Life & Work with Kate Bennis of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Bennis.

Kate, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up writing feature stories in Ohio, and eventually studied journalism and film at Colorado State. As soon as I graduated, I moved to New York City, where I played in punk bands and had no professional connections like a lot of the film school kids there. I interned at Pitchfork and landed my first gig on a documentary film via Craigslist (to date myself). The film went on to play at SXSW, and from there I met a lot of the people I continue to work with. I shot and edited on documentary films, but also worked for Nylon (and many fashion weeks), and was the video producer at Good Housekeeping. I got married and moved back to Cleveland, had a baby in 2024, and with limited time started focusing on the projects that really excited me. I produced 15 short films over the course of a year – two that premiered at the 2026 Cleveland International Film Festival and another, Twins Fest, that won a Telly and is a Webby honoree.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a wild ride! Moving to a huge city without knowing anyone in the film world was not easy, but if you’re willing to learn and help out, people want to continue working with you. It was really exciting to move back to Cleveland and to see how much great work is being created here, too. I still work with New York-based clients as well as some in Northeast Ohio.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a filmmaker, cinematographer and editor, I love pulling the viewer into a new, strange world, and letting them find moments of themselves as they watch. I recently wrapped editing on a feature film, and am shooting on an upcoming travel PBS show. I’m also in the process of directing a feature documentary. Two of my short films premiered at the 2026 Cleveland International Film Fest. My short film Twins Fest is a Telly winner, Webby honoree, and winner of the Society of Publication Designers’ Best Feature Video and Video of the Year.

As a musician, I’m always looking to collaborate with bands. I’ve created several music videos with my friends in Xanny Stars, and I edit for D’Addario (including Evans and ProMark). I have a dozen other projects rattling around in my brain that I can’t wait to get started on.

How do you think about happiness?
Watching my two year old son explore the world – I love seeing him work to articulate what he’s experiencing. A giant wave at the beach, a cupcake, a B-52s song. Just hanging around him and seeing his joy is everything to me, and it makes me grateful every day.

I garden a lot, am learning to sail, and play bass and guitar when I can.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katebennis.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildchildfilms/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katebennis/