Seeking the Creative: Carolyn (Caro) Knapp, Director and Animator

Olivia Rodrigo, Sour. EDITOR: Caro Knapp. PHOTO: Grant Spanier and team.

How would you describe your art in three words?

Exploratory, colorful, intimate.

Carolyn Knapp knows the power of storytelling, and she utilizes her passion for directing to create meaningful narratives that audiences need to hear. The director and animator from San Diego, California developed an appreciation for filmmaking in her Kindergarten years. As her skills progressed, Caro began to see directing as an opportunity to provoke empathy within the public. She focused her films on important matters such as self expression, sexuality, relationships, and more. Her most recent short film, Cherry Bomb, reflects these ideals, as well as Caro’s engaging and inventive directive eye. Alongside creating films, Caro found a new talent during quarantine: animation. She has found immense success in her animations, creating a plethora of graphic lyric videos and album art for artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo. However, Caro’s true passions lie within live-action sets. She hopes to one day direct music videos or even television shows. No matter what path Caro chooses to take, thoughtful and inspiring work is promised.

Where/how do you gather inspiration?

I am constantly being inspired! Narratively, I am inspired by my own values and ideologies about the world or by issues that I’m working through within myself. I have very close bonds with my friends, and they are a constant inspiration to me in both my work and in the way I approach life. Visually, I have extensive saved folders on Pinterest, Instagram, and Tik Tok full of artists of every medium whose work inspires me. I’m also very inspired by the natural beauty of California and by my home city and community of Los Angeles (I’m a 4th generation Los Angelino!!)

What do you hope audiences retain from your work?

On the narrative filmmaking side of things, I approach each project and script with a different objective. With Cherry Bomb, a love letter of sorts to my younger selves, my goal was to create something that would have validated my sexuality and identity as a high schooler. The beauty I have seen grow from this goal is that people of all ages who are getting to know themselves better have reached out and expressed that Cherry Bomb made them feel validated. I see filmmaking in general as one of the best tools to enact empathy. If I can expand someone’s perspective and make them see a human issue through a new perspective, then I feel that I have done my job.