Meet up and coming filmmaker Caitlin Woods!
We caught up with Caitlin to discuss her new short film. She grew up in Miami and earned her BFA degree in Theatre Arts with a minor in Film and Television from Boston University. Caitlin is fascinated by female power and plans to explore it’s full capacity through the arts.
Check our exclusive interview below:
The Knockturnal: Tell us about your film?
Caitlin Woods: The Other Side of Happiness is a short film that explores the painful choice between knowing love and knowing ourselves. Through the film, we follow our protagonist as she decides whether to stay or leave her partner once she realizes the only thing missing from her life is herself. It begs questions about self-identity in a relationship and the tragedy of finding true love before finding yourself.
The Knockturnal: What inspired it?
Caitlin Woods: The story is an adaptation of a poem I wrote about my own relationship with love, youth, and identity. It is inspired by a desire to flip the love narrative on its head. Women are taught from a young age that love is the goal and that prince charming is the final chapter to your story. But what happens when you write the end before reading the beginning? Love is beautiful, terrifying, and suspenseful at the same time, and if you never wanted to be in it, love can be a tragedy.
The Knockturnal: What do you love about mobile filmmaking?
Caitlin Woods: I love the freedom that mobile filmmaking allows. There is a “wild west” playfulness when working with a mobile devise because there are all these elements of uncharted territory. I feel more willing to take risks and go against the norm of cinematography to create something brand new.
The Knockturnal: What were the challenges of making your film?
Caitlin Woods: To start, it was my first time directing and writing a film, which naturally comes with its own challenges. I spent hours studying lighting, sound, editing, coloring etc. and finally realized that I basically wrote the most difficult first film possible- all night time shots, indoors, tons of bathtub/shower scenes, and a five-page script to turn into three minutes. Additionally, it was important to me to make a film with zero budget because money is what always held me back from creating in the past. The argument that I had no money to make a film was an excuse that kept me from putting myself out there.
The Knockturnal: How did you get your start in filmmaking?
Caitlin Woods: My love of film started as an actor. I began training as a theatre artist in high school at New World School of the Arts, and continued my acting training in college at Boston University. However, “actor” never felt true to me- when I would introduce myself as an actor I felt like I was lying. I always wanted to get my hands on more elements than acting allowed me to. Thus my itch to explore prompted me to add a Film and Television minor to my degree.
The Knockturnal: Who are your favorite filmmakers?
Caitlin Woods: This year, in particular, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying, Greta Gerwig. Her work in Lady Bird was undeniably a catalyst for my becoming a filmmaker, not only because she is a woman, but also because her work has an organic threading that feels akin to theatre. Additionally, I love Kathryn Bigelow, Wes Anderson, Sofia Coppola, and I think Dees Rees’ journey to the director’s chair is a testament of originality and confidence.
The Knockturnal: Final thoughts?
Caitlin Woods: It’s not lost on me that aside from Wes Anderson my favorite filmmakers are women. I am an advocate for female filmmakers, not only in effort to break the glass ceiling but also because I think that women bring a particular nuance to the craft. There is a sensitivity to the perspective of the underdog that is magical.
