May 23, 2024 • 40 mins
Have you ever wondered what it's like to climb the ranks in Hollywood as a woman behind the camera? In my latest episode, I have an intimate conversation with the accomplished director Katt Shea, whose journey from actress to director is a testament to the power of female visionaries in show business. We delve into her transformation from bringing dark themes to life in films like "Poison Ivy" to her latest interest in heartwarming stories such as "Rescued by Ruby." Katt's experiences shed light on the unique challenges and triumphs of women in the director's chair, illustrating the diversity and resilience required to craft cinematic magic on modest budgets.
Picture this: an unexpected adventure in a strip club leads to a groundbreaking movie pitch and the birth of her directorial debut, "Strip to Kill." This episode peels back the curtain on the artistry found in the most unconventional places and how it can inspire unexpected storytelling opportunities. With anecdotes that range from persuasive plot twists to pets causing delightful mayhem, our discussion is a treasure trove of insights into the creative process and the importance of representing nuanced, authentic voices on screen.
Beyond the glitz and glamour, we explore the deeper connections that tie us all together. We share our journey towards a 'natural way of living' and how it's intertwined with our devotion to the arts and animal advocacy. We also touch on the emotional bonds we forge with our pets and the profound impact of love and attention on both human and animal lives. Wrapping up, we invite you to reflect on your own purpose and the ripples you create in the world as we strive to leave a lasting, positive mark through our creative endeavors. Join us on this soulful exploration that's more than just about making films—it's about the evolution of spirit and the stories that shape our lives.
All about Katt Shea (class info, credits, the works)
https://www.kattshea.com/about-us/
About your Host- Alexia Melocchi
Buy My Book - An Insiders Secret: Mastering the Hollywood Path
Alexia Melocchi - Website
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Alexia Melocchi (00:04):
Welcome to the heart of show business.
I am your host, alexia Melocchi.
I believe in great storytellingand that every successful
artist has a deep desire toexpress something from the heart
to create a ripple effect inour society.
Emotion and entertainment areclosely tied together.
Emotion and entertainment areclosely tied together.
My guests and I want to giveyou insider access to how the
(00:28):
film, television and musicindustry works.
We will cover dreams come true,the road less traveled journey
beginnings and a lot of insightand inspiration in between.
I am a successful film andtelevision entrepreneur who came
to America as a teenager topursue my show business dreams.
Are you ready for someunfiltered real talk with
(00:50):
entertainment visionaries fromall over the world?
Then let's roll sound andaction.
Hello everyone at the heart ofshow business.
I cannot believe I am deep intoyet another season.
I think that with by the timethis episode drops, kat may or
(01:13):
may not be close to my hundredthepisode, so that's going to be
an interesting celebration tohave.
But I celebrate having badassfemale filmmaker producers,
writers, actresses, and ofcourse, this special guest of
mine is no exception.
Not only I have had thepleasure, after so many years of
(01:34):
knowing one another, ofactually working on a few films
that we're going to be hopefullydoing together, where she's
going to be directing and I'mgoing to be producing.
But she is also a force to bereckoned with because she has
been in the business for quitesome time and, as Roger Corman,
who was a person who used togive her all his films or a lot
(01:56):
of his film to direct, he usedto say that this is a woman who
can direct movies for $500,000to $1 million and make them look
like $10 million.
And that is actually how sheended up doing Poison Ivy for
New Line Cinemas that shedirected and I think was an
audience winner at Sundance.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
(02:17):
And after that, of course,she's continuously been
directing content.
Latest works, obviously Rescuedby Ruby, which was a top hit in
the family space, and all overthe platform, actually on
Netflix, where she works withanimals, and her and I have a
love for animals and we'll talkabout that.
And then, of course, the NancyDrew new movie for Warner
(02:40):
Brothers, which again is anotherfamily movie.
So, from horror to family stuff, to doggies, to children,
welcome to my show, katja.
Katt Shea (02:50):
Thank you, alexia.
Oh, that's a great introduction, I love it.
Alexia Melocchi (02:56):
It's so great to have you.
I mean, of course you know, youknow, addressing again the
elephant in the room I mean weneed, need to, we need to give
more of a platform for femaledirectors to, to talk and, and
so you know, we all know whathappened with barbie right and
and the oscars, and so you knownot to be political about it,
(03:17):
but you know the femalestorytellers, I think, are so
powerful.
They have, they have a certaintype of empathy, and what I love
about you is that you startedas an actress and so obviously
everybody says you're great atwork with talent.
So tell me what made youtransition from acting to
wanting to get behind the cameraand say now I'm going to direct
(03:38):
movies.
Katt Shea (03:41):
You know what?
It's actually a little bitcomplicated, because when I was
12 years old and I lived in thesuburbs of Michigan, in Royal
Oak, I started directing playsin my backyard with the
neighborhood kids who were muchyounger than I was.
I, you know, I was writingplays and stuff and I put these
(04:03):
kids in the plays and then I hadthe brilliant idea of charging
their parents to come and seethem in my play.
And then I found out I couldmake money and they would pay.
They would pay whatever I wasasking to see their kid in my
play.
So so this started way back thewriting and directing but of
(04:26):
course I forgot about it.
You know, it was a kid's thing.
And I actually went to collegewhen I was really young.
I, I, I went to college while Iwas still in in high school and
then I graduated very early,like I had just turned 15, 15 or
six.
No, I just turned 16 and Igraduated from high school and I
(04:47):
went back to college.
So I graduated from collegereally early and I decided to
come out to California, to LosAngeles, and I wasn't sure what
I wanted to do.
So my whole life people saidyou should be an actor, because
(05:07):
I was always too expressive, youknow, and so I thought I'd try
my hand at that, but I was sonervous, I was a nervous wreck
acting.
And then, you know, I mean Ifinally was able to manage it
because I developed theseexercises I studied with this
(05:27):
woman named Candy Konecki andshe really helped me.
So anyway, I ended up getting arole in a Roger Corman movie
and it was funny because I waslike the second choice.
They had a TV actress whodropped out because she got a
pilot, and then I fell into therole and you know, I ended up
(05:53):
working in Argentina and youknow, I just wanted to be
helpful and I think that waskind of unusual for an actor, to
just kind of unusual for anactor to just, you know, like
there was a difficult actress inthe movie and I kept trying to
help out with it and kind ofsmooth things over.
(06:13):
And that got back to Roger.
And then he gave me anothermovie and I went to the
Philippines to do that movie andI ended up shooting second unit
on it because you know, I waslike the female, I was the girl
in that movie and I ended upshooting second unit on it
Because, you know, I was likethe female, I was the girl in
the movie.
So I didn't have a lot to do.
It's an action movie, right?
They didn't give me a lot to dothen.
So I was shooting second unitand then I got back and Roger
(06:38):
had heard about that, and so mypartner and I, my writing
partner.
So my partner and I, my writingpartner, we had a bet one night.
We were out eating and he toldme I'm from Michigan, I don't
know anything.
He told me that mussels werepoisonous at certain times of
the year and I just went you'relying, I never heard of that.
(07:00):
That's a boldly adult.
Order the mussels.
So I thought that was justcompletely untrue.
And it turns out mussels arepoisonous at certain times of
the year.
Do not order them.
But I lost the bet and hispunishment for me losing the bet
was I had to go to a strip club.
So he thought that was theworst thing he could possibly do
(07:22):
to me.
You know I'm a preppy.
Oh, by the way, this is mylittle scrunch.
I've got a he's jumping up.
So I adopted him from theshelter.
This is Bruiser.
He's going to jump up every oncein a while.
Alexia Melocchi (07:37):
I love having Bruiser visit.
The thing Not to digress, butyes.
Katt Shea (07:42):
Right, well, my story is so uninteresting, but he's
no, it is totally.
Alexia Melocchi (07:46):
But not to digress.
But you know Didi Pfeiffer, whowas on my show.
She was shooting, uh, big Skyand she was on location and she
says, giving you a heads up, Ihave a cockatoo with me and he's
probably going to come into thepicture at some point and, alas
, so he did.
At the end, the cockatoo justlanded up.
It was great, so great.
Katt Shea (08:05):
Oh, wonderful.
