Today we’d like to introduce you to Julia Pitch.
Hi Julia, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Drawing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom, an elementary school teacher, introduced me to the arts at an early age. In high school, I acted in a few school plays. I was cast in “Steel Magnolias,” but couldn’t perform a convincing southern accent, despite growing up in Texas. I took this as a sign to transition into work behind the scenes: painting the backdrops. As my love for production grew, I also attended bi-weekly figure drawing classes that were held in a converted garage. My instructor, Ellen Sonderquist, became a mentor to me. Ellen was this cool, intelligent artist in her 60’s with long gray hair and a soft demeanor. She had an eclectic taste in music and could look at any drawing and summon multiple artists to compare it to stylistically.She often lent me books from her impressive collection. I cherished this time, so much so that I thought I too would become a fine artist. So I made it my mission to attend Rhode Island School of Design, which I went to for two years.
While I was there, digital cameras started to become more affordable. I saw an opportunity to combine my interests in light & composition, sounds, and storytelling. In reality, I think, it was the process of collaborating with other creative minds that ultimately caused me to fall in love with the medium. I decided to transfer to the Maryland Institute College of Art to study filmmaking.
After college, I was eager to find a job in film and stay on the east coast, so I drowned myself in a job search. Often, I would travel back to Baltimore from New York by Bolt Bus for job interviews. It wasn’t long before I landed a position at Refinery29, working in their video department.
I got the job on a Thursday and asked to start that Monday. I went back to Baltimore, I packed a single suitcase and I hopped on the next bus back to New York. I was pretty broke so I couch surfed in NYC for about two months until I had enough to get my own place. At that time, if my parents asked how I was doing, I always told them “great.”
During my time at Refinery29, I produced, directed, and filmed my own videos. Some of the series I worked on were nominated for Webbys and Tellys. After three years of working for them, I was eager to explore what else the industry had to offer, and went freelance.
I started working as a Director of Photography on smaller shoots and an Assistant Camera on larger productions, quickly fine-tuning my technical abilities. Working with a camera brought me back to all of the reasons I loved painting: it is spontaneous, visceral, and meditative. Being able to use a camera skillfully has given me a sense of autonomy I have found invaluable, and has made me a better communicator while directing.
One day I was working for a SLMBR PRTY commercial when one of the EP’s saw my portfolio. They said, “Julia, you are a Director, what are you doing as an Assistant Camera? They signed me to their roster and gave me training in agency workflow. My gratitude goes out to SLMBR PRTY for their willingness to foster my growth.
I am currently signed with Los York in North America and Markenfilms in Germany. I am also the Motions Director at LADYGUNN magazine. While my portfolio is more commercial at this point in my career, I always attempt to ground my work with a sort of grit and real, human elements. My interest in long-form storytelling led me to move to Los Angeles.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say my path was smooth, but it was steady. As mentioned, I grew up in Texas with no connections to the film industry. I have found being genuine and diligent goes a long way.
Early on in my career, being a woman in a male-dominated industry was an obstacle. Thankfully, the industry has changed so much in the past six years that it rarely crosses my mind anymore. My philosophy is, “If you’re the best at anything, it doesn’t matter what you’re labeled as. You’re simply the best.” I hate the term “female filmmaker.” I just want to be known as a good filmmaker, regardless of gender.
I think the biggest obstacle I have encountered not just in filmmaking, but in my whole life, is discovering the people who are willing to take a chance on you. Developing yourself as an artist means relying on the help you receive from others. Usually these opportunities come in the form of working on projects with lower rates and scrappy resources; slowly working your way up the ladder.
I have worked hard to be in the competitive pool for high-budget productions. My portfolio is reviewed by many people before I am seriously considered. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. That’s just part of it. It’s always a catch-22 – how do you get the work if you’ve never done it before? In my experience, the only way to overcome this nuance is to let rejection fall off your shoulders and not wait for approval from anyone else. You should invest in yourself instead and make your own work. In most cases, I am honored to see how talented the person who got the job instead of me is. It’s a great feeling to have my work recognized in the same caliber as theirs.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a commercial director by day, doodler by night.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
The ASC magazine and the Rogers Deakins podcast have helped me to learn more about the technical aspects of filmmaking which really helped me become a better filmmaker.
My favorite fiction novel is “Where the Crawdads Sing.” It’s so visual and immersive. For poetry, I just read “Love is a Dog From Hell,” by Charles Bukowski and I couldn’t put it down. As of late, I’ve been listening to a lot of audiobooks and couldn’t recommend “Daisy Jones and the Six” enough. I mostly read non-fiction such as “Just Kids” by Patti Smith and “On Writing” by Steven King, I have found to be gut-wrenchingly inspiring.
Contact Info:
- Email: juliapitch@gmail.com
- Website: www.juliapitch.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pitch__please
Image Credits:
For “Super8 car” – Lorenzo Pace BTS with red basketball hoop/ Green carpet- Tim Wu All thumbnail stills- CC Julia PItch
