In terms of creating stories that are dynamic and engaging, Gabrielle encourages other filmmakers and artists to experience new things and immerse themselves in the world around them. "I think my advice to young people and honestly anyone of any age is to understand that you're never going to know everything, but that's not an excuse not to try," she said. "It doesn't mean be like, 'Oh, OK, I'm not really into this, so I might as well not study it.' Just try your best to learn about as many different parts of history, as many cultures, as many groups of people as you can."
For Gabrielle, her college years were formative to the issues and ideas she integrates in her work. "Take that opportunity to challenge yourself and to learn about injustice, but also to learn about current movements, past movements," she said. "I think that doing that, for me as a filmmaker, has really informed how I move forward and the stories that I feel inclined to tell. It's also gotten me in this constant process of questioning my own preconceived notions and always just thinking about how I could do better . . . Constantly challenge yourself, challenge the system, challenge those around you."
"As artists, we have to be the authors of those things that deserve to be seen but haven't been made yet."
Most importantly, Gabrielle encourages anyone with multiple passions to not limit themselves to achieving just one and to use their voice to tell stories that have never been heard before. "For young artists, I would just say don't confine yourself, and I mean that in terms of the stories you're telling but also how you tell them," she said. "I spoke about thinking, 'OK, I could either be a director or a screenwriter or this or that,' because you have to choose a track oftentimes. Oftentimes, when people ask you what you want to do, they're expecting just one answer. I think it should be shifted to, 'What all do you want to do?' . . . Don't limit yourself. Oftentimes, we're best at writing the things that we are most eager to see . . . So, as artists, we have to be the authors of those things that deserve to be seen but haven't been made yet. If you're looking for a place to start, you're looking for the right stories to tell, think about the stories that you want to see."
