ChomPics Guest Post - Kaitlin Milligan, "Pressed" Episode 2 Co-Head Writer

Hello, readers! If you are reading this post I assume you are either: a.) a huge Pressed fan, b.) a friend of mine, or c.) an enemy of mine who is trying to learn as much as you can about me in order to take me down. Regardless of which one you are, I am glad you’ve decided to spend the next two minutes reading this post! (I know, it isn’t 140 characters, I’m sorry, just bare with me.)

My name is Kaitlin Milligan and I co-wrote Episode 2 of “Pressed”

with Tara Hempstead (more about my amazing writing partner in a moment.) When I had initially found out I was chosen to be on the writing team, I was excited, but scared. I had no idea who else was on the team and I had never written with strangers before. Attending the first meeting was daunting, since most everyone on the team had known each other already. I sat and listened the whole time, afraid to give my input out of fear of being ridiculed for saying something stupid—a silly fear I have with almost every new thing I start. However, these people who I initially felt uncomfortable around, for no good reason whatsoever, have ended up becoming some of the best people I have met while at UF. Everyone I have met thanks to Pressed, from writers to actors and producers, are some of the most creative, interesting, and fun people to be around. Everyone is so funny and open to doing the weirdest stuff in the name of comedy. I mean, we somehow managed to get Chase Jones to wear a sailor’s hat and a women’s scarf, and Micaela Fagan to sing a Cabaret number.

Now on to the partner who helped me grow tremendously as a writer: Tara. We were told we were going to be paired up, and seeing as though I had known no one, I was a little nervous. However, Beth and Connor hit the nail on the head pairing Tara and I up. We both just instantly meshed. We thought all of the same silly jokes were funny, and we agreed on everything. Our two styles worked so well together, and Tara allowed me to grow as a writer in so many ways. This was the first time I ever wrote a 30-page script with someone, and the experience was incredible. I am a very sarcastic and closed-off person at times, so I have no idea how Tara dealt with me. She is the nicest, most open-minded and understanding person I have had the chance to work with. I am so lucky to have had a chance to get to know her and create with her, because I am truly a better person now because of it.

If you know me, you know that my freshman year of college was anything but fun. I struggled a lot, and though I am glad to be on the other side of that now, I wish I could go back and join ChomPics then, because I know if I had, I would have had an extra year with the people who have helped make my sophomore year great. I have made so many great friends thanks to ChomPics, and I implore anyone who’s ever thought about joining to join. It will change your life, and I mean that. Not only does it allow you to work on the things you love, it also bonds you with people who has like-minded interests and who are just plain awesome. I am so glad I joined and that I can be in the presence of these incredible people.

I am so incredibly proud of everything about Episode 2 of Pressed: from the writing collaboration, to the production and acting of it, down to the editing. (Shout out to Elliott LaCour for his insane contribution to this episode, you did not have to do it, but I am glad you did!) It was the first time I ever saw something I had written come to life. Sitting in on rehearsals and being on set during filming was incredible. The amount of talent I was surrounded by still blows me away to this day. I learned so much and have grown immensely because of my experience with Pressed.

I would love if everyone reading this watches it, but I understand you have busy lives and 25 minutes is a long time, but just think of it this way: you can either watch it and laugh for (hopefully) 25 minutes, or not watch it and have me haunting you for the rest of your life.

Your choice.

Oh, and if you watch, you can witness my (unfortunate) acting debut!

#chompics #cjc #gatornbs #pressed #kaitlinmilligan