We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexander Flanagan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexander below.
Alexander, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
Ultimately my optimism comes from necessity. I moved to this city with the intention of achieving massive goals. Things that I didn’t know were possible or realistic. I am constantly answering this question: “How can I do it?” Being able to focus on the positive possibilities and details is necessary to proactively answer this question. Doubt is irrelevant and useless in finding solutions to any problem. As I worked more I began to understand that everything is a possible opportunity. In my line of work connections and jobs come fast and spontaneously. Every set or job usually has new people that could expand your network in a revolutionary way. However, there is no way to know who you’ll meet or what work that will lead to. In other words, the possibilities are not only unpredictable but they are unfathomable. I choose to be optimistic about this aspect of my work. I know that at all times I could be one step, one call, one job away from leveling up in my industry. I focus on the positive takeaways from every work experience, even if an experience is negative,I focus on positive growth from it. I look at everyday as another chance to better myself and my career. I find comfort in knowing that every single day is an important building block to the master plan. By focusing on optimism I believe I generate better odds at moving forward and accomplishing goals short term and long term. The harder you look for something, the easier it is to find it. This applies in negative and positive perspectives.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I have always loved movies but never knew how to approach getting started or getting into the film industry. It seemed like this mysterious club that only a select few were allowed to work in. Nevertheless I wanted to make money so I began working at 16 for a construction company digging ditches, which forced me to practice good attitude and work ethic. I bounced around a few companies doing demolition and electrical but was unsure of my true purpose. I couldn’t help but notice all the older people I was working with just didn’t seem happy. I just hoped that there was more to being a hard working American without hating my job. I wanted my job to be my life, so I was determined to find something I enjoyed. Then I started listening to these gut feelings I had to join a film program at my high school. To my surprise I became obsessed with cameras, how they functioned, how they were built, and why they were all so different. In my engineering class I began building dollies and camera support systems. I began flying and building drones also. Within a few months I bought a camera and kept finding things to film with it. This went on for a few months but the day everything changed was when a man came to film a commercial for the construction company I was working at. I noticed him and started talking about cameras and what I do outside of work. After about 20 minutes of small talk he gave me his card and offered me an internship. I called him the next day and gave notice to my boss that I was leaving the company. During my last week all my colleagues made fun of me because I told them I was moving to LA to make movies. Despite their disapproval I moved to LA five months later. For the past four years I have been working as a freelance Director of Photography in Los Angeles. I shoot music videos for massive record labels and movies for well known streaming services. I have to say, without a doubt, filmmaking is much more fun than digging ditches. Each project and day on set is filled with new people and experiences. Filmmaking has brought me all over the country providing me with life changing moments and lessons that I will never forget. I have been lucky enough to meet a lot of amazing people who have beautiful visions, and it’s amazing how we all help each other bring these visions to life. Currently, I am in the middle of starting two production companies with some colleges, one is for the commercial work we do, the other is for the music videos we shoot. Looking back, I feel like I was a shell of a person without making movies. I’m excited to see what the future may hold.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think supreme social skills is the best tool to develop. Oftentimes, creating opportunities depends on the ability to start conversations, the ability to read people and be able to tell what you could offer them. It’s important to be memorable. So much of this industry and its work flow relies on word of mouth, people work with people they enjoy working with. Working as an independent means that sometimes work is less busy. Staying motivated and organized during down time is super necessary to keep progressing. Updating socials, websites, and keeping in touch with people falls under this category. This work should all be making steps to achieving goals, and the goal should be constantly evaluated. Making sure that each day is a building block towards a larger goal is very important.
Lastly, being able to learn and adapt is important to thrive in all the different conditions and scenarios that can come with on set production. Things rarely go to plan, which is the fun part. However this aspect can certainly seem problematic if it’s not embraced. Really experienced people seem to have developed a skill that allows them to use adaptation to make magic. Learning is something that never stops and provides value in every work experience.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
The kind of people I prefer to work with are people that I see longevity in. People that understand what I can do and choose to utilize it in order to benefit the project. I enjoy working with people who respect me as a person, and an artist. People who provide me with the conditions I need to create efficiently are very valuable to me. I find value in people who I feel like I can grow with, people that I see myself working with for a long time. I see my time as capital that I invest, I think it’s better to make this investment with people who may provide opportunity and experience in the long run.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alexanderflanagan.com
- Instagram: Flanagan.mp4 https://www.instagram.com/flanagan.mp4/?img_index=1
- Facebook: Alexander Flanagan
- Linkedin: Alexander Flanagan
- SoundCloud: Alex Flanagan
