What is Catfish?
Catfish Shorts is the collaborative vision of Melissa Jean Woodside and Courtney Harmstone. Catfish Shorts aims to promote and support women in the film industry and across all creative industries.
As filmmakers, Melissa and Courtney started this screening series in order to spotlight films where women play a large role either in the production of the film or on-screen.
Catfish Shorts hosted its inaugural event in February 2017 at The Tribeca Screening Room and Soho House. It was a great success, with 16 films screened, highlighting the work of women from Writer/Director to lead actress and Producer.
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Meet The Team
M E L I S S A
Co-Founder
Melissa's interests include maple syrup, seeking adventure, and everything film/theatre related. When she's not in the big smoke and chasing her dreams, Melissa loves to return to Campbell River, Canada to be near the ocean.
Melissa has started her production company Sublime in 2014 and has a slate of productions including award winning Green Sweater Guy. Melissa is currently in preproduction for a feature film and a NY/UK play called "Eye of the Beholder".
Melissa graduated with an international law degree which has been very useful for running of her production company and packaging films. But don't be fooled by her bookish degree! Her mother jokes that she was almost delivered backstage in a theatre dressing room.
C O U R T N E Y
Co-Founder and Programmer
An American-British hybrid, Courtney Harmstone has been working professionally in film since she graduated with a BFA in Film Production from The Florida State College of Motion Picture Arts. Following this, Courtney has worked in a variety of positions in the industry, from social media marketing and distribution, to editing feature documentaries, and even building Rube Goldberg machines on stage in Las Vegas!
Since the completion of her master's degree in International Film Business at The London Film School and The University of Exeter, Courtney has worked in production on three projects, including two independent feature films and one advertisement.
Currently, Courtney is working as a freelance producer in London.