Meet Caitlin Noah

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Noah.

Hi Caitlin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Both of my parents had worked in TV before I was born, so it was kind of in my blood. I spent a lot of my elementary school days writing short stories about aliens and monsters and putting on shows for my family. I really owe my entire career path to my parents for showing me the 1980 film “Fame,” which led to my desire to audition for the Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts. I was accepted into Miller South’s theater program and instantly felt like I had found my people in the eccentric teachers and students there. My love of being on stage carried through my acceptance into Firestone High School’s theater program, where I was often found playing goofy musical roles like Frenchie in Grease or Little Sally in Urinetown. 

Initially, I had planned to major in musical theater at Columbia College Chicago until I switched my major to film on the day of my orientation. I had an epiphany that while I loved performing, it was those classic films that my parents showed me as a kid and the sci-fi stories I wrote that were really my first love. With a concentration in directing, I spent the next four years making a lot of movies with my friends (most of which were stop-motion shots on an old Bolex camera). Columbia introduced me to many of the people I still work with today, including my cinematographer husband, Matt Hoodhood, as well as my editor/one of my closest friends, Alexis Corrigan. 

After Columbia, I worked briefly at a commercial company in Chicago and then made the big move to LA where I have spent the past decade working my way through film departments. I’ve had a wide array of adventures in LA, such as coordinating ghost-hunting shows for A&E, set-dressing Lifetime thrillers, costume-designing for Disney princesses, and writing a spaceship into existence for my latest short film, “Earthworms.” It’s been a wild ride experiencing all the different departments, but these days, I am focusing all of my attention on writing and directing. I hope to make that little girl who wrote about aliens and monsters proud by transforming those stories into features and TV pilots. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My path in the film/TV industry has been a bit of a rollercoaster. While I do love working in entertainment, there are definitely times when freelancing can feel more like surviving. It’s really hard not knowing when or where your next paycheck is coming from once you’ve just finished a job. The good thing is it’s never boring because each job brings new challenges and new skills, but it’s a constant hustle of trying to prove yourself in the most competitive city for film/TV in the world. Being a female in a pretty male-dominated industry has also led to a fair share of struggles. There was a long period of time when, unfortunately, I thought people here wouldn’t be interested in reading/seeing my work because all of my lead characters were strong women, but it’s been awesome to see that shifting recently with more and more female-driven content getting recognized on a global scale. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in writing and directing sci-fi/adventure/thrillers that push female lead characters out of their typical storylines. I like to bend genres and find a balance between drama and comedy in my work. While I have written scripts that take place within reality, I am usually known for shaking up that reality with something dark or fantastical. I’m also very inspired by history, lore, and culture, which are key elements of my stories. It’s always my goal to keep the audience guessing what’s around the corner for my characters, take what’s familiar to them, and twist it into something they’ve never seen before. 

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I’m a pretty open book to those around me and the people I work with, but some might be surprised to know that all of the characters I write are given names from real people I’ve known or pets I’ve had throughout my life. This has led me to unintentionally name two separate characters in different films after my cat, Luna. I grew up on a farm in Ohio with tons of animals, so I have plenty of names to choose from. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.caitlinnoah.com
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/caitlin-noah-a8707192