Interview with Kathy Fitzgerald
The Boston filmmaker and novelist talks about her passion
for the creative process
interview by Jeff Palmer
(November
8, 2004)
Nowadays, everyone is meeting EVERYONE online. From chat rooms to dating services to E-BAY, it seems our relationships with one another could at times be comprised of just bits and bytes. How many people do we "know" but have never actually met?
Fortunately, if anyone out there in Movie Land has had the joy of working with or just meeting filmmaker Kathy Fitzgerald, you know you've made a connection worth keeping. Since I haven't had the chance to meet Kathy in person, I felt it was high time to find out more of what I suspected I already knew.
A frequent flyer on IndieClub.com and a kindred spirit from New England, Ms. Fitzgerald was gracious enough to indulge my request and take time for an in-depth interview regarding her recent awards, current musings, and future projects. Read on!
Flicker Pictures: From your breadth of work, it's apparent when you get the bug to make a project happen you hunker down and follow through until the bitter end. Looking back, what do you think was the biggest mountain you decided to climb?
Kathy Fitzgerald: My first finished feature, Messiah. It was with 78 actors and a crew of 2, all to create an epic-type movie.
FP: Can you tell me where the inspiration came for that movie and what kept you going throughout the process?
Kathy Fitzgerald: I've always wanted to do a story on Jesus, with tiny twists of showing hypocrisy of religions. Hey, I've wanted to make movies since I was 7. Anyway, I had already done a couple of productions of this one script in a play here in Boston, then decided that whereas the script was just about there, I could let this be my first. The need to make the movie...my first was all the fire I needed to do it. I couldn't wait for Hollywood to say 'yes'.
FP: How long did that process take, from "script to screen" as they say.
Kathy Fitzgerald: I finished the screenplay version in two weeks (in June) as I set up pre-production work. I followed protocol and did what I was supposed to. From that June to the following July, from script to casting, and working weekends only, it was finally in the can.
FP: Wow! All shot around the Boston area?
Kathy Fitzgerald: Oops, forgot, it took the editor 9 months. I didn't pay scale and he wanted it just right. Yep, shot all around Boston, in my house, friends houses, and legitimate guerrilla style. Shoot and run.
FP: Are you originally from Boston? Is Massachusetts your home state?
Kathy Fitzgerald: Yeah...(sing it with me), Ah, ah, Boston you're my home...
FP: Love that dirty water... (hah!) Is the water really dirty in Boston? I never noticed...
Kathy Fitzgerald: Let's put it this way, you need a shot to go swimming: whiskey or antibiotic... either one.
FP: Gotcha. Okay, back to Messiah. You recently walked away with the "Best Presentation" award at the Wreck Beach International Film Festival outside of Toronto, Canada. You must be riding a bit of a high, eh?
Kathy Fitzgerald: Hey, I'm so thrilled with that. My best day, though, was when the judges were watching: three guys in their early 20's and the Cap’. The younger guys had misty eyes while the drama unfolded. Now that was a high. They were really affected.
FP: Nice. As a filmmaker that is one of the best feelings about making movies, when you can make a connection like that, a real personal connection with an audience.
Kathy Fitzgerald: Yes, that is the best reward for all the hard work, screaming, crying, and depression.
FP: That's right! You can't expect to make a masterpiece without shedding a few tears and irritating your cast and crew. That's par for the course. Can you elaborate on those elements for us? The juicy details if possible.
Kathy Fitzgerald: It had a similar effect on a woman in Springfield Ohio where it won an award for a small fest. She was dying of cancer and loved the movie, requesting a copy. I asked the fest people to give that copy to her. Now that brought a tear to MY eyes.
Actually, I had cast the actors 6 months in advance. In those six months, I lost about 40 out of the 75/78. But it worked out for the better. The replacements were fantastic actors and very professional. We really didn't have any hard times except for one day. About fifty of us were outside the State House waiting for the actor to play Pilate. He never showed or called.
The woman playing the mother Mary got very sick and we had to replace her. But, we went on to other scenes slated for the same area. God shined upon us for sure. The weather was great and perfect for each shoot, whether rain or shine, and even the animals seemed to work on cue... nature's animals, not ours. But the effects were like we ordered them.
All in all, the frustrations were unfounded, but I felt as if I had to worry too much...it's part of my job. Nerves frayed, and worry of things that 'may' happen.
Then one day, in the park, we did have a ranger that didn't have a sense of humor. He threw us out, although we had every right to be there. Then the other ranger on another day, didn't dare. He said that if his wife found out he threw Jesus out of the park, she'd divorce him. He let us stay.
FP: Film production: win some lose some. Either way, the show must go on. And it certainly did for Messiah.
Kathy Fitzgerald: Oh, yes. I'm so happy that most was very smooth. If it wasn't, it may have scared me away. I figured that if I didn't do it, I might never have realized my dreams.
