Katherine Norland

Selfish Jerk- LIFE IS SHORT - Joshua Jackson

2012-01-26T21:54:00.000-08:00

I recently rented the movie "One Week" written and directed by Michael McGowan and starring Joshua Jackson. The synopsis sounded interesting and I have been a Joshua Jackson fan since the TV show "FRINGE". It was sort of the soul searching journey about how he lived his life up until the day he found out he was dying, and what he wanted to do with the rest of his life as if he had only One Week to live.

Being raised watching American movies, I am programed to want a happy ending, in other words, the couples get together, or stay together or figure out their difference and continue to love each other even if it deviates a bit from their ultimate fairy tale life.

His fiance wasn't that bad, she had a few annoying habits, but when he realizes he's got a limited amount of time left on the earth, he doesn't want that life (being married to her) as being part fate.

His parents and fiance were so worried about him, they didn't know how close to dying he was, he wouldn't call, he wouldn't tell them where he was (and I remember thinking while watching)...what a selfish jerk (well you know the writer is brilliant when I'm feeling something and talking to the tv) and then I got really mad when he cheated on her and left her.

I got upset at the movie and it's stupid ending that I thought about it the rest of the night! But, not long before bed it hit me. How many decisions we make in life based on what others want us to do, based on others happiness, based on what is the status quo, what's the accepted norm?

How many dreams and desires do we put down, shove down and think we just have to suck it up and accept it? We live a life of being comfortable and for most that means compromising what what we would really do if we only had One Week left to live.

We take life for granted and think it will always be there, like we can continue to put our dreams on the shelf indefinately, that we will trek accross the country on motorcylce one day, we will settle down and get married one day, we will write that novel we've been thinking about, we will (you fill in the blank). But we aren't promised tomorrow.

Yes, maybe there could have been a better way he went about changing his mind and letting the people who loved him know...but ultimately living a life filled with regret is no way to live at all. Each day you put down what you feel in your heart, you die a little bit more.

We've got to grab this life with gusto, throw caution to the wind and ride that lighting bolt til it electrocutes us or sends us flying to our destination.

One last question...what would you do right now, this very moment if you knew you only had "One Week" to live?

WORDLESS - the Short Film

2012-01-17T15:53:00.000-08:00

So just as I was thinking that I need some new comedy clips for my demo reel, a young female director called me to audition for her short film...I never even submitted my picture for it. Apparently somehow I ended up in the files of her films school, she found an old Black and White picture of me from 8 or 9 years go.

It's a good thing I hadn't changed my email address since then. I read the script, it was hilarious, she was able to picture what I would look like now, and thanks to footage she found of me on the web, she knew I could do physical comedy without being stiff. I had so much fun on the set getting to let my inner dork come out and play. She did a little aging make up on me and found me some dorky pajamas, although I have to admit the leopard shirt and the hot sticks in the hair were mine. Although we just shot it less than two months ago, it has already made it into two film festivals.

Prove It! Act Your Way Out of A Paper Bag

2012-01-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week I had to prove myself...I think that is the perpetual struggle of the actor; I almost said artist, but I realized a lot of art, you can do on your own like paint or write a poem without much more than pen, paper, canvas and some color...but to act. You must prove yourself. After all, you've got to prove yourself to get the chance to act.

I know a lot of artists have to prove what they are worth when it comes to commanding a certain dollar amount for your work, but for an actor, unless you are acting for your friends in your living room, or willing and able to shell out several hundred to several thousand to put a film or even a play together, you need to prove yourself to get the chance to act.

So there is this director who really likes my work, he's got a feature that he wants me to star in. But when he brought it before the Powers That Be...all the questions arose...Can she really do it? Do you really think she can pull it off? What has she ever done before? How do you know she will stick it out? Can we trust her to pull it off?