Alexia Melocchi (08:06):
Please bring Bruiser back.
Katt Shea (08:08):
But going back to the muscles, he'll probably start
crawling along the couch backthere or something.
So, anyway, I had to go to thisstrip club and it was really
hard for me to go in.
And you know, I went in thereby myself and I start watching
these women perform and I couldsee that they were frustrated
(08:29):
artists, you know, and they wereusing this venue to really show
off, um, but their artisticside, you know.
I mean it looked like they'rejust taking off their clothes,
but they were not.
They really were doing somevery special things.
And then I thought, you knowwhat Nobody knows this I saw the
first pole dancing.
I'd never seen pole dancing ina movie and I saw spectacular
(08:53):
pole dancing, just so athleticand amazing that I came back and
I told my partner, andy Rubin,I said we have to make a movie
about this, we have to write amovie about this because it's
incredible.
And I know who will buy itRoger Corman.
He's been, he's been waitingfor this, you know.
So I actually kind of stalkedRoger in a way, because I I I
(09:19):
didn't think I could just calland get a meeting to pitch
because in his mind I was anactor.
So I, um, I parked my car andyou could see.
He had a big picture window andI knew he went to lunch at a
certain time and he walked downthe street.
It was in Brentwood, so hewalked down the street so I saw
him get up from his desk.
(09:40):
I run out of my car, I runaround the block and I go Roger.
I run out of my car, I runaround the block and I go Roger.
What a coincidence.
What a coincidence.
I'm Kat.
I was in a couple of yourmovies.
He goes, I know who you are.
And then I said I have got amovie for you.
It's going to blow your mind.
I go strippers and I knew youknow.
(10:01):
I mean, it's Roger Corman.
I knew that was going to lightup his life.
And then I said just picturethe poster.
I go.
They fly around on a pole.
I go.
It's unbelievable.
I've never seen anything likeit in my life.
He was like come in Mondaymorning and pitch me the story.
So I came in Monday morning andAndy and I quickly came up with
(10:26):
an idea around the strippers.
It wasn't a very good idea atthat time but and Andy kept
saying to me, said you have todirect it.
You have to direct it becauseeverything we'd written up to
that point was directed bysomebody else and they really
kind of didn't get the script,they didn't get the jokes.
You know it wasn't, it wasn'twhat we wanted.
(10:49):
And he finally said you have todirect it.
So as I'm pitching this toRoger and he's lighting up, I
say and I'm going no, no, I'mnever going to direct, I don't
want to direct it, I have noplan to direct this.
But I found myself saying andI'm going to direct it, so, so
(11:09):
anyway.
Um, the idea ended up and thisis a spoiler if anybody wants to
see strip to kill point.
It's a great movie, by the way,I love this movie but it
involved having a guy passhimself off as a real stripper
and actually doing the show.
(11:31):
So Roger didn't think it waspossible to do.
This was before the Crying Game, so the Crying Game really like
blew the lid off that.
But you know, I had to convinceRoger that it was possible to
do and it was very hard and itwas difficult.
It took me a year to convincehim to do it and I would send
(11:53):
him pictures of like a real girland a female impersonator, like
a trans person, and I'd saywhich one is the real girl.
You, you know that's notpolitically correct at this
point, but you know, back then Ididn't know, I didn't know what
was correct.
But anyway, he fought, he.
He never could decide which onewas which.
(12:17):
And um, finally, I took in afemale impersonator from a club
down in LA called La Caja Fall,and they did like yes, I
remember that place.
Alexia Melocchi (12:29):
Oh, that place was a whole dance.
Yes, love that place.
Yes, hola Cienega.
Katt Shea (12:34):
Yes, so one of the female impersonators who did
Cher came with me to his officeand described like what he did
with his package in, you know,and roger's turning purple
because this guy's going intodeep detail about it and he
throws us out of his office andhe says, okay, you can do the
movie, but get out of my officenow, get out.
(12:58):
So he calls me like three hourslater and says I changed my
mind.
You, I don't want this.
And I just went Roger, you'redoing it.
And I'm like 20 in my 20s, youknow I was like no, we're doing
this, it's going to be fantastic, it's.
It's going to, it's going to bethe biggest movie you've made
in in years and um, and at thatpoint actually New Horizons was
(13:23):
floundering a bit, and so I makethe movie and nobody told me
you don't show Roger like atwo-hour rough cut, you don't do
that because he'll flip out,and you know.
So he did flip out and he hatedme.
I showed him a two-hour roughcut and he was never going to
(13:46):
speak to me again and he said Ithought you were smart, I knew
it, oh Lord.
So he thought I was smartbecause I went to the University
of Michigan and I graduatedmagna cum laude at like 18, you
know.
So he thought I was smart andnow he's going you're an idiot.
(14:06):
So and I'm like I didn't cry infront of him, but inside I was
like devastated.
But anyway.
So Strip to Kell comes out andit makes just a ton of money in
Europe and it's the number onemovie in France.
Of course it is For the year.
For the year, so I'm back onthe good list.
(14:29):
He calls me and says I want youto make another movie.
He cut the budget in half, hecut the schedule in half and he
says make a new movie on this ona dance set, on a you know
stripper club set.
So I made Dance of the Damned,which was you know.
That's how it all began.
Alexia Melocchi (14:55):
Wow, kat, you should have directed Hustlers
for J-Lo.
I mean you would have been thetotal pro.
I mean they did hire prettymuch a novice at the time when
they did, it would have been alot tougher.
Katt Shea (15:08):
for sure it would have been a pretty gritty.
Alexia Melocchi (15:12):
And you would have had a better budget because
you know we all talked about.
But this is such an amazingstory and it's just a testimony
of what it takes to convincesomebody to say yes to a
filmmaker, to an actor, to aproducer.
I love what you said about theimpersonator.
It reminds me of a fun littlestory with a friend of mine who
(15:33):
used to work for Tom Hanks andit was to be his development
assistant and she said that TomHanks had passed for about six
months on Forrest Gump, likethey kept sending him the script
and he would throw it in thetrash and said I'm not doing it,
I'm not doing it, I'm not doingit.
So what she did at the timetrue story, little behind thing,
(15:54):
like you said, she startedtaking quotes from the book and
putting stickies like all overhis house, like on his bathroom,
where it would be like life asa box of like, started putting
all the stickies with those sortof for his gum pins, whatever
you want to call it and that'show one day he just like said
(16:15):
you know what, where is thiscoming from?
and she's like I've been givingyou that script for six months.
You constantly I want to readit, and there you have it.
And there goes forrest gump,and there goes tom hanks winning
his oscar.
So that that takes persistenceit really does, does.
And I mean here you are afemale director, actor, then
(16:37):
turned director, of course,first movie directing about
strippers, which is, I think, isgreat, because having I'm going
to have to see that movie now.
Katt Shea (16:45):
Now you got me going, but it's got all real strippers
in it too.
Aside from Kay Lenz, everybodywas somebody I found in a club.
Wow, wow.
Yeah, and that was mypunishment, because he thought
that I would just be so turnedoff by the whole stripper thing,
you know.
But here you go, being aCatholic girl from Michigan.
Alexia Melocchi (17:09):
I love that.
And then of course you know yougo on and of course you know,
after your Cormen days, as wecall them, you go off and you do
Poison Ivy, which obviouslychange also the trajectory of
Drew Barrymore.
Do you have a passion for likedark stuff?
(17:33):
Because then here you are inthis career right now, in this
phase of cat doing family,wholesome things, so like what's
in your head when you're like,well, kind of you know risky
risque, you know nudity and thatsort of thing.
Katt Shea (18:04):
That wasn't my passion.
It certainly wasn't, you knowwhat I mean.
But I wanted to be a filmmakerand so when I saw the strippers,
I saw an opportunity.
But I also genuinely was blownaway that they weren't what I
thought Right, because I thought, you know, oh, this is tawdry,
(18:25):
this is, you know, something I,I don't want to be any part of.
And then I walk in and I seethese women, that I see artists,
you know.
So at that point I wanted toshow something, you know, I
wanted to show the world thatit's not what you think, it's
(18:46):
not just what you think.
So in that way, I think there'salways been a passion to show
something good, you know, toshow the good side of it.
