Graduated Life

After graduating (yay!), Kathryn preps to enter the work force.

She's a graduate!

And just like that . . . I'm a college graduate! It’s been great. And now I, equipped with my Bachelor of Fine Arts and a dream, have to start thinking about . . . my career. Cue the confetti 🎉 In this day and age, getting a job (especially in entertainment) is not easy. I know people who’ve applied to over 300 jobs without hearing a single word back. It's discouraging. It's exhausting. But it's real. So how do we get around it?

Well . . . we don't, really. We just have to keep going. You keep applying, keep creating, keep learning. You keep showing up. As sucky as it sounds, it's all about endurance. It’s about staying hungry and open, even when it feels like you're shouting into space.

On set of my thesis films with two of my best friends, Tess and Mattie (and Fru)

But what they don't tell you is your path doesn't have to be linear. Sometimes your "in" comes from an unpaid gig you almost turned down. Sometimes it's from a short film you made for fun on a weekend that ends up winning an audience award at a festival. Sometimes it's from helping a friend on their set — and then that friend brings you on to a bigger job months later.

In school, I wore a lot of hats; writer, director, production designer, producer, sound mixer, and that's helped me understand more about not just what I want to do, but how the whole machine works. That kind of flexibility is gold right now. If you're someone who can bounce between roles, solve problems, and collaborate well, you already have a leg up.

So, what now?

Crew photo for The Tracks We Leave, a SCAD senior thesis filmed January 2024

Crew photo for The Book of Kyle, a SCAD senior thesis filmed February 2024

Crew photo for Let's Eat, a SCAD senior thesis filmed in February 2024

1. Keep creating. No one’s stopping you from telling stories just because you’re not in class anymore. Sure, it's a little more expensive now and we have to find our own equipment, but those are just steps on the staircase to greatness. Short films, micro-docs, music videos, they all count. You just need a story to tell.

2. Stay connected. Film school is full of people who will become your network. Keep in touch. Collaborate. Support each other’s work. Celebrate the wins, big and small. Because sometimes, someone else’s success becomes your opportunity too.

3. Be okay with the “in-between.” The job that pays your bills might not be glamorous right away. You might work retail or wait tables. And that’s okay. You’re still a filmmaker. Let these life experiences to inspire you. Use that time to write, to plan, to build up your next big thing.

4. Don't wait for permission. No one’s going to tap you on the shoulder and say “You’re ready.” You’re already ready. So go make something weird and wonderful.

I’m at the starting line, too. I don’t have it all figured out, but I know I want to tell stories that matter. I want to collaborate with people who care. And I want to keep learning, no matter where I land.

Double rainbow (AKA, a sign)

Graduating is exciting. A little overwhelming, but we’ve made it here and that means something. The world’s ahead of us, full of stories to tell and chances to take. So let’s get out there! Happy Friday!