Katie O’Grady wrote, directed and produced this narrative spec film, “We Are,” bringing the voices of kids and teens to the fore.
Operating a successful acting studio in this demographic for the last 15 years, O’Grady sees firsthand these youngsters at a vulnerable age while they learn to express and emote. She listens to their frustration, confusion and their desire to shape their future. O’Grady saw the reality in their profound voices she heard every day. She knew it was time to create a voice for them, so she wrote their narrative, “We Are,” turning it into a video now available for brand partnership.
O’Grady commented, “After listening to adults speak on behalf of the teens and kids I work with at Acting for Kids and Teens, I felt frustrated that their voices were not being heard or really considered. It was all just politics. I have hundreds of conversations with teens and know they are driven by re-shaping their future. Many of them feel that they are not being heard, especially by the politicians that ‘speak for them.’”
O’Grady enlisted her close collaborator, Gary Nolton of Limbo Films, as cinematographer and editor. “Our mission was to execute the power behind the words and passion of the teens in “We Are.” Gary and I kept a really tight crew to capture the intimate feeling behind the words and movement of this project. We wanted the kids to feel like it was just them, telling their story. It was a lot of work but at the end of the day everyone was in tears having spent so much time looking at the world from a lens of “what have you done to us.”
Nolton added, “Anytime I can lend my art form to a cause and message I believe in, it’s the most rewarding work I can do. Together we crafted the visuals as Katie expertly guided her young and mostly experienced cast toward these lovely moments.” O’Grady’s goal is to grow this video on a global level so the rising voice of this teen collective will carry the next generation into a more hopeful future. There is hope…in them.
O’Grady is a fifth-generation Oregonian with 20 years on sets in every capacity from actor, director, producer, screenwriter and more. Directing projects with the Trail Blazers, Nike/Laika, BMW, Mercedes and more, she continues to build her profile. O’Grady is an alum of SHOOT’s 2019 17th Annual New Directors Showcase. Her work on the NBA Trail Blazers 50th Anniversary tribute commercial “Growing up Rip City” earned the piece and team a Northwest Chapter Emmy this June. Her invaluable insight as an actor lends tremendous value to her performance-driven directing style, adding to her relatable and effective method to always bring out the best on set.