God bless the director, but he did not do his homework before that meeting. Any quick search on google for the name Katherine Norland would have a least brought up half a dozen if not more clips of work I had done in the past, so show I didn't just crawl out from under a rock. But he gave into the badgering. I got called in to have an informal screening of my work. I brought about 20 clips of previous work I had done that I was proud of. And he was put at ease and assured that "I actually can act my way out of a paper bag" :)

The Commercial for Mass Mutual

2011-12-22T14:06:00.000-08:00

So here is the link to the Mass Mutual commercial that I was blessed enough to shoot on my actual birthday...they even got me a cake! It was a wonderful experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzIg0vw8gNY

Photo taken by Peter Lang on Mass Mutual Set October 2011

Mass Mutual Commercial

2011-12-15T13:55:00.000-08:00

This is a still shot from the Mass Mutual commercial my son and I shot in October. We had a great time, I was shocked at how well he behaved he was. (I'm sure it was because they pretty much just followed him around and let him do his thing.) Pretty sure if he had to hit a mark, we wouldn't have had such great success.

Here is a link to the one minute version of the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzIg0vw8gNY

Shooting scene from BLAME

2011-11-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

The director is working on editing a scene out of the feature film he will be doing called "Blame" I am waiting to see the footage, I hear it turned out beautifully. TJ Myers will be playing my sister. She's a beauty, check her out.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0616866/

October 2011 Auditions

2011-10-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had two auditions, one for a skin care line (I think perhaps it may have been for an infomercial rather than commercial but I'm not sure). The second one required my little one, so I went home and picked him up before we headed to Santa Monica...they were looking for mothers of "special needs" kids and I just happen to have a precious special kid. They both went well. I felt good, really I've been in my element since I moved about two weeks ago. Really liking my new digs and neighborhood. Then I got a call back for the commercial, a day or two later I was put on Avail...then during another audition while waiting in the waiting room I got a text from my agent saying that we booked the commercial. So Saturday (on my birthday) my little one and I shot our first commercial together...they even brought me out a cake and sang happy birthday to me.

Just Published in Issue 51 of SGVPQ

2011-09-06T10:48:00.000-07:00

Here is an Excerpt for the poem I had published in this issue.

There was no way that I could sleep,

Due to this pain that would not cease;

They wanted me to hold him in,

But my body forced his release.

No preparation, you shot out,

Even the nurses weren’t ready.

The doctor is late as we wait,

Not in stirrups, I’m unsteady.

Forced to have a natural birth,

The drugs didn’t come though I did beg;

Rob cries, but the baby does not.

No movement, spy a pure white leg.

Is he dead? The nurse sees Rob’s tears,

And says “We’re doing all we can”

I don’t yet know what’s going on,

But Rob securely holds my hand.

Now incubated, your chest heaves

I helplessly watch through the glass;

Reeling with all uncertainty,

Yet very certain it will pass.

They say you will be here for months,

And there’s nothing that I can do;

But I’ve got people all across

This country praying just for you.

Some day soon you’ll open your eyes,

Then at last you’ll know who I am;

I can’t wait until they let me

Hold you, like my dear little lamb.

I pray for healing as you lay

On top your tiny papoose-bed;

At last allowed to touch your back

With my fingers; nails painted red.

Circus Freak

2011-08-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

Many years ago my loving and kind manager (who always looks out for me) told me that I needed to do something about my eyes because I looked like a Barnum and Baily Circus freak. Well that really hurt my feeling (to say the least) so I rebelled for years and just kept saying "This is the way God made me and people should just accept me for who I am." She said she had feedback from a lot of casting people telling her how "distracting" it was, but that was hard for me fathom and any of my friends and family because it never crossed our minds...then one day a few months ago I was watching a movie with my friend and a guy on the screen had 2 different colored eyes...at least it looked like it, so I asked my friend...and then I wasn't sure, and maybe it was just the lighting, or the angle, I kept waiting for certain lighting and angles and different scenes and asking my friend, I was so caught up in it that I lost what they were talking about in the film and it hit me...oh no, I'm distracted by this. Ugh, she's right! So I had a set of new headshots done, then got contacts to make my eyes the same color. I know I'll never blend in off the set, but here's to trying to blend in on the set.

