Please fill out the following information, and RRFC Admissions will contact you to discuss our program offerings:
Issue #171 – Student Successes
by L. Swift and Jeff McQ
A few months ago, Katz Carter (Los Angeles, CA) tuned into “Connected,” RRFC’s weekly jobs webcast with DJ IZ, and heard about a unique scholarship opportunity to attend The Film Connection. On an impulse, he decided to go for it.
“Applying for the contest was a last-minute decision, because I was really busy and focused on the career path,” he says. “Then I thought and I was like, ‘Wait a minute, it would be a lot easier and I can go a lot further with this program from what IZ is saying.’ So I was like, ‘You know what, I’m actually going to apply for it.’”
The impulse paid off. Katz was one of two Connected Scholarship winners, and is now enrolled as an apprentice under Film Connection mentors Daniel Lir and Bayou Bennett of Dream Team Directors in Los Angeles. Now, he’s now honing his craft under their expert mentorship and has his eye on directing his first feature film!
“This program is actually helping me to develop the writing and the knowledge of actually producing and creating my first feature film, which is going to be a milestone in my life,” he says. “So far, this program is really helping me to expedite that process…I’ve already talked to [my mentors] about it so we can coincide the regular assignments that I have and use them towards the development of my feature film.”
Katz started pursuing a film career several years ago, and even attended a couple of different film schools, but he admits the traditional education route wasn’t for him. Since leaving school, he’d been attempting to break in on his own but felt he lacked the focus that comes from having a mentor. “Working on my own, it’s kind of tough when no one is helping me, guiding me, or telling me, ‘You should do this. This is a lot easier,’” he says. “[As an artist] I can go so far out of the box that it’s not going to reach anybody. So I probably should shave some of that down or harness it a little bit more, kind of bring it back to earth… I want to polish my skills, and I cannot do that on my own.”
Daniel Lir, Katz Carter and Bayou Bennett
or call (800) 755-7597
RRFC is education upgraded for the 21st century.
Get the latest career advice, insider production tips, and more!
Please fill out the following information, and RRFC Admissions will contact you to discuss our program offerings:
Stay in the Loop: Subscribe for RRFC news & updates!
© 2025 Recording Radio Film Connection & CASA Schools. All Rights Reserved.