Q & A IC: What inspired you to create this series? KC: I just remembered thinking that I had so many stories to tell, and I didn't want to work on a feature film with just one story over the course of years it takes to get it to the finish line. So instead, I opted for a TV series. My series is called Miscellanea because it's a miscellaneous collection of short stories for the screen. It’s a drama/comedy anthology television series with 30-minute episodes. I like to mostly focus on fictional plot lines, which goes against the grain of the current trend of creators recreating their own life for film. Although personal aspects will always be a part of my stories, I use a bit of surrealism so viewers can expect to see something they haven’t seen before. And that’s the beauty of indie filmmaking! IC: You create projects that shine a light on real-life themes honestly and engagingly. How do you decide that? KC: I guess there was no particular time where I was conscious of that decision. It just comes naturally in telling these stories, because pulling from real life and your experiences just kind of happens. But also I feel certain that I am an empath and pulling from other people's experiences and pain is something I do as well. IC: What takes precedence in creating and bringing these stories to life? KC: Right now the budget. I'm just a broke indie filmmaker that works all day on set and saves up to be able to fund my own projects. I sacrifice the judgment of others, by living at home with my family, so that I can instead use the funds for my projects. I see the glances and tone changes when someone finds out I live at home with my family. Sometimes it does get to me. Like I think I should be in an apartment so people know I'm a valuable part of society. But I know at the end of my life, I'd be so proud of myself for not following social pressures and pursuing my dreams instead. IC: Inheriting Hood is a bit heavier than your usual work. What drew you to creating this project? KC: The theme I’m interested in exploring is the fascination with hood life through the eyes of the main character whom she eventually realizes she does not belong. Some of the most popular songs on the radio are songs that rap about guns, violence, and coming from nothing. It’s more idealized to come from a low economic standing and making it into a higher economic standing in our American culture. When I was getting my master's degree in screenwriting, in my thesis, I was able to explore media in other cultures. In Asian countries, it is actually more favorable to come from a higher economic standing, and retaining your high economic standing is what is socially favorable. So the inspiration behind this project was to explore the reason why someone would want to come from a different background than the one that was assigned to them. IC: What was the dynamic like on set with your actors and crew? KC: I had the best cast and crew on this. The energy and vibes were there with no egos. And I get compliments on my sets about this, which makes me feel so good. I definitely feel God has a hand in helping me bring the best people to work with to set. The actors were so giving and the crew so generous. The budget was not high, so the rates weren't high either and some people signed on with no compensation but believed in the project that much. For that I am grateful and they are on my list of people to pay back when I "make it". IC: In Pollette, you have the themes of women in the workplace, family dynamics, and female sensuality. What was the decision-making process like in including all these topics together to create Polette? KC: With this story, I felt like they went hand in hand. Is that the saying? I have quite a supportive family in whatever I want to do with my life. So when I started pole dance/fitness, I was supported. Though I was scared [of] how I'd be perceived from the outside world. Can this affect my work life, my dating life? And it did. Guys would be like, 'So, are you trying to be a stripper?' And they would assume I'm a bit lower class if so! And so what if I was? Why must strippers feel ashamed? Where does this come from? Females flaunt their femininity and it's shameful, but guys get paid to flaunt their masculinity in boxing, football, etc. Also, I do have an aunt that was a stripper for my whole life, and she is literally one of the best humans on earth, so empathy towards the profession of stripping starts there. IC: How important do you think it is to explore female sensuality? KC: I started pole dancing ten years ago, so times were different. And even now, women are scared of how they will be perceived. When I go to pole class, some girls talk about how their mom is so upset with them doing this. They have to hide it from employees. I just hear so many different stories. It's insane that women have to almost hide their God-given female sensuality. When you allow yourself to be in touch with that, I think you'll allow the full range of yourself to be expressive and come out into this world. IC: Nine Lives is a layered and interesting project. What inspired the premise of this story? KC: What inspired me is the feeling that you met someone before this life. They just feel so familiar to you, yet this is the first time you're meeting them. I felt a really strong connection with my fiance, and it got me thinking where this comes from. I got the idea of past lives and started playing around with that story idea. IC: What were some challenges you faced in executing this project? KC: Mother Nature! When we shot the caveman scenes, we were [on a mountain] on this ranch and we all got an alert for high winds and to take cover. I'm funding this project myself, and if we have to go home for the day it would be tragic. I'd still have to pay everyone and we'd get no footage. That would really hurt me financially as I live paycheck to paycheck pursuing these projects, so the project would have to go on hold for who knows when. But I said a little prayer and bam, the sun came out. I do feel like God gives me quite the hand sometimes. IC: Ghost Boyfriend has a fun premise and lots of humor. Where did this idea emerge from? KC: It came to me in a dream! And then I woke up and started writing it out. It took quite a bit of rewrites, workshopping, and years to get it right, though. IC: Did you face any challenges with the ghost scenes? KC: Yes! The VFX. [Visual effects are] very expensive, so I had to do it the indie way if I wanted to tell this story. If you look closely to the VFX ghost scenes you might be able to see the flaws. But I hoped that the story will be entertaining enough that no one will notice or care. Indie filmmakers have to have a good story for the audience to excuse them. Just look at Halloween. There's actually a ton of little errors in it, but no one noticed! Because the story was too good. I actually had a crew member telling me, 'We can't do it this way.' I told him to just trust me. He came to the premiere of GB [Ghost Boyfriend] and was blown away. He said I was right, the audience doesn't notice it. Whew! It was a relief because when I told him to trust me, I wasn't 100 percent sure myself. His points were super valid, but there was no other way. And it all worked out. For more on the series and Katrina, visit https://www.miscellanea.tv/. Iconic Chica mag
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