Getting Organized and Writing Poetry

2011-07-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

A few auditions sprinkled throughout the year, but mostly, I've been focused on getting my office organized, and writing my poetry books. So far I have complied, had edited, rewritten and retitled 4 poetry books this year so far. With every task that I complete I feel a sense of accomplishment. When the stack of papers to read and to do lists get whittled down there is a burden lifted off my shoulders. And as far as the writing goes...sometimes you just have to. When I'm not acting, I'm very grateful to have the gift of a stack of gel pens and a new journal and some quiet time just to listen and write down what comes into my spirit.

Reel Growth Preemie Documentary

2011-06-14T12:39:00.001-07:00

The filmmaker from the documentary Reel Growth interviewed us today for his project on Preemies. This is me and the documentarian Drew Donnay. I told bits and pieces of our story, shared a couple of poems, tried to compose myself, but some of those emotions are too vivid to recall without a tear or two. Check out the the website www.ReelGrowth.com

R.I.P.

2011-06-04T14:11:00.001-07:00

I landed a part in a short film, great role, sweet wife who, when she becomes pregnant and her hormones kick in, she becomes goth... filled out the paper work at the studio, and then 3 days before the shoot they had to pull the plug on the project because the union was causing them all kinds of problems. They were set to do the project under a certain type of contract because the budget was so low...but when this union found out it was this particular studio...they said no, you can't do it, you have to pay 7 times more for the people (even though the project fit within the parameters of the contract.) That is like having a car lot where you sell twenty thousand dollar cars, but you see Bill Gates coming to buy one and you raise the price of the car to 50 thousand. How ridiculous is that? So now 25 people or more are out of work.

CONQUERORS

2011-04-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

Had a wonderful shoot, playing a tormenting spirit along with Kevin Linell and Robert Neary. We tormented Marcus LaVoi.

I loved how the make up artist Gabriella did my eye make- up.

Here is her website address

http://www.beauty2perfection.webs.com

The Dream Team: Office Games

2011-01-13T19:04:00.001-08:00

I just heard the word that the film I was in called "Office Games" just got distribution. Here is a picture from the set, behind the scenes. This group of girls is referred to in the film as "The Dream Team" when you watch the movie you will find out why they call them that.

From left to right we have: Katherine Norland, Malia Dawkins, Tamara Kelly, Herica Thompson, and Allison Wottawa.

Hawaii

2010-10-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

We went to Hawaii in August to take an investment class...

stopped on the beach one morning on the way there and took a couple of shots.

The weather was nice and there was a rainbow every day... sometimes twice a day.

Took a tour of the island on our day off and went to take some pictures for me with my contacts in.

At a print audition recently, they asked if it looked natural for me to wear my contacts to make my eyes the same color.

So I decided to get some shots with both my blue contact and my brown contact.

New Agent

2010-09-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

I signed with a new agent last month. 90210 Talent (http://www.90210talent.com/) I had a meeting last week with them (my agent and my manager) about my career... it all was very positive.

Salome My Next Character

2010-07-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

I recently got cast in the role of "Salome" she's a dark, power hungry character in Joaquin Montalvan/Sledge Hammer Films next picture. This is a promotional picture taken of my character...I kinda think she looks like an evil "virgin Mary" from those Catholic church pictures of her posing in prayer? I'm not allowed to say the name of the movie yet. But I do know what my character will be doing in the film, and I've had my costume fittings so I know what I'll be wearing. I'll keep you posted as I know.

Memory Lane at Universal City Walk

2010-06-19T16:21:00.000-07:00

This is Robert Dourisboure, along with me (Katherine Norland) and Francis De La Torre, the director of the music video "Memory Lane by the band PETREE. We were at Universal City Walk listening to PETREE play and watching the video on the big outdoor screens. Very fun!

Suzanne Marques from FOX 11 Good Day LA was covering the event, and she showed a clip of it on the morning show: you can find it on Youtube if you type in Memory Lane Video Sneak Peek on Fox11's Good Day LA.

If you want to see the entire 4 min video on Youtube search Petree - "Memory Lane" -Directed by Francis De La Torre

Ready, Aim, Fire!

2010-06-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

My friend Ken told me he was going to get certified in gun training so he could have something to add to his resume of special skills, that may give him the edge over other actors if called in for roles that needed that experience.

I thought it sounded like a lot of fun, so I went out to a shooting range with him and shot 22 revolver and 22 semi automatic and a 38 snub nose revolver and 38 semi automatic.