And even Norman Fell has a linewhere he says you know, some
people are going to get you, butmost of them won't.
(19:07):
You know, they're not going toget it.
They're not going to get whatyou're doing.
And that was a line that Iwrote, because it was like most
people aren't going to get whatyou're doing.
And that was a line that that Iwrote, because it was like most
people aren't going to get it.
They're just going to see anexploitation movie, you know.
But what I was really trying todo was show the art that these
women were presenting they'reperformance artists.
(19:28):
Yeah, so, um, and also, you know, I think the dark side didn't
bother me too much then, because, you know, I had grown up
pretty sheltered, honestly, andso it was very intriguing to me,
like that whole side was like Iwant to know about that, you
know.
So I was exploring and, youknow, just finding out about
(19:49):
that.
But the truth is, I like reallypositive stuff that's going to
make people feel good.
The truth is, I like reallypositive stuff that's going to
make people feel good, and thedirection that I'm going now is
very truthful.
Alexia Melocchi (20:00):
For me, this is where I want to go.
Wow, so going with this newdirection.
I mean, for example, rescued byRuby, which of course has
animals, and you just rescuedone little baby here and you
have horses, so you've been ananimal lover for quite some time
.
That's when you and I connected.
You know, on this type ofconversation is, was it
(20:23):
something that was pitched toyou as a script?
And you're like, hey, do youwant to direct this, or did your
agent or reps read about it andthen said this is something
that cat has to do because ofher connection to animals.
What was the thinking and howdid you get that job?
I mean, if it was a job, Idon't know if it was a job for
hire or if it was something thatyou pitched in the room.
Katt Shea (20:46):
No, it wasn't actually something that I
pitched.
I went into Netflix and I metwith Christina Peters and she,
you know, it was about a wholedifferent movie and my friend
actually directed that movie.
But she said at that time shesaid we want to do a movie with
(21:06):
you, we want you to directsomething.
They were big fans of NancyDrew Hidden Staircase big fans
of Nancy Drew Hidden Staircase.
So that was wonderful.
And so they suggested me to theproducer, dan Angel, who had
bought the rights to the storyof Dan O'Neill's story, rescued
(21:29):
by Ruby, and he's the RhodeIsland trooper who trained Ruby.
And so at that point I met withDan and I met with Netflix.
I just loved it.
I loved the underdog movie andthe bad dog and just everything,
and I had a lot of ideas for it.
(21:50):
And they just kind of I mean ithappened really quickly.
It was kind of like boom, yeah,you do it.
And they just kind of, I meanit happened really quickly.
It was kind of like boom, yeah,you do it, you take it over,
you know.
So it was really good.
Alexia Melocchi (22:01):
I love that when that happened, especially
because we all know in Hollywoodit's it is.
It's so damn hard to get to getsomething done Right.
I mean, I was at the producersguild awards a few weeks back
and they had this video on thatthey played during the ceremony.
Then, of course, I try to shareit with the whole world and
then, of course, they took itdown off their YouTube channel.
(22:23):
But it was brilliant.
It was called producers onproducing Right and it was.
It was little clips of peopleand then they were going, you
know, uh, five years is actuallya fast track.
You know, we're like how longdid it take 10 years, 15 years,
20 years to get a project offthe ground, and the five years.
And then it was so cute becauseit ended up with, like, you
(22:43):
know, woman producer in aclassroom and there was this
curse so you want to tell methat you, as producers, you have
to find something.
You basically, you know theactors get paid.
You're like the last persongetting paid.
You're working for years.
You know you're making the lessmoney and and this is how it
happens.
And then she says, yes, that'spretty much it, and she goes
like, where do I sign and I waslike, yes, that's me, that's me
(23:06):
and that's you too, becauseyou're you're a director that
obviously showed that when youwent and pitched your stripper
movie, that you're like where doI sign?
I want to make this.
Katt Shea (23:18):
I think it's a word that fascinates me, you know,
and so I know that it's notgiving up and it's not taking no
for an answer and that's reallytough.
I mean it's tough on you andyou have to.
Just, we have it in us to dothis and we want to do it.
Alexia Melocchi (23:37):
Yeah, yeah, and I love also the fact that you
are an actress as well, becauseand I've seen that as you and I
are collaborating on the on theincredible life of Joey Coletta
is that for you?
I see now, and I've seen thatin the other scripts you sent me
, that hopefully we'll get to dotogether also that.
For you, it's about the what'son the page for the actor,
(23:57):
because ultimately you want toget an actor signed on and so
the story can be great.
But if the characters are notpopping, for an actor to want to
say I want to play this, justlike you said, it's really
important, which is why I knowyou also coach actors and you,
you know you teach actors how todo this.
So why do you think it'simportant?
(24:20):
What do you think it makessomebody an actor, a director
because obviously you've been onboth sides say yes to something
?
What makes you say yes beyond,obviously, the inspirational
stuff, what's on the page?
Katt Shea (24:34):
I think it really has to do with character arc.
You know I hate to use a wordlike that, but it's when the
character really um, you know,within the hour and a half, two
hours, however long the movie isthat character goes from being
one way to being another way.
You know that really.
I think that really is whatinterests actors, so that they
(24:59):
get to play that.
You know, I think it's one ofthe most important things.
Years ago, I wanted an actressto play a smaller role I think
it was in Strip to Kill, in fact, and she was a TV actress and
she turned it down and I askedher why and she said there's no
(25:20):
arc, there's no arc for me.
And that always stayed with methat we really do need to have
something that changes you.
Alexia Melocchi (25:32):
Yes, yes, and I think it applies to every actor
truly.
I mean, we live in a worldright now that is changing so
fast as far as, like, whatproduction gets screenlit, and
what excites me is that it'sabout the storytelling.
You know used to be a namedriven business, like who have
you got, who have you got onyour thing, and now it's really
(25:54):
about getting good actors, andif you want good actors, even if
they're not your slam dunkperson, that is going to like,
you know, there's maybe fivethat can you know you put their
name on and you're going to getan instant.
Katt Shea (26:05):
Yes, they still want to work with you and for a
reduced price, hopefully, justlike you did when you were
charging the tickets to theparents you know, with good
stories and I think this is soimportant, you know, and I know
that it makes a huge difference,like you just said, for a
(26:26):
reduced price, yes, if that roleis really good, they're going
to do it for less money.
When it's not they want a lotof money.
Alexia Melocchi (26:33):
Exactly.
They're like, like, okay, I'llmake a studio movie and I'll get
paid, you know, a milliondollars, but then that will
allow me to afford to be able tosay yes to the little gems that
we're discovering and all ofthat right.
So, obviously, as a director.
And another thing that I loveabout you, cat, is that not only
obviously, you are open toreading things, but you have
(26:54):
your own projects, you have yourthings that you're passionate
about.
Why are you, why have youchosen to take your career into
your own hands?
And, beyond, obviously, beingsent projects, which is good,
and getting hired for things,why did you pick certain scripts
(27:15):
for you to shepherd, also as aproducer, beyond being also
director?
Katt Shea (27:21):
You know, I think it really comes down to having a
passion for it.
You know, wanting to tell astory, like I gave you two
scripts, which I love, you knowI didn't write them thinking,
okay, this is what themarketplace wants, you know.
(27:42):
Oh, this, this will get sold.
Because of that, I reallyreally wrote them from my heart
and I feel like, perhaps andthis is the way I felt about
rescued by Ruby too it's what weneed to see.
We need stuff that's reallypositive and fun.
(28:03):
And you know, when I was workingon Rescued by Ruby and it was a
fairly long editing time everyday going to work was so
wonderful, you know, because ofthe subject matter, because of
the love that was in it.
You know, because of the thesubject matter, because of the
love that was in it.
You know, and and I think about, like going to work to edit a
(28:26):
violent movie, you know, someviolent, terrible story, dark
story, and I just think I don'twant to do that.
I don't want to do that, andnot only that, I mean even more
than that.
I don't want to put that infront of people.
I don't want people paying fora ticket for something I made
that's dark and violent.
(28:49):
That's not what I want to putout in the world.
We have enough darkness andviolence in the world now.
We don't need to add to it.
