Recapping ‘a Short Break’ With Director and Writer Katie Mack
This week A Short Break features New York's own Katie Mack and her short film “Missing You”. The story takes a look at how fate plays a part in everyday life and in the lives of complete strangers. What makes someone decide to challenge fate? Accept it? Act on it? Not knowing where his new mission will lead him, Logan takes a chance on making fate work in his favor, not knowing that Ms. Mack also has a similar mission. Damien Smith and Emma J were also joined by co-writer and co-star of the film, Lamar K. Cheston for the evening!
Introducing a new virtual show a Short Break where host Damien D. Smith and co-host Emma J. show the best short films in their entirety and then replay with a live director’s cut where the audience is able to interact and ask questions to their favorite filmmakers! Tune in every Sunday at 4PM PT / 7PM ET to join in on the LIVE conversation via Facebook Live and YouTube Live.
What was the first camera that you ever shot on?
Katie Mack: It was a Nikon, something thousand, it was the first camera my mom got me. I told her I needed a camera to make my movies and she said ‘Oh you go make movies now?’. She got me the camera so I could start shooting. It was a good starter camera to help me flush out my vision without having to wait on anyone else to shoot for me.
How did you feel wrapping the first project you ever directed?
Katie Mack: It felt amazing! I had the moment where I felt ‘ooh I did it, this is my thing!’ and then I was like, so I don’t have any money to pay someone to edit. I had to go to YouTube University to teach myself. When I finished and got it out of post that’s when I felt the most joy. When you work on something that yours and see it all the way through, you can’t beat that feeling.
As co-writers, what was the decision to make your movie with little to no dialogue and use music?
Katie Mack: It was a mix between me wanting to do a silent film, but me feeling like I can throw some dialogue in for context. Before I knew what I wanted to do, I knew I wanted Jazz beats, Miles Davis or Duke Ellington, and I wanted to see what story I could make with these sounds as the score.
Lamar K. Cheston: When I watch short videos, a lot of time I watch them on silent. I like for stories to be told where I can understand them without hearing anything. Katie and I try to tell stories in different ways for our people.
Watch the full clip on Facebook and Youtube now, plus listen on Spotify! Don’t forget to watch previous episodes with directors Tracy ‘Twinkie’ Byrd and Angela McCrae.
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See you every Sunday at 4PM PT / 7PM ET!