Katherine Brooks grew up in a rural Louisiana town and fell in love with cinema as a child. Determined to pursue this passion, she left high school early and ventured to Los Angeles. Living out of her car, she connected with fellow artists who, like her, had left home for similar reasons.

 

Joining the ranks of a group called Zero Pictures, led by Michael Kastenbaum, proved to be her four-year film school. Under his guidance, they pioneered a free-form, process-driven approach to producing micro-budget movies. During those transformative years, they successfully created a dozen feature films. The experience granted her the opportunity to wear multiple hats, from script supervision, AD work to camera assisting, grip work, and even electrical tasks. They immersed themselves in every facet of filmmaking, spanning pre-production, production, and post-production. From mastering negative cutting to Avid editing, they embraced every element.

 

At the age of 22, Katherine finally directed her debut feature film, which gained recognition in festivals and caught the eye of an MTV network executive. This marked the beginning of her directorial journey in the realm of the groundbreaking “Reality TV” genre. Over the next decade, she helmed popular documentary-style shows such as “The Real World,” “The Osbournes,” and “The Bachelor”. While directing full time, she was also writing her next feature film, "Waking Madison". A film she would also direct and ultimately led her to become a member of the DGA (Directors Guild of America).

 

Katherine Brooks’ impact on cinema is celebrated through a multitude of awards and acknowledgments from peers and audiences alike. Her films have screened at film festivals all over the world, earning critical acclaim and sparking vital dialogues. She has been the recipient of many awards, including the LACE Award as well as an Emmy Award for her work in television. 

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