A “Nostch” Above

I met with Hannah Notsch in her Point Loma apartment. It’s filled with different ceramic works both big and small. There’s cups, mugs, the occasional jar or two. But what really makes the biggest impression on me are the tiniest objects out of the bunch: an army of miniature animals. There’s a sense of warmest to each piece, something almost intangible where you can’t help but smile at the overall good-hearted nature of it all.

Viewfinder: Tell us about yourself.
Hannah Nostch: I am 21-years-old, I go to SDSU, I’m majoring in Film Production and I’m minoring in anthropology. I’m interested in making movies and possibly documentaries which is why I added anthropology. I’m also an intern at the model railroad museum in Balboa Park where I help make miniatures for their layout there. I also have a small business on the side where I sell ceramics and I vend at local markets. I also do music and songwrite! 

VF: That’s a lot! You’re like the Jane of all trades.
HN: Yeah, it is haha.

VF: You mentioned you songwrite but what else goes into “doing music”?
HN: So, I feel like I used to do it a lot more seriously before I switched to film– I was actually going to go to music school and pursue that in college but then I wanted to do something else because I had been taking lessons since I was 7-years-old and I was just like, “I think I need to do something else.” And I’m really glad that I did go the film route because it’s a whole different world and it’s really interesting and I love it. So right now, I just kind of songwrite on my own and I haven’t recorded anything recently which is what I really want to do, but I have some stuff on Spotify and I sometimes go to open mics. So, it’s more casual right now, but when I was younger it was a whole thing. I would busk and perform at places with my sister and I did voice lessons every week for 7 years of my life so that was a big chunk of my life. And I still have music there as something I have for myself for fun. But when I have more time, I would like to record more things and make it more of a thing.

VF: Was it hard to make the switch from music school to film school?
HN: I auditioned for Berklee School of Music in Boston and I got in and they gave me a scholarship and I committed to it– I bought a sweatshirt and everything. And then COVID hit and I had the choice of spending all this money to do it online or to do something else. So, I decided to uncommit and I went to Mesa College for two years and I figure out what I want to do. And, I was going to still do music and then go to Mesa and then transfer to Berklee. And then I was like, “What if I just didn’t? What if I did something else?” I don’t think I ever thought that I could do something else because it had been such a big part of my life. And then, I realized I could do anything right now! I could choose anything. And I did some video editing classes and stuff in high school and I really liked it. So I ended up transferring to SDSU for film instead. It was hard because I do love music but I also needed to do film. I needed to try something else. Because I can always go back to music. I kind of just wanted to try as many things as I could and I already know a lot about music and now I want to know a lot about something else. 

VF: So, how’s film school?
HN: It’s… good. Haha, it’s really fun and I really enjoy it. It’s just really stressful! But let me talk about the fun stuff first. I’ve met so many awesome professors that have just inspired me so much and I’m so happy that I get to learn from them. I’ve met so many awesome people and friends and it’s a whole thing. You’re not just learning about movies but it’s so hands-on which I really love. In the first semester, when I transferred I was already working with equipment and PAing on sets. And it was way more interactive than I thought it was going to be, which I love too. I think it’s a lot harder and stressful than I thought it would be. But it’s stressful in a good way. I think it pushes me to do my best and takes me out of my comfort zone which I have done repeatedly in the last year and a half that I’ve been there. I think the cons would be is that it’s a very competitive environment which can feel very stressful. I put these really high expectations on myself– which I really shouldn't because it’s supposed to be a learning environment. It’s just kind of hard to remember that you don’t have to be awesome at everything right now. We’re all learning but it does feel very competitive, but I enjoy it too!

VF: So what would you say is your favorite part about film school and your not so favorite part about film school?
HN: I think my favorite part is about learning about all aspects of the production process. I took the live television class last semester and it was so interesting! I didn’t think of all that work that goes into awards shows and live event stuff. And now, when I watch one, I have way more respect for everyone that works on them. It’s just so cool to see all these different ways you can go. It’s just been interesting to learn about all of it but also get to do it myself. 

VF: What did you initially want to focus on when you went into film school and is it the same thing as you want to do now?
HN: I think in the beginning I was leaning towards screenwriting and directing since those two things kinda go hand in hand. But I didn’t know anything else. Oh, and I also was interested in being a cinematographer, but then I quickly realized I’m not interested in that at all, haha. All of the best cinematographers I know in my cohort– they’re really interested in the equipment, they know a lot about their camera, and all cameras in general. I really– I don’t care! It’s just not for me. It’s a lot more technical than I thought it would be. I really like being able to pick what goes into a shot, and though a lot of that is on the DP, I think the stuff I was talking about is more along the lines of what a production designer does haha. 

VF: How about your least favorite part about film school?
HN: I feel like everyone has very high expectations for everyone around them. So, I’m always nervous that I’m gonna do a job wrong or not as good and that people are gonna spread the word and that no one’s gonna wanna work with me ever! It just feels very competitive and it feels like you have to  pretend you know what you’re doing all the time, even though we don’t all know what we’re doing and I know most of us are faking it. I kinda wish we would just be like, “hey– we don’t know what we’re doing.” I feel like there’s this huge pressure to be really great at everything right now. It’s such a small major too so everyone really knows each other and the rumor mill is strong and I really don’t want to get caught up in it and get blacklisted and be one of those people no one ever wants to work with. And sometimes it’s valid and sometimes it’s not as valid. I’m a competitive person too so it pushes me to try to be the best at something, not in a toxic way, but just learn something and get really good at it. 

