Description
CHECK OUT OUR MERCH: https://www.redbubble.com/people/blinky500/shop?asc=u
While out for the night, Catwoman crosses paths with a troubled teen who is living under the roof of her abusive father.
A WORD FROM CHRIS
Twenty years ago I made my very first Catwoman short, subtitled PRINCIPLES. I followed that up with THE DIAMOND EXCHANGE, and then the Power Girl crossover THE WORLD'S FINEST. It's definitely been a minute since my last Catwoman adventure, and with PRINCIPLES officially turning 20, I felt like it was time to go back to my roots and revisit the character. It should come as no surprise to anyone that my favorite design for Catwoman's costume was Jim Balent's 90's purple suit, so I knew if I was going to tell another Cat tale, it was going to be with that version.
In my previous Catwoman entries, I always explored Catwoman's pettiness. Selina Kyle stands on business, no matter how small the matter. So going into this new story, I wanted to actually make a follow up to one of my favorite comic issues, CATWOMAN #54 (1993) in which she drives a jeweler into bankruptcy over a diamond that she keeps stealing, and then returning. For Selina, the diamond itself wasn't enough- it was the thrill of stealing it that truly thrilled her. Then when she found out the jeweler was going to collect on the insurance for the stolen diamond, Catwoman then refuses to steal it all together because knowing someone who tried to use her is suffering, is much more satisfying. I really like that aspect of her character.
The opening act of this short was also a reintroduction to Catwoman as a whole. Apart from it being 20 years later, with a new actress in the role, I wanted to visually demonstrate how Catwoman's presence can be felt long before a formal appearance. So having Colvin panicking, and his guards not taking him seriously definitely helps set that stage. Props, of course, to Michael Olvera Rodriguez for expertly freaking out and looking like an absolute wreck in his role as Colvin.
Casting a new Catwoman was a true task that actually took several months. From various actresses accepting the role, then dropping out last minute, to schedules getting in the way, it seemed almost impossible to find someone who (with talent) could plausibly play Selina Kyle. Thankfully, all good things come to those who wait, and sure enough, I found Taylor Danehower who not only understood the character, but was actually a bit of a comic fan in her own right. For those unaware, playing Catwoman is a real tightrope act. It's incredibly easy to lean hard into the "cat" aspect of the character. Unfortunately, if you do, everything ends up sounding cheap, forced and semi-pornographic. Only with a firm understanding of nuance can someone add the "purring" elements to a performance without it sounding cringey. I was relieved to have found that nuance in Taylor.
Another casting challenge was Holly Robbinson. It is incredibly rare that I work with actual children on my shorts, as I tend to not want to inconvenience parents. So typically if I'm writing a teenage character, my first instinct is to just find someone over the age of 18 who can pass for a kid. Unfortunately, everyone who submit for the role looked like they could legally rent a car, so I decided to widen my net and put up a casting for actual kids. That's when I found Logan Laurel, and to her credit, nailed her audition on the first read.
Filming took a grand total of about 7 hours. I shot the whole thing in an evening, which is not entirely uncommon for me, but definitely a workout. The hardest part about shooting everything in one session is being mindful of other people's time. When you don't have a budget, the best thing you can do is get everyone in and out as quickly as possible, without sacrificing quality. Thankfully because this project didn't include any intense fight sequences, I was able shoot pretty quickly.