FP: That's the difference between writing and production. With writing you have all the control in the world. With production, you're at the whim of endless variables. But that's half the excitement.
Kathy Fitzgerald: The unknown is always exciting... in different ways.
FP: AND, I must add, you also recently won a runner-up award at the 2004 DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Festival in L.A. for your novel Mikayla: The Second Coming. That's gotta help the ego a bit. Can't hurt, right?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Naw. Not the ego. But I was elated that so much hard work was worth it; that I'm
not a bad writer, but a good one. It strokes your ID so that you won't throw the
other manuscripts into the bucket. I was really surprised that it did so well.
The guy, Bruce, who was one of the judges, told me he loved the book. I guess it
puts me in shock that I actually did something well. I guess all of us artists
go through that.
FP:
You gotta get down to get up. That's what I hear anyways...
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I promised myself that I would always carry a little mirror with me and have
imprinted on it..."Am I an asshole?", so if I make it big, it will be
there to remind me that I'm just human.
FP:
Can you tell folks what your novel Mikayla is about? Just a Cliff Notes version
is fine.
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Who's Cliff?
FP: You know, Mr. Notes!
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
As
she goes through her daily life, she doesn't realize the miracles that she's
causing. She may deliver flowers
right now, but soon, she'll be delivering the people of the world.
FP:
Is
anything happening now with the book? In terms of sales, deals, or mass
publication?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I haven't had the money to market it, with me making movies and spending my
money there. I sent it to a couple of agents to maybe take it over and resell to
another publisher, but no bites yet. The book and screenplay are now in the
hands of three very powerful directors/producers. I'm praying they love it
enough to fight over it. It's nice to have connections...poor, but connected.
I'm working on pre-production in case I have to make this one.
FP:
Now that's something to get excited about. Hey -- I did want to go back and ask
a question about Messiah. You actually starred in the lead role as Aunt Kathryn.
Did this choice to play the part make the process that much more meaningful to
you? Did you feel it was important to play that part yourself?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Oh, that. Well, this is what happened. The
male actor I had for the lead of Uncle John... who was supposed to be the story
teller... two weeks before his scenes, he moved and didn't give me his new phone
or address. I panicked. So I hired another Uncle John, but being so short in
time to learn the lines, I had to make Aunt Kathryn the storyteller and I had to
take the part. I didn't really want to be in it, I just wanted to make the movie
and maybe do a cameo. It wasn't my fault, but I guess it was destiny.
FP:
Sure was. Those things happen and usually for the best.
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I had fun, but the actors made fun of me because I would forget the lines I
actually wrote.
FP:
Tell me about making a movie in Boston. What's the filmmaking climate like there
nowadays? Busy? Slow? So-so?
Kathy Fitzgerald: Boston is a funny place with independents. They don't come together very much. From what I see, there are about five features being shot in the city soon. I can only gather the estimates from places like IndieClub or Craigslist. Boston filmmakers are too aloof to be connected or helping each other. I'm not sure why this is. Maybe they're taught this at Emerson and BU, etc.
FP:
That's right. Emerson and BU have film programs. Do you think most of the
productions are being shot on film, Digital, HD?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
In the city, the ones they're doing is digital. I think I may be co-producing
one next spring and he's shooting Super16. But 99% are digital, barring the
student thesis films.
FP:
I'm a big fan of the NewEnglandFilm.com
website. They do a great job trying to keep New England - not just Boston -
connected in terms of production news, stories, events, etc. What think you?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I think they're great, and they go well beyond their boundaries. When I called
for casting for Nathan's Rebellion, I got answers from California to London.
It’s a great site with wonderful people.
FP:
Quick. What's more daunting: shooting a movie or writing a book?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Both
FP:
You get one choice!
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Okay, shooting a movie. It's much
harder.
FP:
Phew. That's what I thought you were going to say. But writing a book is no walk
in the park. The idea has to get put on paper somehow. Both are totally
different in terms of process. One is social, the other antisocial. Maybe that's
the attraction to them?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Yes, I think I was born antisocial. But, when I get a good team together for
shooting a movie, it's hard not to socialize... especially when they're really
funny people.
FP:
There's nothing like a movie cast and crew to keep the spirits up. Tell me about
your other feature Nathan's Rebellion. I really enjoyed that one.
Kathy Fitzgerald: That make's me happy... that you enjoyed it. Nathan's Rebellion is about a 13-year-old boy, his father always on the road, and he has few friends. His older jock brother has no time for him either. One day, after getting homework about the poem "The Road Not Taken", he decides that he should go home another route. Somehow, he's walked through a time warp and ends up on a farm in 1786. The farmer is also lonely and they become friends.
In
the end, they both get what they need. Nathan gets his dad back, and the farmer
goes to live with his son... the one who survived the illnesses of weather and
depression.