Alexia Melocchi (28:57):
No, no.
And I think again, there issuch a great power into the
artistic medium of filmmaking orTV making or whatever, making,
you know, anything that ismoving, image, that, why not do
something that is going to makepeople talk about it or give
them insights, or give them hope, or make them feel less alone
(29:20):
or, you know, just give them asense of connection and
understanding, you know, tohumanity?
I mean, there's so much meritto that.
There was a reason you and Ihad this discussion.
You know why you know Christianfilms or faith films or
whatever, or even the Hallmark.
You know Christmas rom-coms.
They do so well, I think,because people want that right
(29:42):
now, we really need it.
Katt Shea (29:45):
We need it.
Alexia Melocchi (29:46):
You know, oh my gosh, totally, totally, what is
your?
And again, we don't have totalk about religion per se, but
let's talk about mindset, what'sbeen your, what's been your,
you know, connection to yoursoul, journey, been like you
know, is do you have any go-topractices or any?
(30:12):
You know you like to read books, do you meditate?
Do you volunteer, like?
What do you do to stayconnected to that sense of
purpose that we talked about?
Katt Shea (30:16):
Yeah, I, you know, I have a practice and it's called.
It's called natural way ofliving and it's just, it's been
phenomenal.
It's taken me many years.
I mean I started doing that in2009.
And it started with Reiki.
Tumo, oh yeah.
Yeah, I know, and it just hasevolved into just a very.
(30:41):
Your heart is the key.
So your heart is the key toyour connection, to whatever you
want to call it, Whether it'sinfinite love or true source or
God or whatever that is butopening your heart so that the
(31:05):
love can really guide you andhelp you in your daily life.
And it's a hard thing to dobecause we have a lot of stuff
blocking us, you know.
So it's taken me many years tokind of remove the blocks, or
allow our source to remove thoseblocks that keep us from really
(31:28):
, you know, because we have tolet go of our ego so much.
You know that we're in control,and so that's been a very long
process of, you know, lettingthe divine kind of take over and
and help me.
So that's beautiful, you know Ineed it.
Alexia Melocchi (31:49):
No, cal, that is so beautiful, and I think
that goes to say, you know,people think, oh, why, even with
me?
Why are you so happy?
Why are you so positive?
I work at it.
It doesn't.
I don't wake up in the morningand go and say, okay, the world
is perfect, I am so happy.
No, I have to peel the, thelayers of the onion, like you
(32:11):
said.
You know it, it, and I'm alwayslearning and I'm always
evolving and I'm always going,you know, uncovering dark stuff,
because we all have it.
You're right, and and I thinkwhat makes us special is that,
well, we're not special.
What make, what gives usspecial way?
Outlets?
Let's put it this way, it'sthrough art.
And, and you know, and I knowso, you are a huge animal,
(32:33):
animal rescue, animal advocate.
You have, of course, horses,right, how many do you have?
Katt Shea (32:39):
Well, right now I have zero at home, yeah, which
is the first time in 40 yearsthat I have not had horses in my
yard.
So you know, I think they'recoming back in the spring, but
it's kind of sad.
I don't want to get into whathappened, but you know they
(33:01):
don't live as long as we do andthat is too bad.
they just don't live long enoughI know um but, yeah so I was
fostering some horses for um, anacting student of mine who is
actually a horse wrangler formovies, and then during the
strikes it became very difficultto be feeding all these horses
(33:27):
and not having any work.
So I took some of her horses,but the good news is they're at
work now, so they are on a movienow and they love it.
You know, people uh sometimesthink, you know, oh, these poor
movie dogs are these poor moviehorses.
They love it because they havesomething to do.
(33:48):
They're treated special.
You know, um, they get toperform even the animals love
love.
Alexia Melocchi (33:57):
Even the animals love the attention we
all do, and I think attention isa bit of a almost like a
byproduct of love.
Right, people are seekingattention all the time, but I
think really what they're trulyseeking is love, and they get
the, the substitute for itsometimes, but, like you said,
it's all about dropping in theheart and and and and love.
(34:18):
You know, it was just wonderful.
What's coming up next for you,kat?
I know that you are trainingactors, which I'd love for you
to then, because we're going todrop it on the show notes, your
website for the training ofactors, because I think actors
out there, if you're going tolearn, learn from directors.
I mean nothing to say.
(34:39):
I guess casting directors willalso offer a lot of workshops
and they're just as valid, butlearning from a director
perspective, it is so important.
So I know you do thatfrequently.
Katt Shea (34:50):
I love doing that.
I love it.
Yeah, it's very, it's verygratifying.
So you know, and I'm alwaysdoing that, if I'm not shooting
then I'm teaching and I'mworking with actors and coaching
and helping them book.
You know, that's kind of myfocus, which you know it used to
(35:10):
be back in the old days, likeyou couldn't say that you had to
say you know, I'm just into theart of that, but I have always
been out to help actors bookstuff, and so I'm still doing
that and it seems to be reallyeffective, which is great.
You can find it at cat Shaycom,which is my website, and
(35:35):
looking me up on Yelp orsomething like that is always a
good idea.
But yeah, so I'm always doingthat and you know, just looking
for positive stuff that's whereI'm at is I really want to, you
know, make movies that don't gothe other direction.
(35:57):
You know I can't do thatanymore.
Honestly, I wouldn't have madePoison Ivy now.
Alexia Melocchi (36:03):
Yeah, no, I know what you mean.
I'm in the same boat.
I mean I have a couple of mydirectors who are shooting all
this you know, genre horroraction films in Italy, and like
I don't need to read the script,I'm good, you guys go make
money.
I love it, I celebrate youbecause you're super talented
and great.
I'll take my cut, I'll take myfees, but and you know they love
(36:27):
doing that but it's you know.
My heart is in the stuff thatyou and I have shared, so many
projects, and I really hope thatwe get to make them together,
cat, because we need more peoplelike us in the world, not to,
you know, pat us on the back,but it's true, it's true, it's
very what happened with rescueby ruby.
Katt Shea (36:45):
I mean, I don't think , uh, anyone at netflix expected
it to do what it did.
You know then, across the wholeplatform.
You know it was in this littlebox, you know, but so it really,
it really got outside that box.
Alexia Melocchi (37:05):
Yes, and here's to thinking outside the box,
people.
And in closing, you know Ialready told you, get ready for
a window number one or windownumber two.
I don't have time to think itthrough while you.
Katt Shea (37:21):
I don't have time.
I'm talking to you.
I don't have time to think itthrough why you, you and I don't
have time.
I'm talking to you, I've notime maybe it's good not to
think about it exactly.
Alexia Melocchi (37:28):
Maybe you can freestyle it right it's a
workshop test.
Yeah, it's like natural way ofnatural way of living.
So you know, maybe you want todefine yourself in three words.
You can do more, I'll forgiveyou.
Katt Shea (37:42):
I'm being an instrument.
Alexia Melocchi (37:50):
That's a good one.
See, that's what being smartdoes for you people.
Some people go oh, three words,I have to say three adjectives.
No, it could be even astandalone sentence made of
three words, and Kat had to sayit, so she wins on that one.
That's great.
Be an instrument, andespecially be an instrument of
(38:12):
peace and love.
Peace, not piss.
Peace and love.
And yes, and you know, pleasekeep following my podcast and
and uh, following the journey ofKat as a standalone director
and also of myself working withKat.
We have a couple of projects.
You know that we are, we are,they're dear to our hearts and
(38:32):
hopefully you'll get to watchthem when they come out, and
I'll.
I am promising myself and toyou that I'll be bringing you on
from the set where you're goingto be having a day off and
we're going to be talking aboutthat.
Katt Shea (38:47):
Oh wonderful, that sounds great.
I can feel it.
Alexia Melocchi (38:50):
I can feel it.
We're going to put it jujuvibes.
I love it.
Thank you so much for being onmy show, kat.
Thank you.
Katt Shea (38:57):
Alexia, you're amazing, you're absolutely
amazing and you've done this fora long time and you just stick
with it and you're amazing.
Alexia Melocchi (39:07):
Oh, thank you so much.
It means a lot to me comingfrom you.
