Life & Work with Alyssa Katalyna of Midcity

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Katalyna

Hi Alyssa , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
At 18 years old, I was determined that I was going to Purdue University to become a veterinarian for the Armed Forces. I was going to dedicate my life specifically to the bomb squad dogs. Obviously, and definitely for the best, I found a different path in life at one of the exploratory theater courses there. After rerouting my entire life to become a filmmaker, I knew that I had to become a writer/director, and in my fevered research the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts was the place to be. To make sure LA was where I really belonged, I took the summer before my senior year to work on several commercials where I got to PA for the art department and learn what it meant to be on set. In Indiana, that usually translated to being a utility cable wrangler for the basketball games. Since LA was (and still is) far more expensive than Indiana, I was housesitting for strangers to get a sense of the city and also learning how different it is to drive and LA. That summer confirmed that this was the life for me, and I submitted my only MFA application to USC. Miracle of miracles, I was accepted. Since USC, I have become a writer, director, and producer. I’ve had the good fortune to find my dear friends and chosen family while in LA and I’m so proud to report that several of my projects and directors have gone on to win several fellowships and awards including the DGA Jury Award and culminating in a win this year at Cannes at the American Pavilion’s Emerging Filmmaker competition. I’m so excited to continue my producing on films I truly care about such as upcoming short with the Rideback Rise fellows, and continue focusing on writing and directing to tell the stories that live in my heart.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
If anyone has found a way to be an artist on a smooth road, please call me to share your secret. For me, those potholes are the personal struggles that were life changing. It was March 2020 when I was shooting my directorial debut at USC that I got a call that my mother had died. I was absolutely heartbroken and suddenly in one of the darkest points of my life. I went back inside to let my cast and crew know what had happened, and I will be forever grateful to them for sitting with me to discuss heartbreak and loss, and even more grateful to them that they encouraged me to finish my film. LA can feel isolating at times, and this industry can feel lonely as you are on the road to your dreams. However, there are other drivers on this road, and they’ve got spare tires and listening ears. In the case of my team, we became friends and fellow travelers for life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a writer, director, and producer in both film and television. Something unique about the type of storytelling that I specialize in is that I am deeply pulled to magical realism. My personal brand is themes of love-after-death and exploring what that means to different people. If we are to believe Einstein when he states, “energy can be transformed from one form to another, but can be neither created nor destroyed”, I believe that must also include love. Where do all these emotions and attachments go after the death of a loved one? I let my art create that conversation with my audience. In my writing and directing, I frequently use horror and magical realism along with a healthy dose of dark comedy just to make myself laugh as I speak to dead people. It’s such an interesting space to me creatively, and through it, I’m most proud of the community that surrounds me. Shooting with my best friend and exceptional cinematographer, Catalina Parra is so special to me because we share a deep understanding of each other’s hearts that can be felt in the way that she shoots my films. Having that kind of support and having someone who understands that I’m just a little spooky really allows me to be weird at my full capacity and make my stories beautifully personal.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
The absolute best part of Los Angeles is it is so incredibly physically diverse. I love places like Pasadena and Altadena for the absolutely gorgeous mountains, forests, and hidden waterfalls, which are so refreshing in this hot summer heat. But then within the same day, and still in the same city, you can be at the beach. Or in the canyons. Or the Hollywood hills. Places which almost feel like their own country at times. To live in LA is to know that you have barely scratched the surface and that there is so much more of the city to discover. Of course, the bittersweet nature of LA is that it has all this variety, but you have to drive to get there. As anyone who’s ever driven in the city can tell you, there are some of the most creative drivers on the roads which create world-renowned traffic that can trap you for eons. Given it took me an hour to drive 4 miles tonight, yea, safe to say that’s the worst part.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10618738/?ref_=nmbio_ov
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alyssakatalyna

Image Credits
Amber Jones, Katherine Osumi,
Jean Melesaine Leasiolagi