Kate Kaminski shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Kate, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Have you ever been glad you didn’t act fast?
Here’s the truth. I’m impulsive. For better or worse. I think the better question for me is, when was the last time you regretted acting fast? Unlike Edith Piaf who famously performed the song “Je ne regrette rien,” for me, regrets become learning moments and I’ve had a lot of those. Learning from my mistakes hones my craft. So, knowing my own penchant for impetuous behavior, I will always diligently work to turn a fail into a lesson well learned.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a rebel filmmaker and indie author. Gitgo Productions is a two-woman production company with my partner Betsy Carson. We work completely independently and mostly self-financed. Generally, I come up with some idea for a project and then I propose it to Betsy. If my pitch is persuasive, we work together to refine the concept with a focus on feasibility to make and complete the project within a reasonable production period. We’ve only ever dropped one web series project (with the fabulous title of “Beach Bunker Babylon”). There were just too many obstacles to doing that one justice. But even now, almost 15 years later, we sometimes think about doing something with the footage we shot or reworking the concept so maybe ideas never die?
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
My mother and my paternal grandmother both knew I was a writer long before I claimed that identity for myself. They were both voracious readers and consumers of stories
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
So many times! Being an artist – particularly an independent artist – is not for the faint-hearted and it can be incredibly discouraging. And I’ve gone through dry spells in my creative life where nothing worked and the flow was interrupted and I’ve thought, what if I can’t do it anymore? Fortunately and inevitably, however, something will break through … an idea will come or a pattern of discouragement will be punctuated by a moment of encouragement and then I’m back in the flow. I have learned over time – and through so much rejection – that what matters is the story I’m telling and if it only winds up mattering to me, then I’m OK with that.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
This might be a controversial stance, but the biggest lie of the publishing industrial complex is that it’s a meritocracy. In general, publishing is focused on profit making so it isn’t solely about the art of writing (or even storytelling). The same is true of the film industry. Unfortunately, those working outside these systems are quite marginalized. But without true diversity of thought/expression, we lose something vital to a vibrant arts culture. As consumers of cultural products like books and movies, it’s critical that we seek out and support those marginalized voices. We have to look outside ourselves to understand how interconnected we are with all the other beings, human and otherwise, who share our planet.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
At my age, mortality feels quite a bit closer than it used to so this is a question I have pondered before. If I’m imagining the gathering after I’m gone, I hope whatever stories people tell about me will leave em laughing.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.katekaminski.com
- Instagram: @gitgofilms
- Youtube: @gitgofilms
- Other: http://gitgoproductions.weebly.com
Image Credits
Gitgo Productions
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