I was just doing the math onhow much money I spent on this
podcast with no sponsors and I'mgoing oh, I don't want to keep
doing this, but I'm going to seeit through because people need
to hear people like yourself andknow that there is
professionals out there who haveheart heart of show business
and they're not all about makingmoney and ego and and darkness,
(39:31):
and so we want to celebratepeople like yourself.
So if you enjoyed this episode,please do subscribe, rate,
review, share and just staytuned for my next guest.
But this is a good one, so youknow, have it on repeat.
Thank you for coming on my show.
Katt Shea (39:51):
The heart.
Alexia Melocchi (39:52):
Yay, over and out.
Ciao.
Thank you for listening to thisweek's episode of the Heart of
Show Business.
If you enjoyed it, please shareit with a friend.
You can also subscribe, rateand review the show on your
favorite podcast player.
If you have any questions orcomments or feedback for us, you
(40:15):
can reach me directly attheheartofshowbusinesscom.
Welcome to the heart of show business.
I am your host, alexia Melocchi.
I believe in great storytellingand that every successful
artist has a deep desire toexpress something from the heart
to create a ripple effect inour society.
Emotion and entertainment areclosely tied together.
Emotion and entertainment areclosely tied together.
My guests and I want to giveyou insider access to how the
(00:28):
film, television and musicindustry works.
We will cover dreams come true,the road less traveled journey
beginnings and a lot of insightand inspiration in between.
I am a successful film andtelevision entrepreneur who came
to America as a teenager topursue my show business dreams.
Are you ready for someunfiltered real talk with
(00:50):
entertainment visionaries fromall over the world?
Then let's roll sound andaction.
Hello everyone at the heart ofshow business.
I cannot believe I am deep intoyet another season.
I think that with by the timethis episode drops, kat may or
(01:13):
may not be close to my hundredthepisode, so that's going to be
an interesting celebration tohave.
But I celebrate having badassfemale filmmaker producers,
writers, actresses, and ofcourse, this special guest of
mine is no exception.
Not only I have had thepleasure, after so many years of
(01:34):
knowing one another, ofactually working on a few films
that we're going to be hopefullydoing together, where she's
going to be directing and I'mgoing to be producing.
But she is also a force to bereckoned with because she has
been in the business for quitesome time and, as Roger Corman,
who was a person who used togive her all his films or a lot
(01:56):
of his film to direct, he usedto say that this is a woman who
can direct movies for $500,000to $1 million and make them look
like $10 million.
And that is actually how sheended up doing Poison Ivy for
New Line Cinemas that shedirected and I think was an
audience winner at Sundance.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
(02:17):
And after that, of course,she's continuously been
directing content.
Latest works, obviously Rescuedby Ruby, which was a top hit in
the family space, and all overthe platform, actually on
Netflix, where she works withanimals, and her and I have a
love for animals and we'll talkabout that.
And then, of course, the NancyDrew new movie for Warner
(02:40):
Brothers, which again is anotherfamily movie.
So, from horror to family stuff, to doggies, to children,
welcome to my show, katja.
Katt Shea (02:50):
Thank you, alexia.
Oh, that's a great introduction, I love it.
Alexia Melocchi (02:56):
It's so great to have you.
I mean, of course you know, youknow, addressing again the
elephant in the room I mean weneed, need to, we need to give
more of a platform for femaledirectors to, to talk and, and
so you know, we all know whathappened with barbie right and
and the oscars, and so you knownot to be political about it,
(03:17):
but you know the femalestorytellers, I think, are so
powerful.
They have, they have a certaintype of empathy, and what I love
about you is that you startedas an actress and so obviously
everybody says you're great atwork with talent.
So tell me what made youtransition from acting to
wanting to get behind the cameraand say now I'm going to direct
(03:38):
movies.
Katt Shea (03:41):
You know what?
It's actually a little bitcomplicated, because when I was
12 years old and I lived in thesuburbs of Michigan, in Royal
Oak, I started directing playsin my backyard with the
neighborhood kids who were muchyounger than I was.
I, you know, I was writingplays and stuff and I put these
(04:03):
kids in the plays and then I hadthe brilliant idea of charging
their parents to come and seethem in my play.
And then I found out I couldmake money and they would pay.
They would pay whatever I wasasking to see their kid in my
play.
So so this started way back thewriting and directing but of
(04:26):
course I forgot about it.
You know, it was a kid's thing.
And I actually went to collegewhen I was really young.
I, I, I went to college while Iwas still in in high school and
then I graduated very early,like I had just turned 15, 15 or
six.
No, I just turned 16 and Igraduated from high school and I
(04:47):
went back to college.
So I graduated from collegereally early and I decided to
come out to California, to LosAngeles, and I wasn't sure what
I wanted to do.
So my whole life people saidyou should be an actor, because
(05:07):
I was always too expressive, youknow, and so I thought I'd try
my hand at that, but I was sonervous, I was a nervous wreck
acting.
And then, you know, I mean Ifinally was able to manage it
because I developed theseexercises I studied with this
(05:27):
woman named Candy Konecki andshe really helped me.
So anyway, I ended up getting arole in a Roger Corman movie
and it was funny because I waslike the second choice.
They had a TV actress whodropped out because she got a
pilot, and then I fell into therole and you know, I ended up
(05:53):
working in Argentina and youknow, I just wanted to be
helpful and I think that waskind of unusual for an actor, to
just kind of unusual for anactor to just, you know, like
there was a difficult actress inthe movie and I kept trying to
help out with it and kind ofsmooth things over.
(06:13):
And that got back to Roger.
And then he gave me anothermovie and I went to the
Philippines to do that movie andI ended up shooting second unit
on it because you know, I waslike the female, I was the girl
in that movie and I ended upshooting second unit on it
Because, you know, I was likethe female, I was the girl in
the movie.
So I didn't have a lot to do.
It's an action movie, right?
They didn't give me a lot to dothen.
So I was shooting second unitand then I got back and Roger
(06:38):
had heard about that, and so mypartner and I, my writing
partner.
So my partner and I, my writingpartner, we had a bet one night.
We were out eating and he toldme I'm from Michigan, I don't
know anything.
He told me that mussels werepoisonous at certain times of
the year and I just went you'relying, I never heard of that.
(07:00):
That's a boldly adult.
Order the mussels.
So I thought that was justcompletely untrue.
And it turns out mussels arepoisonous at certain times of
the year.
Do not order them.
But I lost the bet and hispunishment for me losing the bet
was I had to go to a strip club.
So he thought that was theworst thing he could possibly do
(07:22):
to me.
You know I'm a preppy.
Oh, by the way, this is mylittle scrunch.
I've got a he's jumping up.
So I adopted him from theshelter.
This is Bruiser.
He's going to jump up every oncein a while.
Alexia Melocchi (07:37):
I love having Bruiser visit.
The thing Not to digress, butyes.
Katt Shea (07:42):
Right, well, my story is so uninteresting, but he's
no, it is totally.
Alexia Melocchi (07:46):
But not to digress.
But you know Didi Pfeiffer, whowas on my show.
She was shooting, uh, big Skyand she was on location and she
says, giving you a heads up, Ihave a cockatoo with me and he's
probably going to come into thepicture at some point and, alas
, so he did.
At the end, the cockatoo justlanded up.
It was great, so great.
Katt Shea (08:05):
Oh, wonderful.
Alexia Melocchi (08:06):
Please bring Bruiser back.
Katt Shea (08:08):
But going back to the muscles, he'll probably start
crawling along the couch backthere or something.
So, anyway, I had to go to thisstrip club and it was really
hard for me to go in.
And you know, I went in thereby myself and I start watching
these women perform and I couldsee that they were frustrated
(08:29):
artists, you know, and they wereusing this venue to really show
off, um, but their artisticside, you know.
I mean it looked like they'rejust taking off their clothes,
but they were not.
They really were doing somevery special things.
And then I thought, you knowwhat Nobody knows this I saw the
first pole dancing.
I'd never seen pole dancing ina movie and I saw spectacular
(08:53):
pole dancing, just so athleticand amazing that I came back and
I told my partner, andy Rubin,I said we have to make a movie
about this, we have to write amovie about this because it's
incredible.
And I know who will buy itRoger Corman.
