Kate Douglas
Star Wars, created by George Lucas, has undoubtedly influenced many viewers, films, stories, and ideas. For Cinematic Arts graduate Kate Douglas, it is the movie series that lured her into filmmaking. At 12 years old, while other kids were fascinated by the films’ lightsabers, Douglas sensed the call of an invisible force that promised: “You could play make-believe for a living.” At first, she resisted the call, believing she ought to follow a more “practical” career path. She entered Liberty University to study criminal justice and become a police officer, but during her second Christmas break, she realized law enforcement was not her true passion. She looked into the Cinematic Arts program and discovered an opportunity to pursue her career dream.
Douglas’s experience in Cinematic Arts gave her knowledge, tested her abilities, and trained her in new skills. She especially enjoyed comradery with her classmates; being surrounded by like-minded people confirmed her calling. She says, “When you’re around people for as long as we were, you create strong bonds with one another. It was cool because we were all really invested in what we were doing.”
Meanwhile, Douglas grew in filmmaking skill and passion. She learned how to handle equipment properly, and she realized asking questions saved her from making big mistakes. One of her greatest powers developed when she worked for the Key Grip and Best Boy on Cinematic Arts’ third feature film, God’s Compass: she learned how to anticipate her mentors’ needs. This enlightenment matured her in her discipline and helped her realize her specialty in grip and electric work.
Douglas landed several jobs after graduation, beginning with commercial work as a production assistant in Tennessee. Eventually, she joined the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in Atlanta, GA, and took on film jobs in electrical departments. She worked on big films such as Black Panther, Godzilla: King of Monsters, and Venom.
She recently wrapped her second season as a set lighting technician for the Netflix original series, Stranger Things. One of her favorite memories in Stranger Things is from last year during production for Season 3. The electrical and art departments rewired and rigged Atlanta’s Gwinnett Place Mall to look like a 1980s mall. “It’s like you stepped back in time,” she says, “it was humbling to be able to stand in such an impressive set.”
Despite her successes, Douglas does not seek the spotlight but prefers to power it for someone else. By focusing on her boss’s or team’s needs, she has honed her ability to support others and has become a valuable team member, even teaching her special ability to fellow electricians. She says she would love to become a Best Boy someday.
Like a Jedi fulfilling her destiny, Douglas is pursuing her calling in grip and electric work, naturally making her a source of power for the light side. Today, as she prepares for her next mission, she encourages any nervous recruits to submit to their filmmaking training: “Calm down, enjoy the process, and remember it’s okay to not know everything.”