FP:
It was a tender story about two characters trying to find someone to connect
with, someone to relate to. I forget, did you write the script?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
No, it was written by George Romeo. I happened to find that one on www.NewEnglandFilm.com,
too.
FP:
How did you find directing someone else's material? Was it more of a challenge
or less? How so?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Actually, as long as I read the script and can imagine what the writer did, I'm
fine with it. I have to understand the characters, and if it's written well,
their lives will show through easy enough. I try to memorize the lines along
with actually reading it like one would read a book. The challenge was doing it
all myself
FP:
What was it about the script that got you thinking about making the movie?
Kathy
Fitzgerald: The title grabbed me right away. When I asked for the
synopsis, I knew it was something I wanted to do. I figured if the writing
wasn't very good, it could be fixed. Most of the script was just perfect.
It's
funny, but I felt that is was another destiny, like I was supposed to produce
that one, too.
FP:
Looking back at all these major accomplishments, would you have done anything
differently or changed along the way? After all, hindsight is 20/20.
Kathy Fitzgerald: Yes. With Messiah, I would have had a specific contract for the still photographer. I couldn't get the pictures of that movie because she said she owned them and wouldn't give them to me after she volunteered to do the shooting. Lesson learned. With the movie Ring Of The Bishop I did for the Italian producer, I should have checked references. The guy that was supposed to be assistant U.P.M. ended up doing nothing for his money. As a matter of fact, he hindered the production. I fired him near the end.
Ring of the Bishop © 2003
FlameSky Productions - All Rights Reserved
FP:
Tough lessons learned. But that's how the creative process goes. And that's how
filmmakers get better with age - I mean time!
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
If they get better with age, I'm about perfect. ;)
FP:
Right on! So Kathy... you definitely seem like you enjoy a full plate. While
this is a way to get involved with many projects all at once, it can often
become a creative strain, pulling you in too many directions. Can you explain
some pros and cons of this modus operandi?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
Stress. As I was doing the end of pre-production with Ring of the Bishop, I was
setting up Nathan's Rebellion. It was hard. I used up so much energy that I
caught the flu and it stayed a week too long. Gotta watch that stress level. The
upside... I love the work. Can't
get enough of it. Hey, I love to suffer.
FP:
So goes The Juggling Act of Life: work, family, downtime, projects... where do
you find the balance, that happy medium?
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I have a great advantage. I stay at home
with the kids. The younger one is
on SSI for his disability, and although it can be trying, it does give me the
space while he's in school, to get a lot of this done.
When I'm out shooting, I hire a trained sitter, or a family member that
knows him well. Surprise, the only money I earned this year... was from being
paid for what I love. Making movies. Jealous
yet?
FP:
Go girl! (Yes, jealousy did cross my mind...) That is something to celebrate.
You should pat yourself on the back. So what's on deck in the immediate future?
What’s next for Aunt Kathryn?
Kathy
Fitzgerald: I'm
going to see if I like the script for the spring shoot. If I do, I'll produce
it. What’s great is that the director/writer already has a budget of $100k. (I
love that). And, as I said, I'm slowly doing pre-production for Mikayla.
In between, I read scripts and with some time, get to write more of my own. Also, I want to finish up my documentary, Out In The Dark. It's a hard-hitting one about a 4-year-old that was raped by his step dad. That's a tough one. Every time I edit, I have to use the Kleenex. That's a six-year commitment. Plus, I love hitting those IndieMeets to work with the other folks. So much fun!
FP:
You do get around the country. That's great that you have the time to get
involved. Making a connection WITH movies is one thing, but making a connection
MAKING movies is something equally special.
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I always wanted to meet other filmmakers, especially the great guys at
IndieClub. I figured I'd better hurry up and do it before I'm too old to hold a
camera.
FP:
Well, eventually they'll have cameras you can hook up to your brain and we'll be
able to just dream our movies onto tape. Now that could get scary.
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
I hope I never see that day. They already have phone chips for implants. That's
also scary. It’s crazy, too. Of course, I'd save quite a bit on A-list actors!
FP:
Indeed! Well, Kathy, it was a pleasure to chat about your projects and the
creative path you are traveling. It is a very impressive one for sure. Movies,
books, and documentaries... you certainly have no shortage of things keeping you
busy. I do look forward to seeing more of your work evolve and know that the
results will be nothing short of amazing. Keep being inspirational and thanks
for sharing.
Kathy
Fitzgerald:
It's great to talk. Gets it off the chest
and helps soothe the soul. I hope to see you at the Oscars when we're vying for
'Best Picture' in, say, about 3 years. Deal?
FP:
You're on. See you there!
Kathy Fitzgerald: Thanks, Jeff.
You can learn more about Kathy Fitzgerald and her upcoming projects at Poverti Productions.
Until the next interview... adios!
Jeff Palmer
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