He's been, he's been waitingfor this, you know.
So I actually kind of stalkedRoger in a way, because I I I
(09:19):
didn't think I could just calland get a meeting to pitch
because in his mind I was anactor.
So I, um, I parked my car andyou could see.
He had a big picture window andI knew he went to lunch at a
certain time and he walked downthe street.
It was in Brentwood, so hewalked down the street so I saw
him get up from his desk.
(09:40):
I run out of my car, I runaround the block and I go Roger.
I run out of my car, I runaround the block and I go Roger.
What a coincidence.
What a coincidence.
I'm Kat.
I was in a couple of yourmovies.
He goes, I know who you are.
And then I said I have got amovie for you.
It's going to blow your mind.
I go strippers and I knew youknow.
(10:01):
I mean, it's Roger Corman.
I knew that was going to lightup his life.
And then I said just picturethe poster.
I go.
They fly around on a pole.
I go.
It's unbelievable.
I've never seen anything likeit in my life.
He was like come in Mondaymorning and pitch me the story.
So I came in Monday morning andAndy and I quickly came up with
(10:26):
an idea around the strippers.
It wasn't a very good idea atthat time but and Andy kept
saying to me, said you have todirect it.
You have to direct it becauseeverything we'd written up to
that point was directed bysomebody else and they really
kind of didn't get the script,they didn't get the jokes.
You know it wasn't, it wasn'twhat we wanted.
(10:49):
And he finally said you have todirect it.
So as I'm pitching this toRoger and he's lighting up, I
say and I'm going no, no, I'mnever going to direct, I don't
want to direct it, I have noplan to direct this.
But I found myself saying andI'm going to direct it, so, so
(11:09):
anyway.
Um, the idea ended up and thisis a spoiler if anybody wants to
see strip to kill point.
It's a great movie, by the way,I love this movie but it
involved having a guy passhimself off as a real stripper
and actually doing the show.
(11:31):
So Roger didn't think it waspossible to do.
This was before the Crying Game, so the Crying Game really like
blew the lid off that.
But you know, I had to convinceRoger that it was possible to
do and it was very hard and itwas difficult.
It took me a year to convincehim to do it and I would send
(11:53):
him pictures of like a real girland a female impersonator, like
a trans person, and I'd saywhich one is the real girl.
You, you know that's notpolitically correct at this
point, but you know, back then Ididn't know, I didn't know what
was correct.
But anyway, he fought, he.
He never could decide which onewas which.
(12:17):
And um, finally, I took in afemale impersonator from a club
down in LA called La Caja Fall,and they did like yes, I
remember that place.
Alexia Melocchi (12:29):
Oh, that place was a whole dance.
Yes, love that place.
Yes, hola Cienega.
Katt Shea (12:34):
Yes, so one of the female impersonators who did
Cher came with me to his officeand described like what he did
with his package in, you know,and roger's turning purple
because this guy's going intodeep detail about it and he
throws us out of his office andhe says, okay, you can do the
movie, but get out of my officenow, get out.
(12:58):
So he calls me like three hourslater and says I changed my
mind.
You, I don't want this.
And I just went Roger, you'redoing it.
And I'm like 20 in my 20s, youknow I was like no, we're doing
this, it's going to be fantastic, it's.
It's going to, it's going to bethe biggest movie you've made
in in years and um, and at thatpoint actually New Horizons was
(13:23):
floundering a bit, and so I makethe movie and nobody told me
you don't show Roger like atwo-hour rough cut, you don't do
that because he'll flip out,and you know.
So he did flip out and he hatedme.
I showed him a two-hour roughcut and he was never going to
(13:46):
speak to me again and he said Ithought you were smart, I knew
it, oh Lord.
So he thought I was smartbecause I went to the University
of Michigan and I graduatedmagna cum laude at like 18, you
know.
So he thought I was smart andnow he's going you're an idiot.
(14:06):
So and I'm like I didn't cry infront of him, but inside I was
like devastated.
But anyway.
So Strip to Kell comes out andit makes just a ton of money in
Europe and it's the number onemovie in France.
Of course it is For the year.
For the year, so I'm back onthe good list.
(14:29):
He calls me and says I want youto make another movie.
He cut the budget in half, hecut the schedule in half and he
says make a new movie on this ona dance set, on a you know
stripper club set.
So I made Dance of the Damned,which was you know.
That's how it all began.
Alexia Melocchi (14:55):
Wow, kat, you should have directed Hustlers
for J-Lo.
I mean you would have been thetotal pro.
I mean they did hire prettymuch a novice at the time when
they did, it would have been alot tougher.
Katt Shea (15:08):
for sure it would have been a pretty gritty.
Alexia Melocchi (15:12):
And you would have had a better budget because
you know we all talked about.
But this is such an amazingstory and it's just a testimony
of what it takes to convincesomebody to say yes to a
filmmaker, to an actor, to aproducer.
I love what you said about theimpersonator.
It reminds me of a fun littlestory with a friend of mine who
(15:33):
used to work for Tom Hanks andit was to be his development
assistant and she said that TomHanks had passed for about six
months on Forrest Gump, likethey kept sending him the script
and he would throw it in thetrash and said I'm not doing it,
I'm not doing it, I'm not doingit.
So what she did at the timetrue story, little behind thing,
(15:54):
like you said, she startedtaking quotes from the book and
putting stickies like all overhis house, like on his bathroom,
where it would be like life asa box of like, started putting
all the stickies with those sortof for his gum pins, whatever
you want to call it and that'show one day he just like said
(16:15):
you know what, where is thiscoming from?
and she's like I've been givingyou that script for six months.
You constantly I want to readit, and there you have it.
And there goes forrest gump,and there goes tom hanks winning
his oscar.
So that that takes persistenceit really does, does.
And I mean here you are afemale director, actor, then
(16:37):
turned director, of course,first movie directing about
strippers, which is, I think, isgreat, because having I'm going
to have to see that movie now.
Katt Shea (16:45):
Now you got me going, but it's got all real strippers
in it too.
Aside from Kay Lenz, everybodywas somebody I found in a club.
Wow, wow.
Yeah, and that was mypunishment, because he thought
that I would just be so turnedoff by the whole stripper thing,
you know.
But here you go, being aCatholic girl from Michigan.
Alexia Melocchi (17:09):
I love that.
And then of course you know yougo on and of course you know,
after your Cormen days, as wecall them, you go off and you do
Poison Ivy, which obviouslychange also the trajectory of
Drew Barrymore.
Do you have a passion for likedark stuff?
(17:33):
Because then here you are inthis career right now, in this
phase of cat doing family,wholesome things, so like what's
in your head when you're like,well, kind of you know risky
risque, you know nudity and thatsort of thing.
Katt Shea (18:04):
That wasn't my passion.
It certainly wasn't, you knowwhat I mean.
But I wanted to be a filmmakerand so when I saw the strippers,
I saw an opportunity.
But I also genuinely was blownaway that they weren't what I
thought Right, because I thought, you know, oh, this is tawdry,
(18:25):
this is, you know, something I,I don't want to be any part of.
And then I walk in and I seethese women, that I see artists,
you know.
So at that point I wanted toshow something, you know, I
wanted to show the world thatit's not what you think, it's
(18:46):
not just what you think.
So in that way, I think there'salways been a passion to show
something good, you know, toshow the good side of it.
And even Norman Fell has a linewhere he says you know, some
people are going to get you, butmost of them won't.
(19:07):
You know, they're not going toget it.
They're not going to get whatyou're doing.
And that was a line that Iwrote, because it was like most
people aren't going to get whatyou're doing.
And that was a line that that Iwrote, because it was like most
people aren't going to get it.
They're just going to see anexploitation movie, you know.
But what I was really trying todo was show the art that these
women were presenting they'reperformance artists.
(19:28):
Yeah, so, um, and also, you know, I think the dark side didn't
bother me too much then, because, you know, I had grown up
pretty sheltered, honestly, andso it was very intriguing to me,
like that whole side was like Iwant to know about that, you
know.
So I was exploring and, youknow, just finding out about
(19:49):
that.
But the truth is, I like reallypositive stuff that's going to
make people feel good.