VF: It’s motivating!
HN: Definitely, but it’s also really stressful.

VF: Where do you see yourself going in the film/tv industry?
HN: I definitely want to work in production design. I love every aspect of it. I’m taking every single class that they offer right now. It’s so much work but it’s also so fun. I loved when we had to build sets, that was so fun. If I could just build sets that would be great. I loved helping design them. Doing research for sets, that was one of my favorite parts. I think that is my favorite part. You just go down a google rabbit hole for hours and make a cute powerpoint presentation. I really enjoy every aspect of production design. Except drafting– but it’s because I’m hand drafting right now and once I get to digital I think I’ll like it more. Screenwriting I definitely want to do more of. SDSU doesn’t offer a lot of classes, but I try to practice on my own and get that experience in by myself. But I would love to be a writer or a director. I feel like everyone says that, but it’s the dream I guess!

VF: What are you working on right now?
HN: Film-wise, we just did pitches for one of our final projects and mine was chosen. So, I will be directing my first project in college which is super scary but also, it’s super exciting! I’m also taking seven classes right now, so I’m doing all of that work also.

VF: What other projects are you working on?
HN: I’m also trying to work on ceramics. It’s really hard since I am taking so many classes and I’m just busy. So it’s so hard to put aside time to do it, but I do really want to get back into it and vend more because one of my favorite parts of ceramics is being able to vend and meet everyone that I’m selling to. It’s just really fun. And the vend community in San Diego is so sweet. I know so many artists that are so cool and I love working with them. You just hang out with your friends all day and make money!

VF: Where do you draw the line between making stuff and making a profit?
HN: My business, Top Notsch Shop, started off very differently than what it is right now. When I first started I was doing custom embroideries on t-shirts and sweatshirts, hand towels and all that stuff. I was selling aprons, so there was that. I was crocheting, I was making earrings. So that was all before ceramics and that was when I was very bad at drawing the line of what to sell and what not to sell. I started crocheting because it was a fun thing I was doing during quarantine. And then I started selling it and then I realized how much I hate crocheting haha. Because I didn't want to do any of the customs I had taken but I was like, “I have to commit to it!” And I just ended up taking all these customs I didn’t want to do and it just wasn’t fun. But now, I feel like I draw the line a lot better because with ceramics, I do enjoy most of it so it’s kind of hard to end up hating it because I do like it a lot. I do custom animals and pets which I really enjoy, because I get to learn about people’s pets and it’s cute. I get really into getting every single spot on the pet right and every single pattern correct. So I do really enjoy that and I don't think there’s been something where I haven’t enjoyed or regretted. I’m trying to draw a better line and trying to get better at it.

VF: Who got you interested in the arts?
HN: When I was 7, my sister was taking guitar lessons in National City. And they had a bunch of music classes or art classes you could take. And my parents were like, “you have to pick something. Your sister’s already here and we drove all this way and we’re already here so you have to pick something, too!” So I took a piano class and I ended up hating it. It was just boring. I actually ended up buying my first watch so that I could see when piano lessons would end. It was a little monkey watch that flipped open.

VF: You weren’t so subtle with checking the time.
HN: No, haha. You could hear it click open too! So, then I decided to take the vocal lessons there. It was a group of us– five or six kids and there was a teacher, Christina. She was Filipina too and we vibed haha. My sister ended up taking that class too and we really enjoyed it. I was not good but I was also 7 so I don’t think anyone’s a good singer when they’re 7! 

VF: Ugh, she’s 7. She’s done for!
HN: So I stuck with it but then Christina left, so we left. But then we asked her, “can we do private lessons?” and she was like, “ok.” So every single week Christina would come over to our house and we’d do an hour or two or private lessons for the next seven years. Me and my sister started a duo and we busked around Seaport Village, the swap meet [Kobey’s], Ocean Beach Farmers Market. We made a lot of money since we were little kids and people would be like “Awww, here’s $5!” It was super fun. My parents also played a huge part in my pursuit of the arts. They loved watching us perform and my dad always wanted to do music when he was a kid so I think he was always kind of like, “you should try it! It’s fun!” So they put me in this arts middle school called CPMA and it was kind of like High School Musical but less cool. Which is impressive because High School Musical is not cool haha. It was just such a weird environment but it was awesome and I loved it. Everyone I’ve talked to hated middle school but I loved middle school so much! I did choir, I did musical theater, theater. I played Jojo, the mayor’s son in Seussical the Musical. Yeah, they pinned my hair back to make me look like a boy. It was super fun. We did Shrek Jr. one year. I played one of the German Three Little Pigs, a rabbit, and young Fiona. So that was also fun. I thought I wanted to do Broadway for a while because of all that and then I quickly realized that I can’t dance. And you kind of have to dance on Broadway. And then I went to a regular, public high school. And I did choir and theater there, but the funding wasn’t great and it also wasn’t cool to do it. Which I know– you don’t do things because they’re cool but also it just wasn’t as fun and the teachers weren’t as good, not a lot of people were in the program to begin with and it was just completely different and not fun anymore. So, I went more into video making and took an editing class in the most basic way possible. And then I kind of started a Youtube channel, please don’t look it up, but I did make vlogs and stuff with my friends. That was super fun. And that’s what kind of spurred my interest into filmmaking. So that’s kind of the origin story of everything!

