We recently connected with Alexander McKee and have shared our conversation below.
Alexander, thank you so much for making time for us today. We can’t wait to dive into your story and the lessons you’ve learned along the way, but maybe we can start with something foundational to your success. How have you gone about developing your ability to communicate effectively?
Communication — in my opinion — is the number skill that a director needs to have.
Great visualization aside, no one can read a director’s mind and suddenly understand the look and feel of the shot, scene, or whole project ahead.
For me, developing this skill was like any other — constant repetition and a lot of failure and lessons learned along the way.
When I was making tiny little films in high school with my friends, a ton of them told me that they “didn’t get it.” I was relying too much on the vision I saw in my head as opposed to focusing on painting a picture for them.
“Trust me” was a go-to line I would use, but as I got further into the professional world of filmmaking, how could that possible be my answer to quizzical looks?
At the end of the day, if the cast and other crew members don’t have clear focus of what a project’s intentions are, then I’ve failed. I need to be the one that can answer any question at any given time.
I learned to communicate effectively by studying the final results — projects where I painted the best picture possible and let people inside my mind and vision, and one’s where I was relying on trust alone.
The former always won out.
Communication is still a hard skill to develop, because it can never be perfected! Every project demands a new kind of communication, every person working on set responds to different conversation styles better, it’s all about adapting to the new situation yet still communicating effectively nonetheless.
I used to think that the success of a project hinged upon a director truly knowing what they wanted — I now know it’s about leading a group of very talented people to a common and well-discussed goal.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
To me, Dawn Chaser Media is about the pursuit of “the” dream — the dream is always changing and different for each and every person.
It is a core belief that each and every day I can better myself creatively and better myself as a person. As things progress, my goal is to help lend a voice as a Producer to those who deserve their stories told.
Hollywood is a business above all, and sadly, many stories are deemed unmarketable. I refuse to believe that there are people out there who don’t need to see the stories that have been kept under wraps.
My desire to set myself apart is also my desire to get those stories told.
Most recently, I completed a sci-fi music video titled “Gibberish.” It is a fun look into alien communication and abduction. Music videos are fantastic pops of creativity and among my favorite projects to direct.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First and foremost, communication. It’s perfect that you asked me about communication earlier because that skill is of the utmost importance.
Patience is huge in filmmaking. The whole business is measured in hours and minutes of production. In a sense, the sun dictates everything we do in production! The cosmos is the largest clock we have, and we need to play by its rules for the most part. Taking a deep breath and not letting the frustration of the day override your judgment is so critical.
Visualization and planning is probably the third most important area, in my opinion. This is where communication starts from. The cast and crew look to me as the director to set the tone and start the plunge into whatever story we are telling. Before I even start the process of communicating my vision to them, I need to have that vision not only set, but have confidence in it.
It’s amazing how all of these areas flow into each other. If you don’t have a vision, you can’t communicate and therefore you waste time. If you can’t communicate your vision — no matter how solid it is in your mind — time slips away and frustration grows!
Every project is unique in so many ways, but these are the constants I have found.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
“Rebel Without a Crew” by Robert Rodriguez is a book I probably read once a year.
Not only is it a fantastic reminder of why I love what I do, but it actually puts me at ease when I feel like a certain project I am involved in or thinking of jumping on board seems too challenging.
There is always a way forward. There is always a way to achieve that goal or to overcome that hurdle.
And best of all, the book reminds me that these workarounds aren’t crazy expensive or complicated! Sometimes the tools are right at our fingertips — it’s just our perception of them that needs to change.
Contact Info:
- Website: dawnchasermedia.com
- Instagram: @dawnchasermediaofficial
- Youtube: @dawnchasermediaofficial
- Other: TikTok: @dawnchasermedia
Image Credits
Alexander McKee / Dawn Chaser Media