“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” This saying is starting to become more relevant as I watch and see our company grow. Success rarely follows a straight line no matter how much you plan or strategize.
One of the first in-house projects Caster Studios created is a children’s show called “Gus Plus Us.” In 2020, our goal was to make a show that brought families joy while respecting the mind of a child. Our plan was to create a full season in 2021, but at the time we were a small company with big dreams. We only had one employee, plus some friends and family willing to help. During production, we had about 10 crew members and 60 kid extras. It was organized chaos.
In this industry, we tend to put all our eggs into one basket. We thrive on vision, ambition, and long hours, so it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of releasing it to the audience.
When season one was ready to release in 2022, we started pitching the show to platforms and distributors that we believed would help us reach a wide audience and help fund the production costs, but that didn’t happen.
During this time, the film industry was shaky. The coronavirus pandemic and strikes had affected everyone in the business and made it even more difficult for new shows to get picked up. So we went back to the drawing board.
We ended up releasing the show for free to multiple platforms, building relationships and viewers. Still, it felt like a loss. Creating a show is expensive and hard work. We knew that, without an offer, it might be a very slow and costly project to continue. Months went by while we tried to force things to make sense.
Then we learned God had other plans. We got a call from a media company in search of original shows to help launch its new platform for children and families. I knew right away this was an answer to prayer. They wanted to launch the platform with season one and also fund season two right away, with the possibility of filming up to five seasons.
Proverbs 16:9 tells us, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Life is unpredictable. I’m still learning that things may not always go as we expect or plan, and that’s okay. I can allow room for adjustments while remaining open to God’s direction. To this day, the show continues to amaze us.
We recently wrapped up filming season three of “Gus Plus Us,” pushing the creative boundaries and scope to new limits and elevating the entire production. It’s become one of Texas’ flagship productions, stretching from 10 crew members to 40, and 60 kid extras to 300. Our audience has also grown immensely, launching us to the platform’s number-one show. Now, we look forward to seeing where the release of season three takes it.
But whatever happens, this show will always be known as our first Caster Studios original. Our internal team has grown and so have our projects. We continue to produce with quality, integrity, and purpose, giving God the glory in the small and big wins.
“Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” is a reminder to live with humility, trust in God’s timing, and embrace the journey rather than the outcome.
CasterStudios.com | @casterstudios | @nickcaster
“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” - Proverbs 16:9