VF: When you’re not creating, how do you like to spend your free time?
HN: I try to hang out with my friends as much as possible because I feel like– I’m in college and I should be going out and having fun but I don’t like going out that much at least in a party setting. At least, not to bars. It’s just not for me, I get tired at like 9:30pm I’m like, “it’s time to go!” So my friends will hang out with me before they go out so I’ll play bowling or pool, or we go on picnics a lot and stuff like that. And I also try to do stuff by myself as much as I can and I live right next to sunset cliffs so I try to drive out there and go on a walk because it’s so pretty and I live right there and I feel like I never actually go there. So I try to do that as much as possible. But it is really hard to make time for myself, especially during school.

VF: Movies, TV, what do you like to watch?
HN: I think my favorite movie right now is Past Lives. It’s so good! I saw it in theaters a couple weeks after it came out and ever since then I think about it at least once a day. It’s so good! For TV shows, I love New Girl, The Office, I love a good British TV show. I love the soapy, super-dramatic TV shows like Downton Abbey– I watched all of that in like a month! I watched so many episodes every single day. I kept watching even after they killed all my favorite characters. Have you seen it all?

VF: I have not.
HN: It’ll rip you apart but it’s so good!
VF: How about Youtube or Tiktok?
HN: I feel like I watched a lot of Youtube when I was in middle school and high school. Not so much now. I feel like I never sit down and watch Youtube anymore. I usually go to Netflix and Hulu or scroll on Tiktok. I feel like Youtube’s the in-between and I don’t really watch that much on there anymore. When I do, I’m watching short films for inspiration. 

VF: What about on Tiktok?
HN: A lot of ceramic artists, definitely. I have a lot dog and cat videos.
VF: I’ve been getting a lot of those too. They’re very therapeutic.
HN: Exactly. But, I feel like I don’t have anything good to say about Tiktok because when I do go on, it’s like doom-scrolling and I’m on it for hours and I feel like sh*t after. I wish my For You Page was more fun. I feel like I do get film content and artists every once in a while but now I just get stupid videos or random murder mystery stuff. Right now, Tiktok is like a way I waste my time. I know there are some awesome creators out there but they’re hard to find and I just don’t get them on my For You Page I guess!

VF: Switching gears here, what does “ambivalent” mean?
HN: I thought it meant to persevere. But google said it’s when you have mixed feeling or two opposing feelings about something. I’m like, “how do I not know this word. This is my life!” I feel like I do so many different things and sometimes I wonder if I should’ve just done music like why did I learn this whole new thing? When I took that Live TV class, it was so daunting when the professor explained everything we were going to do and I was like, “I don’t want to do that. That sounds scary.” And at first I thought, “is there a way I can get out of this class?” But then I took it and I really loved it and it was so interesting. But in film school, I’m put in so many positions that are really scary.

VF: Yeah, and it’s not like you learn those things growing up in elementary school or really everyday life.
HN: Yeah, you just learn by doing the thing. And it’s so scary at first. And you can practice by preparing and learning the most that you can, but you learn the most by doing things on set. But the good outweighs the bad and that’s why I’m still doing film school.

VF: What’s some good advice you’ve been given?
HN: I feel like I have really high expectations for myself because I did music for so long, I think I forget that it took years for me to get good at it. And I’m very new into the film world and it’s been a few years but I still feel very new at it. Like– sometimes I’ll write a script and that day I think it’s good and the next day I’ll take a look at it and just think, “this is the worst thing I’ve ever written. This is so bad! I’m never gonna be one of the greatest.” The way I look at it is by the time I graduate, I should be really good at filmmaking. But I know that isn’t true because it’s all just a learning experience and I’m only 21. I don’t have to be a genius right now! But also, because it’s a risky major and so many people around are like, “why are you doing that? You’re not gonna make any  money.” I put that pressure on myself to be really good at it because if I’m doing this risky thing I should at least be good at it. So, if I ever feel not good at something or if I don’t pick something up right away I get really frustrated or angry because I like being good at things. So I always run into the same roadblock of accepting I’m not going to be the greatest right now and it takes practice and takes all those years. And just because I’m graduating doesn’t mean I’m going to be an expert of everything I’ve learned. There’s that line in Little Women where Amy says, “I want to be great or nothing.” And I think I took that too much too heart haha. And just because you’re not the greatest person ever from doing something, that shouldn’t stop you from doing something if you like it.

Hannah can be found at:
https://topnotschshop.com/
Social: @topnotschshop

by
Nate Velasco
OCT 2023