Meet Cathleen Chandra

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathleen Chandra.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Cathleen. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
” To explore, and to love,” is a personal motto that I live by throughout my life which always acts as a reminder and guidance for myself. I have always had this dream that one day I would spend the rest of my life doing something that I love while exploring the world through storytelling. I have always been amazed by the wonders of cinema, ranging from classic films back in the 90’s until now. It has this distinct quality that has the power to bring great impressions to people and somehow bring them to a new world. I believe by pursuing a journey of filmmaking, I want to finally be able to inspire and express my thoughts that are filled with constant ‘what if’s.’ As I finish my bachelor’s degree in filmmaking, this experience has widened my perspective and knowledge, which led me to appreciate the world of cinema even more. I am also lucky to have had the opportunities to direct a few short films, including my latest film ELLIOT (2020), Beyond the Light (2019), and Into the Rabbit Hole (2019). Moving forward, I aspire to be a Director/Writer and to highlight topics relating to human connections, coming of age, and self-growth stories.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There isn’t anyone with a smooth road in their life, there have to be sticks and stones along the way, but that’s what keeps us moving forward, am I right?

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I envision myself as a Creative Director. I have always loved conceptualizing ideas, whether from clients or myself and develop it through all phases until I have a finished product, whether in my films, advertising, or photography work. My past experiences in more traditional art forms and now in cinema allows me to be better equipped as a Creative Director as I am able to pull in techniques and ideas from the different mediums. I am fortunate enough to have a keen eye in editorial and experimental visual styles, which allows me to push my work to stand out amongst others.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up in Indonesia, the schools there primarily focus on academics and rarely the creatives. I realized early in my life that I have always been passionate about the arts, but I found it hard and confusing to explore my passion due to the lack of guidance and example from people around me. This compelled me to self-educate, whether through watching a bunch of tutorials on YouTube, scrolling on Pinterest for hours in search of inspirations, and learning the technicalities of different programs and equipment.

This discovery of an endless possibility in learning on my own made me really curious and ambitious. The idea of not doing anything or working to better myself frightens me. I have always attempted to work on multiple projects at once, which may seem not ideal for many people because of the fear of the lack of focus. However, I see this as a positive trait because this allows me to always have a constant stream of ideas which allows me to push myself to a higher standard and expectation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cathleenchandra.com
• Phone: 2069534396
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @cathleenchandra @ket_jpg
• YouTube: Cathleen Chandra IMDB: Cathleen Chandra

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