Katherine Walker

Emmy nominated Katherine Walker works in unscripted television, as a producer, director and writer. She grew up in Virginia, lived on Kauai for ten years and is now based in Los Angeles. She has worked with Entertainment One, Discovery and Mark Burnett among many others. 


And now, the envelope please.


6 Questions with Katherine Walker:


1) What is the least interesting thing about being a director?

"Having to execute things you know won't work due to politics (working with big egos/little talent)

2nd least interesting--looking for work/job interviews, esp with people who don't understand what you do."

2) What is your favorite vice or virtue?

"Vice--Indulging in intoxicants, on occasion (binge-celebrating!); listening to music really, really loud and blowing speakers!
Virtue--kindness, especially to someone who is down-and-out or having a bad time / charity"

3) What is the best thing you ever ate?

"Fresh Maine Lobster (especially outside on Robinson Wharf!)"

4) What are your favorite and least favorite words?

"Favorite: verisimilitude, bemused, exacerbate, onomatopoeia, wonky, yowza
Least favorite (generally using a noun as a verb) like the economy 'impacted' my life and 'loan money' (it's 'lend' money); turn-key."

5) To what faults do you feel most indulgent?

"I never learned how to set boundaries (due to some pretty bad childhood trauma) so I have a very high tolerance for abusive situations (which are quite prevalent in the 'film' industry); I don't know how to advance myself like others do, meaning I am not that great at politicking for my own benefit; I just work hard, have integrity and try to be true to the process--when a lot of times, I should have really been more concerned with self-preservation. We'll see how it ends up in the end."

6)  What decision in your career are you most thankful for?

"Being persistent on a few key occasions: 1) securing my first PA job on "The Lost World" by contacting the A.D. repeatedly; 2) getting Harrison Ford a cup of coffee and delivering it to him even after someone else gave him a cup; 3) not giving up when the EP on "Amazing Race, season 3" told me he wouldn't hire me as a producer--I suggested a drop in title, then, and accepted the Associate Producer role. The episode 311 that I put together in post that year won the series' first Emmy. I guess, overall, not giving up. Which is ironic because now that's all I think about -- getting out of the rat race and like the Frank Zappa song says, 'moving to Montana.' The problem? I really love what I do.
The reason the Harrison Ford story is significant (duh!) is not because I got him a cup of coffee--it was because I was only hired for 3 days and ended up doing every day on that movie over 5 months (because I worked very hard for the First A.D. but also because I approached Mr. Ford without being intimidated at all) -- a similar story was with Robert DeNiro when he was standing in the doorway of his trailer and no one would talk to him, they were all too scared. We were delayed over an hour due to a camera issue, and it was a Sunday and the gear had to come from Panavision Woodland Hills for some reason.

I went up to the stairs and looked up -- he asked me what was going on. I figured, if anyone knew about cameras it was him (due to Scorsese) so I told him the diopter broke and what was going on, he said thank you. By the end of that shoot ("Fifteen Minutes"), on the set, his hair & make-up person yelled at the director (who had kept Bob ducktaped in a chair for over 2 hours of re-takes--as he was getting the crap beaten out of him) that I was the only one who they would deal with! The little PA!

Well, not so little. I'm 6 feet tall!

Anyway, by being honest and upfront with big time actors, I actually gained their respect and they loved the fact that my attitude was "You're making $ 20 million? Get your ass to set!"

Thanks to Katherine for doing this and thanks to you for reading!

Shawna Benson

Writer and producer Shawna Benson has written for television, film and multi-platform (web). She co-wrote and sold a multi-platform series with Bernie Su, wrote scripts with her sister, Julie Benson and wrote, directed and produced a webseries pilot called #Follow. Shawna has maintained a screenwriting blog, Shouting Into the Wind since 2004 and is currently employed as Ashley E. Miller’s assistant. She also likes all manner of tea and is a budding oenophile. She also has a penchant for fireflies.

And now, like a leaf on the wind.


6 Questions with Shawna Benson:



1. What are your favorite and your least favorite words?
  "Favorite word: sonorous
Least favorite word: synergy"


2. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, emotionally?
  "I am a sucker for a good turn of phrase.  I find as I get older that my creativity is sparked more by the words and thoughts of others.  There’s something inspiring in the creativity of other people that helps to spark my own.  Of course, this runs counter to my tendency to keep to myself, so it’s a constant balancing act – spending time with others to become inspired so that I can go into solitude and utilize the inspiration for my own creativity.  Still, it’s the primary balancing act of my life, I reckon."


3. Turns you off creatively, spiritually, emotionally?

  "Nothing halts creativity faster than “I don’t think that’s possible” – whether it comes from others or from within.  The second you believe you can’t do something or that an idea is stupid is the second that inspiration dies.  An idea is never stupid – it may need further definition and refinement, but within every idea lies some kernel of golden truth."


4. You are to be reincarnated and you are given the choice of animal, vegetable, or mineral. Which do you choose?
  "Not sure I’m ready for non-sentient life, so I’m gonna go with reincarnation as a little purse dog (maybe a teacup terrier).  Those things are so pampered, I can’t imagine it being a bad life."


5. What is the closest you have ever come to giving up your craft? 

  "I nearly give up my craft every day.  There probably isn’t a day that I don’t think “I’m a fraud.  What on earth made me think I could write?” but ultimately, I always come back – the blank page is a siren song and I am forever damned to crash against the rocks (or something like that.  I swear, I am such a fraud.)"


6. What is the most fun you have ever had?
  "This is actually the most difficult question.  Fun is so fleeting, and usually only recognized once it has been had.  Some things are fun in retrospect but within the moment are not at all fun (thinking about “haunted” houses and seeing scary films here).  It’s so much easier to think of decidedly not fun times.  Okay, I’ve got one – most fun I ever had: 2 or 3 AM in the Driskill Hotel bar in Austin, Texas a couple of years ago for the Austin Film Festival and Screenwriting Conference.  I sat around in a circle with the likes of Shane Black, Terry Rossio and Danny Rubin who were all swapping stories and talking about writing.  I remember thinking in the moment that I never wanted that little party to end – that I was exactly where I wanted to be at that moment."


  7. Assuming heaven exists, what would you like to hear God (or Allah or Yahweh or Odin. Generally the Supreme Being of your choice.) say when you arrive at the pearly gates?

  “That’ll do, pig.”


Awesome. That'll do indeed. You are many things but fraud is hardly one of them. Thanks for doing this Shawna! If you'd like to know more about Shawna Benson choose any or all of the following:
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And thanks to you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Tune in next time for author Michael R. Hicks.

See you next time!