Writer’s block has an almost romanticized air to it. Picture it: the struggling artist, toiling over a masterpiece. If you’ve ever experienced it (and I think it’s safe to say every writer has) you know there’s nothing remotely romantic about it. Lack of inspiration, resistance, writer’s block—whatever you call it, at its core it’s just procrastination and it stems from a number of places: not knowing what to write, insecurity, self doubt, feeling uninspired, being a perfectionist. Sometimes writing is just plain hard and people tend to put off what is difficult. What’s a girl to do? Pages must be…
Author: Cat Doughty
Cat Doughty
Cat Doughty has a BFA in Art and Technical Theatre from Whitworth University. After moving to New Mexico in 2007, Cat joined a group of passionate independent filmmakers called Black Shepherd Productions. As part of the Black Shepherd team, Cat has been a writer, a producer and nearly everything in between. Since finishing co-writing and producing the webseries “Flock” with Black Shepherd she is currently focusing on developing new screenplays so she can keep making indie projects!
A few weeks ago, I saw Captain Phillips. It’s a good movie. One of those high-tension, plot-driven films that is everything you expect it to be. I love a good action flick, but Hollywood action films aren’t typically heavy on the character side, and I’m totally a character junkie. 🙂 Anyway, I went into the film with expectations: I expected a formula; I expected action; I expected to be entertained–and I was. What I did not expect was to be moved. The last five minutes of the film actually blew me away. If you haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil…
When people watch our web series, Flock, most assume that we spent a lot more than we did. Without going into details, I’m often surprised to learn that some spend as much on a single short or web series pilot as we spent on an entire twelve-episode season of Flock. So if you’re a gal on a budget looking to produce her own project, here are some ways we saved some cash when we produced Flock. 1. Write smart. Start yourself off right by writing something that highlights your assets. Have a great location/actor/wardrobe/vintage automobile you have access to for…
Criticism. Every artist knows the beast. Some fear it, some avoid it, some crave it. I’m one of those masochistic souls that fall into that last category. As a writer, I’m my own worst enemy— a perfectionist. It’s one of the reasons I work so often with partners. I like to think of it as perfectionist rehab, but that’s another post. As a student of art and theatre and an aspiring writer, I’ve learned to love critique. It’s a marker. It helps me get out of my own head and really figure out what is working and what isn’t. That…
When I moved to New Mexico to pursue film in 2007, they were calling it “Tamalewood.” The state had recently sweetened their incentives package; local colleges had developed a film program intended to populate IATSE with skilled workers. New Mexico, “The Land of Enchantment” had gone Hollywood and I wanted to be part of that. The reality of film in New Mexico was different than I expected. It’s a great place for film, but not exactly a back door to Hollywood. In my experience, the big movies are mostly crewed up before they come to New Mexico and they certainly…
It’s 2008, the day before we start shooting on the first indie feature I’ve ever worked on. I’m standing outside a two-bedroom crew house awaiting the arrival of the last 9-10 people who will call it “home” for the next six weeks. Yes. 9-10 people, two bedrooms. (What can I say, it was indie and we were on a budget. 😉 . I’m a lapsed theatre major, so I really missed the inspired tangle of artistic people coming together to create something. I was excited…and terrified. When we, the three-person pre-production team, booked the house I remember thinking that the…