Then I went to take the first class at the Burbank Fire Line. That's were I learned the safety aspect of it and got to practice with this paper target. I used a 9mm this day. Now I think I feel fine holding a gun on set... it may even look good on me? :)

HOLE PICTURES at DGA

2010-04-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

There is a pix me and the amazing DP of the film "HOLE" his images suck you in, it's kind of an oxymoron, but it is a beautiful looking horror film.

A pix the director Joaquin Montalvan is being interviewed by a Turkish news station.

Then we have me Katherine Norland, the director Joaquin Montalvan, and the executive producer Harun Sevimli. And also a pix of many of the cast from the film.

It was really a different vibe at the screening because really only the director and DP actually knew what was shot for every frame of the film. Every actor in the film was sitting on the edge of their seat wondering what would happen next because none of us had seen the film, but even more important, none of us had even seen the entire script (half of which was in the directors head never to meet the paper). A week or two before we were to shoot, the actors shooting that weekend would get emailed their "scene" and we never even got all the scenes in advance ahead of time...

Screening of HOLE

2010-03-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

There will be a screening tonight at the DGA of the Psychological Spiritual Thriller/Horror film HOLE. Should be a good time... after he cast me in it, he said that the killer needed more blonds to kills so I suggested and sent pix of 5 of my actress friends and he put 4 of them in the film. For more info go to: http://www.myspace.com/holefilm there should be a trailer there to watch.

REALITY FRIGHT NIGHT

2010-03-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of me and Martin Kove from the set of "Reality Fright Night" formerly called "Babes and Ghosts". I had a great time working on this set, everyone was really great, crew and cast. Marty is a wonderful actor and even gave me a good pointer in one of the scenes we had together... stay posted this movie should be in Blockbuster... maybe even by the end of the year?

Thrift Store Find - held Captive

2010-02-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

So I finally found the perfect coat! Beautiful color, perfect cut, vintage, not made anymore, however the lining was torn. My mom went to 3 different store, drove up to mpls to find lining, paid someone to reline it... then my dad shipped it back to me with lots of TJ's Christmas gifts and new clothes etc...

and it never came and it never came, and we chalked up the delay to it being busy Christmas season. When the brown truck guys finally tracked it down it had been delivered to the wrong address (more than a week prior!) But the people who got the box said nothing nor tried to return it.

What kind of people open a box that clearly has someone elses name and address on it... even especially when you see a child's new clothes and Christmas toys. When the brown truck guys went there to pick it up, they were belligerent, and wouldn't give my box of things (that my mom paid 20 bucks to ship) back to me, they in fact argued with the brown uniformed man and said "too bad it's your mistake" and slammed the door.

The hunt is on again for the perfect coat, it only took me 11 years to find this one!!!

Don't it turn my brown EYE blue

2010-02-04T16:37:00.000-08:00

I just got a text today from the producer of my next film and they want both of my eyes to be blue for the film... so I need to go shopping for contacts... I have contacts to make 'em both look hazel, it's easy to cover a light eye and make it darker. It's another challenge to make a dark eye lighter.

I had 2 different colored contacts before to make both eyes look green. Gotta go shopping for lenses now.

Gang Reduction and Youth Development

2010-02-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

This is Duane Shepard and me. He hired me to play a judge for the GRYD program, he was putting together to help youth. GRYD stands for Gang Reduction and Youth Development. The project name is called "Snitch". Duane himself is a fantastic actor and teacher, anyone would be lucky to get him in their film.

He had the middle school kids doing the production work, training them to use the monitors and camera, etc... a great program, shoot movies, not people.

BABES and GHOSTS

2010-01-26T19:27:00.001-08:00

I just got cast in a new film... the working title is "Babes and Ghosts" it's a horror film... I think it's too premature to tell you if I'm a babe or a ghost... but it's a pretty cool premise. We get to shoot in a haunted mansion. The writer, producer, and director are all very cool. And I even get to wear a vintage fedora in the film :) I'll keep ya posted.