The truth is, I like reallypositive stuff that's going to
make people feel good, and thedirection that I'm going now is
very truthful.
Alexia Melocchi (20:00):
For me, this is where I want to go.
Wow, so going with this newdirection.
I mean, for example, rescued byRuby, which of course has
animals, and you just rescuedone little baby here and you
have horses, so you've been ananimal lover for quite some time
.
That's when you and I connected.
You know, on this type ofconversation is, was it
(20:23):
something that was pitched toyou as a script?
And you're like, hey, do youwant to direct this, or did your
agent or reps read about it andthen said this is something
that cat has to do because ofher connection to animals.
What was the thinking and howdid you get that job?
I mean, if it was a job, Idon't know if it was a job for
hire or if it was something thatyou pitched in the room.
Katt Shea (20:46):
No, it wasn't actually something that I
pitched.
I went into Netflix and I metwith Christina Peters and she,
you know, it was about a wholedifferent movie and my friend
actually directed that movie.
But she said at that time shesaid we want to do a movie with
(21:06):
you, we want you to directsomething.
They were big fans of NancyDrew Hidden Staircase big fans
of Nancy Drew Hidden Staircase.
So that was wonderful.
And so they suggested me to theproducer, dan Angel, who had
bought the rights to the storyof Dan O'Neill's story, rescued
(21:29):
by Ruby, and he's the RhodeIsland trooper who trained Ruby.
And so at that point I met withDan and I met with Netflix.
I just loved it.
I loved the underdog movie andthe bad dog and just everything,
and I had a lot of ideas for it.
(21:50):
And they just kind of I mean ithappened really quickly.
It was kind of like boom, yeah,you do it.
And they just kind of, I meanit happened really quickly.
It was kind of like boom, yeah,you do it, you take it over,
you know.
So it was really good.
Alexia Melocchi (22:01):
I love that when that happened, especially
because we all know in Hollywoodit's it is.
It's so damn hard to get to getsomething done Right.
I mean, I was at the producersguild awards a few weeks back
and they had this video on thatthey played during the ceremony.
Then, of course, I try to shareit with the whole world and
then, of course, they took itdown off their YouTube channel.
(22:23):
But it was brilliant.
It was called producers onproducing Right and it was.
It was little clips of peopleand then they were going, you
know, uh, five years is actuallya fast track.
You know, we're like how longdid it take 10 years, 15 years,
20 years to get a project offthe ground, and the five years.
And then it was so cute becauseit ended up with, like, you
(22:43):
know, woman producer in aclassroom and there was this
curse so you want to tell methat you, as producers, you have
to find something.
You basically, you know theactors get paid.
You're like the last persongetting paid.
You're working for years.
You know you're making the lessmoney and and this is how it
happens.
And then she says, yes, that'spretty much it, and she goes
like, where do I sign and I waslike, yes, that's me, that's me
(23:06):
and that's you too, becauseyou're you're a director that
obviously showed that when youwent and pitched your stripper
movie, that you're like where doI sign?
I want to make this.
Katt Shea (23:18):
I think it's a word that fascinates me, you know,
and so I know that it's notgiving up and it's not taking no
for an answer and that's reallytough.
I mean it's tough on you andyou have to.
Just, we have it in us to dothis and we want to do it.
Alexia Melocchi (23:37):
Yeah, yeah, and I love also the fact that you
are an actress as well, becauseand I've seen that as you and I
are collaborating on the on theincredible life of Joey Coletta
is that for you?
I see now, and I've seen thatin the other scripts you sent me
, that hopefully we'll get to dotogether also that.
For you, it's about the what'son the page for the actor,
(23:57):
because ultimately you want toget an actor signed on and so
the story can be great.
But if the characters are notpopping, for an actor to want to
say I want to play this, justlike you said, it's really
important, which is why I knowyou also coach actors and you,
you know you teach actors how todo this.
So why do you think it'simportant?
(24:20):
What do you think it makessomebody an actor, a director
because obviously you've been onboth sides say yes to something
?
What makes you say yes beyond,obviously, the inspirational
stuff, what's on the page?
Katt Shea (24:34):
I think it really has to do with character arc.
You know I hate to use a wordlike that, but it's when the
character really um, you know,within the hour and a half, two
hours, however long the movie isthat character goes from being
one way to being another way.
You know that really.
I think that really is whatinterests actors, so that they
(24:59):
get to play that.
You know, I think it's one ofthe most important things.
Years ago, I wanted an actressto play a smaller role I think
it was in Strip to Kill, in fact, and she was a TV actress and
she turned it down and I askedher why and she said there's no
(25:20):
arc, there's no arc for me.
And that always stayed with methat we really do need to have
something that changes you.
Alexia Melocchi (25:32):
Yes, yes, and I think it applies to every actor
truly.
I mean, we live in a worldright now that is changing so
fast as far as, like, whatproduction gets screenlit, and
what excites me is that it'sabout the storytelling.
You know used to be a namedriven business, like who have
you got, who have you got onyour thing, and now it's really
(25:54):
about getting good actors, andif you want good actors, even if
they're not your slam dunkperson, that is going to like,
you know, there's maybe fivethat can you know you put their
name on and you're going to getan instant.
Katt Shea (26:05):
Yes, they still want to work with you and for a
reduced price, hopefully, justlike you did when you were
charging the tickets to theparents you know, with good
stories and I think this is soimportant, you know, and I know
that it makes a huge difference,like you just said, for a
(26:26):
reduced price, yes, if that roleis really good, they're going
to do it for less money.
When it's not they want a lotof money.
Alexia Melocchi (26:33):
Exactly.
They're like, like, okay, I'llmake a studio movie and I'll get
paid, you know, a milliondollars, but then that will
allow me to afford to be able tosay yes to the little gems that
we're discovering and all ofthat right.
So, obviously, as a director.
And another thing that I loveabout you, cat, is that not only
obviously, you are open toreading things, but you have
(26:54):
your own projects, you have yourthings that you're passionate
about.
Why are you, why have youchosen to take your career into
your own hands?
And, beyond, obviously, beingsent projects, which is good,
and getting hired for things,why did you pick certain scripts
(27:15):
for you to shepherd, also as aproducer, beyond being also
director?
Katt Shea (27:21):
You know, I think it really comes down to having a
passion for it.
You know, wanting to tell astory, like I gave you two
scripts, which I love, you knowI didn't write them thinking,
okay, this is what themarketplace wants, you know.
(27:42):
Oh, this, this will get sold.
Because of that, I reallyreally wrote them from my heart
and I feel like, perhaps andthis is the way I felt about
rescued by Ruby too it's what weneed to see.
We need stuff that's reallypositive and fun.
(28:03):
And you know, when I was workingon Rescued by Ruby and it was a
fairly long editing time everyday going to work was so
wonderful, you know, because ofthe subject matter, because of
the love that was in it.
You know, because of the thesubject matter, because of the
love that was in it.
You know, and and I think about, like going to work to edit a
(28:26):
violent movie, you know, someviolent, terrible story, dark
story, and I just think I don'twant to do that.
I don't want to do that, andnot only that, I mean even more
than that.
I don't want to put that infront of people.
I don't want people paying fora ticket for something I made
that's dark and violent.
(28:49):
That's not what I want to putout in the world.
We have enough darkness andviolence in the world now.
We don't need to add to it.
Alexia Melocchi (28:57):
No, no.
And I think again, there issuch a great power into the
artistic medium of filmmaking orTV making or whatever, making,
you know, anything that ismoving, image, that, why not do
something that is going to makepeople talk about it or give
them insights, or give them hope, or make them feel less alone
(29:20):
or, you know, just give them asense of connection and
understanding, you know, tohumanity?
I mean, there's so much meritto that.
There was a reason you and Ihad this discussion.
You know why you know Christianfilms or faith films or
whatever, or even the Hallmark.
You know Christmas rom-coms.
They do so well, I think,because people want that right
(29:42):
now, we really need it.
Katt Shea (29:45):
We need it.
Alexia Melocchi (29:46):
You know, oh my gosh, totally, totally, what is
your?
And again, we don't have totalk about religion per se, but
let's talk about mindset, what'sbeen your, what's been your,
you know, connection to yoursoul, journey, been like you
know, is do you have any go-topractices or any?
