Cinematographer Katie Grabauskas is currently working on a documentary about ocean conservation.
“I love being in the moment — in the chaos,” Grabauskas told CTV News in a recent interview from her home in Burlington, Ont. “You don’t get three or four takes to get the shot. You have to get it right then and there.”
Grabauskas was just a day away from leaving for the Canary Islands (off the coast of Africa) to resume her work on a documentary called “A Multitude of Drops.”
“It’s about four women who are taking part in a competition called the World’s Toughest Row,” said Grabauskas. “They’re not only rowing to win the competition, they’re rowing to raise money for sea conservation.”
In the past year, Grabauskas and her director have been travelling all over North America interviewing the four women before they begin their 5,000 km journey between Antigua and the Caribbean.
Cinematographer and University of Windsor graduate Katie Grabauskas. (Courtesy: Katie Grabauskas)
“We’re completely self funded. So we’ve been paying out of pocket for it until we can find someone to sponsor (the film),” said Grabauskas. “We want to be able to record why they’re doing it.”
In order to record the crew, Grabauskas works on Hallmark holiday movies.
“It’s Christmas all year round for me,” quipped Grabauskas. “Lots of Hallmark (movies). That’s the bread and butter in Ontario, that’s for sure.”
“They pay the bills and they make people happy. You get to watch a story that you know exactly what’s going to happen but it just warms your heart at the end of the day, even if it is cheesy,” she said.
Her latest picture, ‘Ex Mas’ is currently streaming on Prime.
It was shot last June in Kelowna, BC and Grabauskas was the main cinematographer.
Cinematographer and University of Windsor graduate Katie Grabauskas. (Courtesy: Katie Grabauskas)
“It is very, very hot and definitely not Christmas time,” she said. “All of the crew are wearing shorts and t-shirts and these poor actors have to be bundled up in their full wardrobe.”
Grabauskas credits the art department with “transforming” spaces to “Christmas-ify everything”.
Regardless of set location or film project, Grabauskas credits the University of Windsor for launching her career after she graduated in 2018.
“I think University of Windsor is very underrated as a film school,” said Grabauskas. “Through UWindsor I was able to really discover how passionately I wanted to work in documentary.”
A passion she discovered from professor Heather Hartley, “she made me fall in love with documentary.”
