Kathryn Hitchan is a Junior Cinema Production major with a concentration in Directing. In addition to her class work she is president of the Action Sports Club, an apprentice with Student Production Services and plans to direct a P4 next semester. Her Campus had the chance to ask Kathryn about what it’s like to be involved, and what the future holds for her and her career.
Photo by Jason Barnada
HC: What are you involved in on campus?
KH: On campus I’m involved with not only the conservatory as a cinema major, but Action Sports Club as well. Freshman and sophomore year I was a member, and I became the president my junior year, organizing and hosting events, along with just getting people involved in the urban environment. The ASC is all about getting out on a longboard, or bike and cruising through the concrete jungle, which when it’s nice is an excellent stress reliever. I make time for it, even if it means losing sleep, because with 18 credits and a different set every weekend, you lose sleep if you do anything else, but I do it because it’s my escape from reality for a few hours. We’re a group that likes to hang out, and be active. I also work on campus part time as an apprentice at the Student Production Services office where we check out gear to cinema, journalism, and photography students.
HC: What inspired your interest in film?
KH: My interest in film was inspired by watching movies as a kid and I always wondered how it was made, or what it did and even before I knew what it was I also focused on the composition and the movement of each shot. I would question angles, and points in the frame where they place objects or people, even the color scheme or lighting choices. I didn’t know what I was talking about, but in my head I just wanted to know how they did it. I also visited California when I was pretty young and went to a new studio where my aunt worked for a CBS branch in San Francisco, and after that I was hooked, I knew I wanted to be involved somehow, whether it was news, tv, film or whatever, it didn’t matter, I knew at a young age that is what I wanted to do, without a doubt in my mind. I was probably 12 when I knew what my passion was, which I know doesn’t happen for a lot of people. I was lucky.
HC: What’s your favorite thing about working with films?
KH: My favorite thing about film is collaboration, when it works and is successful, you make something that you know people will see, and there might be that kid out there that their passion is found from something you made. Telling a story with visuals is an incredible thing that our generation doesn’t think twice about most of the time, but it’s a beautiful process and I know I did my job when I get home from a full weekend of production and my whole body is sore, and my eyes just won’t stay open, that’s the best feeling. Being on set with people who are just as passionate about an idea and a job as you are, makes it the most worth while thing that I can think of.
HC: How many sets have you worked on?
KH: I honestly can’t count the exact number of sets I’ve worked on, but I know I’ve worked on documentary, commercial, television, news, and short film productions. I’ve yet to be on a full feature length film, but I know that’s right around the corner. If I had to guess I would say approximately 30-40 sets in the last 3 years, some bigger then others. This year alone, I know I’ve been on at least 15.
HC: What is the most challenging thing about directing?
KH: The most challenging thing about directing is not being too involved. I have a problem with my visions and being too specific, I have to step back sometimes and remind myself that my cast and crew is very intelligent and talented and I trust them, or else I wouldn’t be working with them. I know they can do their job, and it’s my responsibility to do my own. I’ve worked in so many positions that I feel the need to step in and be specific down to the light I want or exactly where I want a certain element of set dec. There’s a very thin line of being controlling, and directing. I’ve worked as a cinematographer, a set dresser, an editor, and a director so that’s why I find it hard to step back, because I love being involved as much as I possibly can. I’m a director that wants to be there the whole way, no matter what. I love it though, there’s not many challenges, communication sometimes, but that’s always something that if you do it efficiently it can be fixed or there aren’t many problems that come from it.
HC: What challenges do you foresee with directing a P4?
KH: I think with P4 our problem will be budget and certain aspects of equipment check outs. I’ve built the base of my crew, which we’re all on board, we’re currently in our second re-write of the script we’re using which is good, and I think that’s got us in a nice spot. However, we have to raise money on our own, which is realistic as opposed to the cinema department giving us money like they do for P3. I think it’ll be a great challenge though; it’ll set us up nicely for what it’s actually like. I just hope we’re able to get what we need to make the product that we want to. The reason I say equipment is because P4 gets last priority over all productions that happen at Point Park, which is because they want again to set you up for a realistic situation. I understand it, but it does complicate things. I just hope our schedule doesn’t interfere with others that our shooting when we are.
HC: What are your goals for the P4?
KH: My goals for P4 are pretty simple, tell a story, and tell it well and get everyone to feel something from our story. I don’t like pointless films, no matter what they are and I have a group of people I know are already on board, and our story is something that I’m already proud of. We’re messing around with a serious topic with some really interesting psychological issues that people don’t really talk about a lot, and that’s the point, I want to investigate an area that people intentionally avoid because I think that’s where the most interesting stories lie. My goal is to make something people find visually appealing, and really thoroughly enjoy. I’m also testing my directing ability because I was a DP (Director of Photography) for my P3 so it’ll be interesting to switch gears with a larger scale production. I’m really excited and really happy about the crew and story that I do have.
HC: What are your goals after graduation?
KH: My goals upon graduation are to work my a** off and climb a ladder. I’m going to get myself involved with productions in Pittsburgh as a grip, electric/gaffer, PA, and set dresser. I’m also going to continue to work with my peers on their projects as much as I can, as well as direct and shoot my own independent stuff, with the people that I’ve worked with while here at Point Park, and that’s one great thing about this program, you leave with a ton of connections. I’ve been on sets and built up so many connections already that I’m not worried about working after graduation, I’m just excited to focus solely on working and not have to worry about classes, because I can dedicate so much more time to being on set. I’m ready to get out there, and to travel eventually, and hopefully someday find myself landing somewhere on the west coast. I’ve never been so excited to work. But being on set isn’t work, it’s my passion and my happiness.