I’ve never been a very good artist. I will have some idea of how I want something to look in my head and then when I try to mirror that on paper it comes out totally wrong. I feel like there is some sort of disconnect between my mind and my hand whenever I try to paint or draw. With film, it’s totally different. I have complete control over how my films turn out and I can make them look and sound exactly how I like. When I made my first film last fall, I became hooked on that feeling and I haven’t stopped making films since.
My name is Katrina Rudd and I am a rising Junior at Santa Clara University. I am a double major in Political Science and Communication with a Film Emphasis. My favorite movie is It’s a Wonderful Life and my favorite pastimes include reading yelp reviews, listening to Spotify Discover Playlists, and making Prezis. In 4 days I will be jetting off to Milan, Italy to spend a semester studying, eating pasta, and filming as much as I can. Now that you know a little bit about me, let me tell you about my experience at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission.
Today, is my last day interning at the GCFC and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I have been helping mostly with the development side of the organization and through doing so I’ve learned a ton. I was able to sit in on meetings, assist in event planning, reach out to members, expand the contact database, and attend networking events. I have been working mostly with Erin Gisel who has been an excellent teacher and is clearly very passionate and knowledgeable about her work here. That was actually one of my favorite parts about interning with the film commission – the staff! I find it really inspiring that each of the staff members cares so much about the work done here. They have fostered a great environment for an intern to walk into. Everyone is very open, friendly, and receptive to questions which I found really encouraging, especially on my first few days.
I was also able to learn a lot about the film industry while interning at the GCFC and the insight and knowledge I have gained about the industry are the reasoning behind some of the choices I’m going to make moving forward in my career. Through my assignments at the commission I was able to work with cast and crew lists for big Hollywood productions, watch workshops and interviews with talented creators, and learn about location scouting and tax incentives.
Moving forward, I don’t know exactly where I’ll end up. I do know that I will be able to use the lessons I have learned at the Greater Cleveland Film Commission for many years to come. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work for such a worthy and important cause and I look forward to seeing all the good that the GCFC will bring to my home town.