Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Fitzgerald.
Hi Katherine, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your back story.
Art has always been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. In kindergarten, I made a presentation for my class, and under my dream job, I drew a little stick figure holding a paintbrush in one hand and a palette in the other. Since then, I never looked back once.
It was never a question for my family of if I would end up pursuing art but rather what medium I’d end up being married to. It’s never guaranteed that your family will support you when you tell them you want to pursue art as a career path, but they never doubted me for a single second, and I owe all my success to them.
I started as a traditional fine artist and explored many routes such as painting, sculpting, photography, and now film. I am a senior at the Savannah College of Art and Design where I am focusing my studies on Cinematography.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been the smoothest road, if it was, I don’t think I would be as appreciative as I am for my craft and where I would have ended up. Filmmaking is not the cheapest passion, nor is it the degree I am working towards. I currently work 2 jobs while attending school to keep up with the cost of pursuing my dreams, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Growing up, my family faced a lot of obstacles. I was raised with 3 brothers by a single mother who works harder than anyone I know. My mother had to work so hard to keep things afloat while facing challenges people could only imagine. She taught me that if I truly love something, I can find a way to make it work, no matter what challenges I have to face. It is because of her that I am the determined hard-working woman I am today.
With that, in the film industry, women typically don’t get taken as seriously as their male co-workers, especially in the camera and G&E Departments. Being a female DP, I am used to the head tilts and questioning when I sign on to a project, as many of my other female peers are too. On some sets, I have had sandbags or cases taken out of my hand by a man who’s “looking to help” and carry the heavy stuff. Of course, the gesture is nice if I was struggling, but not when they just assume that I’m not capable, without giving me a chance.
This being said I had to work a little bit harder to be taken seriously by my male peers. Of course, not every single man in film is like this, but it is still more often than you think. I am lucky enough to have found an incredible group of filmmakers, which includes most men who never make me question my abilities based on my gender, which means a lot because not many women have that opportunity.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a cinematographer who is focusing on shooting narrative and music videos. I started as a traditional fine arts artist (drawing, painting, and sketching) then switched to photography. I spent 2 years advancing my photography skills and I became entranced by psychological portraits, especially Cindy Sherman. I developed my photography portfolio exploring the psychological side of everyday life.
But I never felt like anything was “finished”, I always thought that there was more missing which is when I turned to cinematography. Creating the world around my portraits is what drew me in, I always felt that the before and after of your subject matter is just as important as the present state it was captured in. With this, I am specifically drawn to psychological thrillers and Drama films. The visual language creates a deeper meaning to the world it’s in and what it is supposed to evoke. The reason why I became a filmmaker is because I want to put something out into the world that evokes specific kinds of emotions that people tend to avoid.
I started as an artist, then a photographer, and now a filmmaker. I’ve always been drawn to the uncomfortable side of things. I’ve always felt that art was never supposed to make someone feel comfortable. Art is supposed to push the boundaries of what’s allowed and what’s not. I feel that the feeling of unease, anxiety, and frustration holds more weight than happiness, sadness, and contentment. Which is what I like to think sets me apart from others.
I am for sure most proud of my thesis film Where the Daffodils Grow, which I wrote, produced, and was the Cinematographer for and was directed by Colleen Ryan. This film is an incredibly personal story that explores the grief and trauma associated with having an absent parent. This was my biggest project to date and challenged me in ways I could have never expected.
What were you like growing up?
I was a very bubbly and loud kid growing up, my presence was always known since I made sure of it. I am the youngest of 4 siblings and the only girl, so I was always used to being around people. I like to think my personality hasn’t changed much but rather evolved with me as I grew into an adult.
My interest was always art, and everyone around me knew that. I would talk about growing up and becoming an artist to anyone who could listen, which is why I work so hard to make sure I am making 6-year-old me proud with paint in her hair.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Katherinejfitzgerald
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-fitzgerald-8621a729a
Image Credits
Brenden Mascherino and Kody Morris
