourette’s and OCD. The pandemic and my Freshman year of college both happening in 2020, sadly put an end to my time at my Taekwondo school. Trying to adjust to my new college life and the chaos of student filmmaking took a lot of time, and obviously, I still struggle with my Tourette’s and OCD on a daily basis, but I feel now that I have found a balance with everything. A big aspect of that is the wonderful community of students at SCAD. I’m also bisexual, and attending an art school has made me feel much more comfortable with myself than I was during middle and high school. Life is constantly moving and changing, so it’s really important to find a balance that you feel comfortable with because a lot of great things can come from change.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
When I first came to SCAD, I wanted to learn about writing and directing, but as I’ve worked on projects over the years, my interests have expanded, and now I think people at my school know me as a producer. Near the end of my Freshman year, two of my friends, Jacob Denton and Logan Keefe, and I decided to produce a short film called Petty Crime. Filmmaking is all “learn by doing,” so the three of us learned a lot about producing by doing this project, and after gaining experience producing on Petty Crime, I focused more of my time into producing other student films. Throughout my junior year, I produced five student projects, three of which were senior theses. I was also fortunate enough to write and direct a passion project of mine: a short film about two pencils falling in love in a classroom titled “Nico and Luna.”
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something most people don’t know is that I have recently developed an interest in stunt choreography. Throughout college, I’ve greatly missed the presence of Taekwondo in my life. I was lucky enough to be a producer on my friend Bailey Selvidge’s stunt-focused senior thesis, Godsend, as well as develop some stunt choreo for Jacob Denton’s thesis, The Tempest, and working on these films was kind of a lightbulb moment for me. Now, I’m doing my best to reincorporate Taekwondo into my life and hopefully bring that into my filmmaking career. Another important part of my life is that I am bisexual, and with my senior thesis coming up, I’m hoping that I can bring an LGBTQIA+ story to life through martial arts. That’s the goal at least!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/abgomey?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-gomez-320074219
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@aidangomez01
Image Credits
Andy Pedroza Anna Gustavsen
