Life and Work with Katie VanEtten

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie VanEtten.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Katie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Of course! My creative journey begins, believe it or not in preschool when I met my current work-wife and creative partner, Monika Martin. Through the years, we began writing high school journalism articles, plays, manuscripts and since this is LA y’all, screenplays. We worked on set design crews, XC teams and by even barely passing English classes because of our lacking sense of authority. We were teenagers and were “rebelling” against “the man.”

After writing a musical at the tender age of 16 together and losing the document because of a shitty hard drive, we embarked on writing a musical sophomore year of college titled “Oedipus the Musical.” But this time: 1) We would write it on my laptop and 2) We would fully realize it. Jumping into the wild world of production while still being a literal child was thrilling, exciting and the most important experience of my life. It allowed me to take control of what happens with my (our) projects and it forced the two of us to pick a “company name.” So, we chose Van.Martin, which is a registered LLC. Not so much for the zeroes of dollars were raking in, but so it’s established and no one else takes it. It’s a pretty hot name.

I moved to LA after the Philly-based magazine I worked at went out of print. My friend and frequent collaborator was living out here and I did want a change. I think I worked Philly for what it had for me and still love it. I’m writing this interview in Philly. It still draws me back from time to time.

Currently, I’m working in advertising in Westwood to pay the bills while also still being creatively stimulated and working on a comics series and short film that I’m shooting at the end of August. More on that later.

Great, 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?
Hey, ladies! It’s hard out there and no one’s path is easy. Even if it looks easy. Let me clarify this though, I’m a white, middle-class woman who could afford to go to college/sign a lease/etc. My experience in life has gone pretty good by all accounts. I’ve experienced my share of trauma and obstacles, but very few have been because of who I am and my social circumstances. Cool.

My advice would be to just DO IT. For real. Whenever you go to parties or overhear people in coffee shops, most of the creative conversations revolve around ideas and themes, not actual products or pieces of art. Anyone can have an idea for a film, but can YOU actually execute it? If you don’t have access to raise 5 million dollars (or have it. And if you do, HMU. I’ll take some of it), then in my opinion, there’s no point in writing or designing those ideas out right now. Everyone has those dream projects they want to do, and I always keep some in my head. Call me Marvel. But if I want to actually go full-force with a project, I ensure it can be produced by me and the team I work with. In short, be realistic and take action.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Sure! So, In the daytime, I’m a creative working in advertising which spans everything from market research to working on our commercials. That PA work comes in handy more often than not. In my free time, I work on Van.Martin’s projects which currently are a comics series and short film. The comics series, “Alchemy” is a post-modern fantasy story following the political and magical struggles of a royal family. For our comics, Monika is the Artist and both of us are the Writers. From going to San Diego Comic-Con for the past two years, we’ve been able to find some incredible collaborators to help us ink and color it as well. Pray for Monika for having to draw all of this solo.

And our second project is a short film, “The Recruit.” Set in the mid-1950s, we explore collegiate boxing before it was declassified by the NCAA and take a look at the reality of being a collegiate athlete. Monika was an NCAA D1 Rower in college and through the highs and lows of her experience, she decided to quit her team to ensure her graduation. I could see how much she sacrificed to be on the team, physically and mentally.

We’re shooting the film in Silverlake, City of Angels Boxing and DTLA and are using pro and experienced boxers in the film.

Every project we do is uniquely both of us. We are both Geminis and I do believe in the very astrological, LA-way that we’re two sides of the same coin. Through just hanging out with each other all of our lives, we’re always on the same page but aren’t afraid to call each other out on shitty ideas or bad writing or not great life decisions. Our projects reveal different sides of each of our personalities and as we continue to grow and develop as people, I know our projects will too.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
I’ve been so blessed that in any workplace I’ve been in, there have always been female heads of departments or in the Director’s chair. At a couple of my jobs, I exclusively worked with women, and I love that vibe.

Contact Info:

• Website: vandotmartin.com
• Email: katie.vanetten@vandotmartin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vandotmartin/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vandotmartin/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/vandotmartin

Image Credit:
All Production Images and Comic Page: Van.Martin, Crew Image: Bell the Cat Films

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