Katy Chevigny of Arts Engine: Women to Watch

Katy Chevigny, Executive Director of Arts Engine, a women-run film nonprofit for social issue films, did not set out to pursue film. She originally thought she would be an urban planner. But after she took a film class in college, she knew she wanted to work in film. It’s now the ten-year anniversary of Arts Engine, which she co-founded with Julia Pimsleur.

Eight of Arts Engine’s award-winning documentaries from Big Mouth Films, including Election Day, Brother Born Again, Deadline, and more—as well as highlights from the Media that Matters Film Festival—will be shown at The Paley Center in New York to commemorate the anniversary.

Katy did not set out to do documentary filmmaking in particular, but felt that it might be a way to get into filmmaking. “They’re [documentaries] smaller. You can film about people nearby. You can back your way into making a documentary film, which you really can’t do in fiction,” says Katy. “The budgets are lower; if you have good access and a good story, you can make a documentary.”

Katy also felt that documentary film seemed more do-able to her professionally: “For me, I could envision it happening. And it fit with my values … If you’re going to be an independent filmmaker and struggle, you might as well make something that matters!”

Katy worked at several production companies for free early on. Later, both she and Julia worked at small film companies for men and were relied on heavily for a lot of work. She gained a lot of experience in those years, but she said, “I didn’t feel in synch with the creative vision of the men that I worked for. The idea with working with other women was really exciting.” Also, Katy was constantly working with different peer groups, there were different interests and styles, and a certain power balance with men.

Katy and Julia knew it was time to create something new. Starting their own business was not something they were sure they could do on their own, but knew they could do together. Katy is quick to point out that her business partner Julia is “the one with all the film credentials!” In 1997, they created Big Mouth Productions. Innocent Until Proven Guilty (1999) premiered in Berlin and was later shown on HBO.