Memory Lane music video with Petree

2009-12-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

If you go to youtube, check out the video MEMORY LANE shot by Francis De La Torre, of the great band PETREE, I had the honor of being in the video!

Hello Cheekbones!

2009-11-06T16:14:00.000-08:00

I found this pix of me from 2003, see how full my face is... the pix next to it is from a couple of years later... I've only lost maybe 15 pounds, but the difference is really noticeable, I have cheekbones now! I remember one time Joy Behar on "The Veiw" said something to the effect of when you reach a certain age you have to choose between your face and your butt... in order for one to look good, the other suffers. Sometimes when I think of losing weight I'm afraid my face will look like a skeleton?

I've been thinking of joining a gym... I tried the whole work out at home thing but there are too many distractions, and honestly my "workout" was just going for walks which was not doing much to make my tight clothes any looser. 2004 is the year I became vegetarian, and eventually vegan. I don't like to say I'm vegan because then everyone scrutinizes every bite you eat... but I'm cautious to say I'm vegetarian because then everyone wants to serve you cream and cheese laden fare... So I say I'm 95% vegan... (the other 5% is usually dessert :) )

Work outs must be fun or I won't do it, I know it determines whether I get certain parts or not... but gosh, I always feel like I have so many more important things to do... like writing poetry. Of course everything is subject to change... if I'm getting paid millions a picture, I guess I'd have a few less qualms about it.

My "day job" revealed

2009-11-02T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is totally random... I used to work at Valet Girls... (my day job if you will) we were an all female valet parking company and my supervisor got us a gig to do a little valet stunt on the TV show "Wanna Bet" so they buried this little Brit Mini in a sea of 50 black cars and we had I think 2 or 3 minutes to get the car out, meanwhile celebs were betting on whether we could do it or not, and the money they won went to their favorite charity. That's me Katherine Norland on the left and Jade on the right.

Still Photo from the show "Wanna Bet"

Slash, Tommy and RT

2009-10-29T09:13:00.001-07:00

I was going through my pix and I ran across this... this is my hubby RT Norland, DP extraordinaire... you probably recognize Slash standing next to him from the great 80's hair band... he hasn't changed a bit hugh?

They were at an art show for the Phenomenal painter Tommy Hollenstein, whom RT was filming for a documentary. Tommy's art work is so inspiring, the things he can do without a brush and only the wheels of his wheel chair! You should really check him out. www.TommyHollenstein.com

Sparks Game

2009-10-18T19:57:00.001-07:00

Arlene and I (she in green top and me in pink) went to the Sparks game at the Staples center in September... compliments to the I Have A Dream Program. Why aren't you a mentor? It's a great thing to be! Who doesn't want to pass on their knowledge and make someone else's life a little easier... funny thing is, you usually end up learning a lot more from your mentee than you ever expected. :)

Obsessed with Notetaking

2009-08-31T21:07:00.001-07:00

I've been made fun of because I take notes on my notes. Once I fill a notebook up, I read through it all, write on the cover what's in that notebook and the dates, and then I have a new notebook that I write in all the great golden nuggets that I've learned and taken notes on so I don't forget them, it's a continual process and sometimes I don't learn right away, so I end up taking notes on my notes on my notes, etc... I learned from my high school shop teacher that "The dullest pencil is better than the sharpest mind". As much as I get harassed for this, people marvel at how I can remember certain things. But the truth is I don't initially remember at all, but the repetition of rereading my notes has made all the difference.

burn me at the stake

2009-07-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Judy sent me a picture of this horse, he has two different colored eyes. I have been compared to cats, dogs and horses and every other person they can think of who also has them.

"Oh, I met someone once who had that". I used to joke and say at a party I could always mess with the drunk people when they pointed out that I had two different colored eyes I could freak out and say "Oh my gosh, don't step anywhere! I lost my contact!" then I could have a group of drunks searching the floor for the alleged contact. tee hee :). I guess besides being compared to dogs and cats, the weirdest one is usually when they say that if I lived during the Salem witch trials, I would have been burned at the stake; and they say it in such a way as if they are trying to get me worried that it might happen to me, or with a twinkle of pleasure in their eye like they are picturing it right then?

