Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Gorospe.
Kat, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It’s funny — I never expected to be in film until my junior/senior year of high school. At that point, I’ve been writing for my school’s paper for 3 years (I always knew that I was a writer at heart). However, as much as I loved interviewing people and telling their story, I started to get tired of how factual everything was. Obviously, you can’t make things up in journalism, so I wanted something more creative. I started looking around on the internet because I was curious as to what I could do and eventually came across screenwriting. I taught myself all the formatting and analyzed films more than ever. Once I started school at Columbia College Chicago, I was able to work on sets, collaborate with others and learn way more than I ever thought I would.
Has it been a smooth road?
Adjusting to long hours on set is always a tough one, especially overnights. Once your body is used to working from 10pm-10am for 4 days straight, you need another 4 days to get back to your normal schedule. But then it’s like, nope you can’t do that, because you have another shoot that weekend and then school work on the side. It can get hard once it affects other aspects of your life, but the hard work is always worth it. The number one struggle would have to be the doubts that you get from just about anyone — friends, family, other filmmakers, etc. Besides this being a competitive field, I come from a very traditional Filipino family; so when I told them I was going to film school and not nursing, well, I’ll let you paint that picture for yourself, haha!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with you as a Freelance Filmmaker – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I mostly focus on screenwriting and script supervision. So, as a screenwriter, you write the treatments and/or scripts. I usually co-write or write stuff for other people. So, we go back and forth making sure we’re both happy by the time we lock it. A script supervisor is basically the “eyes and ears” for the editor: on set you time each takes, work with each department to make sure you’re keeping track of continuity and taking note of what your director likes/doesn’t like. While everyone is setting up for the next scene you fill out logs and slate. Then, all that paperwork goes to the editor for a post. I always say that being a filmmaker gives me something positive to put my anxiety towards, and it’s true! If there’s anything I’m proud of, it’s getting to be a part of all the details and tedious work that goes into making a movie. That goes for every position, not just mine. Everyone you work with has the same goal (for the most part) and brings their unique skillset to the table.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love the motivation I get from just being in Chicago. It’s very busy and keeps me on my toes, whereas in my hometown I’m more laid-back and tend to not think about work as much. Both have their pros and cons. If there’s anything I don’t like about Chicago it’s the constant sirens, shouting and the noise, but it’s tolerable if you ask me.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 847-532-8414
- Email: katherinarae@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Kristoffer Evangelista, Madison Letzig, Samantha Buttliere, Jacob Hylton, Stephanie Marsh
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