Life & Work with Kara Fein

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Fein.

Hi Kara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
The storyteller I am today has been shaped by the many different paths I have taken. Some were expected and others were entirely unplanned, but I think they’ve come together in a way that makes me excited to utilize what I have learned. I grew up in Los Angeles in the Santa Monica Mountains. I enjoy being in nature but as a kid, I preferred staying inside to watch TV. I was fascinated by almost everything, especially cultures unlike my own, and spent hours absorbing an enormous amount of content. I even convinced my parents that doing my homework in front of the TV helped me get good grades. I give them a lot of credit for allowing me to expand my viewpoint and watch everything I wanted. Their recommendations and must-watches are a big reason I fell in love with entertainment. After high school, I had the perfect summer job for a film-obsessed teen and worked at a movie theatre. It was a summer filled with Harry Potter, Spider-Man, and The Notebook. I loved being that close to the audience and seeing their reactions when they left the theatre. For college, I found myself moving from California to Tennessee where I studied Film Studies at Vanderbilt University. I learned to articulate how I felt about story and character and knew I wanted a career in entertainment. I spent one of my semesters in Scotland at the University of Glasgow as a part of their film program. My time abroad encouraged a strong desire to travel and live in new places.

I also spent a year in Vancouver studying acting. That experience gave me an ability to tap into characters through empathy and has been a driving force behind how I approach storytelling. When I settled back in LA, I worked at Bob Gail Special Events. I learned to balance many hats and helped fulfill meaningful memories through people’s personal stories. After a few years, a new camera, and a trip to the UK, I realized photography was a creative skill that could be more than just a hobby for me. It was a tangible way to capture a story in a single image and it made me feel closer to my original dreams. I then moved to NYC to pursue photography. I worked as an in-house photographer at Percolate, where I took pictures for up to eight hours a day. It was an amazing experience and ultimately inspired me to apply to film school. I started the Film/TV Production MFA program at USC in 2017. I walked in having a rough idea of what I wanted to pursue but took some turns along the way. By my final year, I was entirely focused on producing, writing, and development with an emphasis on TV and comedy. My ultimate goal is to be a Creative Producer and tell inclusive, empathetic stories that have heart and humor. I also hope to one day set up a career program for those second chancers, who like me, are pursuing their dreams in their 30’s or beyond.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of my biggest life-changing moments was graduating college in 2008 when the economy crashed. I was hit with my plans and expectations changing in a big way and it took me a while to get back to what I really wanted. And then last year, I found myself facing more uncertain times with the pandemic. I graduated from USC’s MFA program in May of 2020, virtually celebrating at home, wearing my sister’s high school cap and gown. I had to process the fact that I was graduating a second time in conditions that were out of my control. I was scared that it would once again impact my ability to find a job in the industry. But what happened in 2008 and beyond absolutely prepared me to get through this past year. Before college, I thought my path would be straightforward. But it has never been that. There are a lot of different directions I have taken and I’ve had experiences I didn’t plan for that have strengthened my skills, creativity, and resilience. Ultimately, persistence has been the key to everything for me. I am also lucky to have parents and a family who have encouraged me to keep going and see value in myself no matter what.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have always wanted to tell stories, but I didn’t know where I wanted to focus my talent and passion. Studying film and television for three years, surrounded by motivated dreamers, really helped me figure out where I fit best. In my last year of school, in particular, all the light bulbs went off and I realized how much I connect to stories with heightened realities. Most of the ideas, scripts, and pitches I came up with at school had supernatural characters, goddesses, animation, or creative visual effects. USC helped me realize where my ideas come from and what excites me most. Animation, for me, is what really opens doors to the impossible. Since graduation, I have worked on a few thesis films and independent animation projects and earlier this year I was fortunate to get my first professional writing gig. I am currently a freelance writer for Papercutz, contributing comic scripts for The Loud House and The Casagrandes. The volumes I am in will be published later this year and I cannot wait to see how Nickelodeon’s artists bring my words to life. I was a 90’s kid growing up with three sisters who all bonded over our favorite Nick shows. Two of my sisters are writers and also write for the comics. Our older sister has three kids who are a great source of comedy and inspiration! I recently started my first industry job at Nickelodeon as well. I am incredibly grateful to be part of a company that I have admired for so long!

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
The book Producing Animation by Catherine Winder and Zahra Dowlatabadi has been a great resource for me. In my last semester at USC, I developed an original, adult animated show idea and finished one of my courses with a pitch packet. That project made me realize how much I wanted to learn animation production and this book offers a great overview. It also better prepared me to take on the animated projects I have been a part of since finishing school. I like to know everything I can to feel confident in my work, but also to better support the people around me. This book has been a helpful piece of the puzzle on a long journey towards a career path I am so excited to pursue.

Contact Info:

• Email: kara.fein@gmail.com
• Website: http://www.karafeinphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/feinphotos/?hl=en
• Other: https://vimeo.com/karafein

Image Credits
Sheila Fein