Greed. Just thinking out loud

2008-10-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

I've been involved with some business deals lately and I'm finding greed to be quite a scary thing. Normal everyday people turn into these green monsters and you don't recognize them anymore. Your best friend, or business partner will disclaim you for a half a percent. It's really ridiculous. Sure I like money as much as the next gal, could always use some more. I find it very helpful in accomplishing things, and paying your electricity bill and eating is always nice.

But, the greed, lies, and money hungry deceit are no joke. Sometimes it's the people you thought would take a bullet for you that prove to be the worst. Where does human relationships fit in with all this going after the mighty buck? Why would anyone trade in a good relationship for something as fleeting as money. So what if it's a few hundred, thousand or million; should the number matter? There are a lot of things money can't buy. It can't give you health, it can't fix a broken heart (sure you can drown emotional pain out with drugs or anything material or flesh you like for a price) but the effects wear off. Then what happens when you have everyTHING you want at the expense of everyBODY?

I seriously could go on for at least a half hour, but I'll spare you the sermon. Just thinking out loud.

In the Sound Booth

2008-09-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have been recording all the poems from my book "Poetic Prescriptions for Pesky Problems" for the audio book. Wow it is a lot of hard work! I'm thinking I need to take some voice lessons, or more so, swiming lessons, whatever kind of lessons will teach me how to have more breath control. We have hours and hours of footage to go through, sometimes I had to do 10 takes, multiply that for 77 poems!

My First Book

2008-08-02T18:32:00.001-07:00

So, I wrote this book, out of a need... maybe a Florence Nightingale need to see people healed. I see so many people these days dependent on drugs. Drugs to wake up, drugs to go to sleep, drugs to calm down, to stay awake, for anxiousness, depression etc... But I know there is a better way. I put together these 77 poems addressing, really just everyday regular stuff that people go through, and the answers to those questions. The way to dig yourself out of the ditch. Order from any bookstore or go to www.KatherineNorlandPoetry.com there you can read excepts ( 1 from each chapter). It's meant to strengthen your faith and give you true hope!

Photo by RT Norland

The baby that changed my life

2008-07-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, so much has happened since I blogged last. I haven't written in the blogs, but I have been keeping up in my journal writing. It will probably be in a book sometime. I had a baby nearly 4 months early, he almost died a couple of times, it was pretty scary. My hubby has put a personal site together for the relatives so they could be updated. We just didn't have the energy to keep calling everyone for updates, it took all that we had just to stay in faith and pray for his health and healing everyday. If you want to find out more about his story you can check out www.myspace.com/timothyjohnnorland

He's been out of the hospital for 3 months now, and here is our first day at the beach.

Photo by RT Norland

2007-11-14T15:58:00.000-08:00

I'm reading one of my poems in Pasadena .

Twice a month they hold poetry readings there. This group is led by Don King-Fisher. (He is the one sitting at the table up front near me). He puts out a chap book every quarter. I've been published in several of them. He calls it the San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly. Yes, that's a mouthful.

2007-11-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

This is a scene from a short film I did earlier this year. It's called "No Greater Love" The title and film is based on a scripture that says "No greater love hath any man than he lay down his life for his friend". Kathy and I wrote this film in the back seat of my little car on the way back from Las Vegas where we had our film "On The Fringe" playing at a film festival.

2007-10-12T16:22:00.000-07:00

This is me with my friend Anthen. I met him at a poetry group a couple of years ago. He is a Rabbi, and a linguist, he speaks 7 languages and has lived all over the world.

He usually comes over every Wednesday and we work on poetry together. He actually edits my poetry, in the sense of looking for grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.

He is really great. He's from Israel. And he loves animals.

2007-09-17T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys, this is a picture from a short theatre Noir piece I was in. We wore dress from the 40's, but we had little dances and there was singing. Lord knows I didn't sing, every one would run out. But they used the sound track from "West Side Story" and changed the words to go with the theme. I'm standing here with the antagonist 'Satanelli' the mob boss from down under if you know what I mean. The great lounge singer in the back ground. It was fun, we did 2 performances in July of 2007

Photo by RT Norland

Whoo hooo

2007-09-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

I now have a blog, just like you!