(30:12):
You know you like to read books, do you meditate?
Do you volunteer, like?
What do you do to stayconnected to that sense of
purpose that we talked about?
Katt Shea (30:16):
Yeah, I, you know, I have a practice and it's called.
It's called natural way ofliving and it's just, it's been
phenomenal.
It's taken me many years.
I mean I started doing that in2009.
And it started with Reiki.
Tumo, oh yeah.
Yeah, I know, and it just hasevolved into just a very.
(30:41):
Your heart is the key.
So your heart is the key toyour connection, to whatever you
want to call it, Whether it'sinfinite love or true source or
God or whatever that is butopening your heart so that the
(31:05):
love can really guide you andhelp you in your daily life.
And it's a hard thing to dobecause we have a lot of stuff
blocking us, you know.
So it's taken me many years tokind of remove the blocks, or
allow our source to remove thoseblocks that keep us from really
(31:28):
, you know, because we have tolet go of our ego so much.
You know that we're in control,and so that's been a very long
process of, you know, lettingthe divine kind of take over and
and help me.
So that's beautiful, you know Ineed it.
Alexia Melocchi (31:49):
No, cal, that is so beautiful, and I think
that goes to say, you know,people think, oh, why, even with
me?
Why are you so happy?
Why are you so positive?
I work at it.
It doesn't.
I don't wake up in the morningand go and say, okay, the world
is perfect, I am so happy.
No, I have to peel the, thelayers of the onion, like you
(32:11):
said.
You know it, it, and I'm alwayslearning and I'm always
evolving and I'm always going,you know, uncovering dark stuff,
because we all have it.
You're right, and and I thinkwhat makes us special is that,
well, we're not special.
What make, what gives usspecial way?
Outlets?
Let's put it this way, it'sthrough art.
And, and you know, and I knowso, you are a huge animal,
(32:33):
animal rescue, animal advocate.
You have, of course, horses,right, how many do you have?
Katt Shea (32:39):
Well, right now I have zero at home, yeah, which
is the first time in 40 yearsthat I have not had horses in my
yard.
So you know, I think they'recoming back in the spring, but
it's kind of sad.
I don't want to get into whathappened, but you know they
(33:01):
don't live as long as we do andthat is too bad.
they just don't live long enoughI know um but, yeah so I was
fostering some horses for um, anacting student of mine who is
actually a horse wrangler formovies, and then during the
strikes it became very difficultto be feeding all these horses
(33:27):
and not having any work.
So I took some of her horses,but the good news is they're at
work now, so they are on a movienow and they love it.
You know, people uh sometimesthink, you know, oh, these poor
movie dogs are these poor moviehorses.
They love it because they havesomething to do.
(33:48):
They're treated special.
You know, um, they get toperform even the animals love
love.
Alexia Melocchi (33:57):
Even the animals love the attention we
all do, and I think attention isa bit of a almost like a
byproduct of love.
Right, people are seekingattention all the time, but I
think really what they're trulyseeking is love, and they get
the, the substitute for itsometimes, but, like you said,
it's all about dropping in theheart and and and and love.
(34:18):
You know, it was just wonderful.
What's coming up next for you,kat?
I know that you are trainingactors, which I'd love for you
to then, because we're going todrop it on the show notes, your
website for the training ofactors, because I think actors
out there, if you're going tolearn, learn from directors.
I mean nothing to say.
(34:39):
I guess casting directors willalso offer a lot of workshops
and they're just as valid, butlearning from a director
perspective, it is so important.
So I know you do thatfrequently.
Katt Shea (34:50):
I love doing that.
I love it.
Yeah, it's very, it's verygratifying.
So you know, and I'm alwaysdoing that, if I'm not shooting
then I'm teaching and I'mworking with actors and coaching
and helping them book.
You know, that's kind of myfocus, which you know it used to
(35:10):
be back in the old days, likeyou couldn't say that you had to
say you know, I'm just into theart of that, but I have always
been out to help actors bookstuff, and so I'm still doing
that and it seems to be reallyeffective, which is great.
You can find it at cat Shaycom,which is my website, and
(35:35):
looking me up on Yelp orsomething like that is always a
good idea.
But yeah, so I'm always doingthat and you know, just looking
for positive stuff that's whereI'm at is I really want to, you
know, make movies that don't gothe other direction.
(35:57):
You know I can't do thatanymore.
Honestly, I wouldn't have madePoison Ivy now.
Alexia Melocchi (36:03):
Yeah, no, I know what you mean.
I'm in the same boat.
I mean I have a couple of mydirectors who are shooting all
this you know, genre horroraction films in Italy, and like
I don't need to read the script,I'm good, you guys go make
money.
I love it, I celebrate youbecause you're super talented
and great.
I'll take my cut, I'll take myfees, but and you know they love
(36:27):
doing that but it's you know.
My heart is in the stuff thatyou and I have shared, so many
projects, and I really hope thatwe get to make them together,
cat, because we need more peoplelike us in the world, not to,
you know, pat us on the back,but it's true, it's true, it's
very what happened with rescueby ruby.
Katt Shea (36:45):
I mean, I don't think , uh, anyone at netflix expected
it to do what it did.
You know then, across the wholeplatform.
You know it was in this littlebox, you know, but so it really,
it really got outside that box.
Alexia Melocchi (37:05):
Yes, and here's to thinking outside the box,
people.
And in closing, you know Ialready told you, get ready for
a window number one or windownumber two.
I don't have time to think itthrough while you.
Katt Shea (37:21):
I don't have time.
I'm talking to you.
I don't have time to think itthrough why you, you and I don't
have time.
I'm talking to you, I've notime maybe it's good not to
think about it exactly.
Alexia Melocchi (37:28):
Maybe you can freestyle it right it's a
workshop test.
Yeah, it's like natural way ofnatural way of living.
So you know, maybe you want todefine yourself in three words.
You can do more, I'll forgiveyou.
Katt Shea (37:42):
I'm being an instrument.
Alexia Melocchi (37:50):
That's a good one.
See, that's what being smartdoes for you people.
Some people go oh, three words,I have to say three adjectives.
No, it could be even astandalone sentence made of
three words, and Kat had to sayit, so she wins on that one.
That's great.
Be an instrument, andespecially be an instrument of
(38:12):
peace and love.
Peace, not piss.
Peace and love.
And yes, and you know, pleasekeep following my podcast and
and uh, following the journey ofKat as a standalone director
and also of myself working withKat.
We have a couple of projects.
You know that we are, we are,they're dear to our hearts and
(38:32):
hopefully you'll get to watchthem when they come out, and
I'll.
I am promising myself and toyou that I'll be bringing you on
from the set where you're goingto be having a day off and
we're going to be talking aboutthat.
Katt Shea (38:47):
Oh wonderful, that sounds great.
I can feel it.
Alexia Melocchi (38:50):
I can feel it.
We're going to put it jujuvibes.
I love it.
Thank you so much for being onmy show, kat.
Thank you.
Katt Shea (38:57):
Alexia, you're amazing, you're absolutely
amazing and you've done this fora long time and you just stick
with it and you're amazing.
Alexia Melocchi (39:07):
Oh, thank you so much.
It means a lot to me comingfrom you.
I was just doing the math onhow much money I spent on this
podcast with no sponsors and I'mgoing oh, I don't want to keep
doing this, but I'm going to seeit through because people need
to hear people like yourself andknow that there is
professionals out there who haveheart heart of show business
and they're not all about makingmoney and ego and and darkness,
(39:31):
and so we want to celebratepeople like yourself.
So if you enjoyed this episode,please do subscribe, rate,
review, share and just staytuned for my next guest.
But this is a good one, so youknow, have it on repeat.
Thank you for coming on my show.
Katt Shea (39:51):
The heart.
Alexia Melocchi (39:52):
Yay, over and out.
Ciao.
Thank you for listening to thisweek's episode of the Heart of
Show Business.
If you enjoyed it, please shareit with a friend.
You can also subscribe, rateand review the show on your
favorite podcast player.
If you have any questions orcomments or feedback for us, you
(40:15):
can reach me directly attheheartofshowbusinesscom.
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