Meet Alexander McDaniel | Writer/Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexander McDaniel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexander, what matters most to you?
A value/principle that matters to me the most is showing kindness to people and treating them how I want to be treated. I know this sounds like a common cliché but it has so many layers when it comes to filmmaking. On my sets, I try to make the environment healthy and fun for everybody. I put the matters of my crew and cast way before the product I want to make. I check up on everybody and make sure no one feels exhausted or uncomfortable. Not only does this benefit my personal well being but it also benefits the relationships and connections I make with other people.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I have loved filmmaking ever since I was 11 years old. I first started off making short films. My first one was called Bullyproof Vest which was about a young girl who overcomes bullying through a magical “bullyproof” vest. My second one 1619 was about a dad educating his son about the African Diaspora and why people of color are going to Africa on the 400th anniversary of slavery. Despite making these at only 11-years-old they went on to win at film festivals. Not only did I make short films as I grew up, I also joined programs and expanded my education in cinema. Around the same time, I went to Richard Lawson Studios/WACO Theater Center to learn the ins and outs of acting and filmmaking. Not only did they teach me how to expand my craft, but they also taught me how to appreciate myself and my art. This has resulted in me winning scholarships from the Justin Carr Foundation, Spring 2022 Hollywood Foreign Press Association, US Performing Arts, etc.

To this day, I have entered in several filmmaking competitions such as the NAACP’s ACT-SO where I made a short documentary about the 2020 riots that went on to win in nationals. I’ve attended LACHSA and Harvard Westlake for their summer programs in filmmaking. I have attended editing workshops like the Hue Collective, and many more. Right now for my education, I take film classes as a prerequisite in my high school. In addition to high school I take dual enrollment with LA Valley College where I am taking cinema courses towards an AA in Cinematic Arts Production. I’m doing so well in both classes that I have gotten all A’s and even made the dean’ list at my college due to the fact I have a GPA higher than 3.5. In ADDITION to that, I am studying the art of filmmaking at Ghetto Films School while also volunteering as a videographer for the Red Cross.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had to take my best friend to my favorite spot in the city, I would take them to the academy museum. I am a member of the academy museum and I often go there for workshops or if I want to see the exhibits. It just recently opened up and there are a lot of exciting things there. One time, I was able to be there while they were screening the Oscars and I got to be interviewed. During the interview, I was offered an internship by Nelson Coates (a production designer on Crazy Rich Asians, In The Heights, etc.) on camera. He said he will find one for me but that would be pretty close to impossible for a 14-year-old(https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbqCA_YOKmq/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link). Also for the eating part, there is a restaurant in the museum called Fanny’s where my mom and I frequently go to after premieres. They have a variety of choices of food to eat and the restaurant has walls covered in movie characters.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It would take an eternity to shout out all the people who have helped me grow and achieve my success at such a young age, yet there are a few people who have been keystones to my career growth. The first one would be Richard Lawson Studios and WACO Theater Center. At this place, not only have I learned how to be a better filmmaker and actor, I have learned how to appreciate my work for what it truly is and my inner self. With mentors like Kelly Tighe, Maia Modeste, Richard Lawson, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Lindsay Hopper, and Beth Berlin, I have learned to know that I am enough and I should not have to prove that to anyone. But the person who has truly been the biggest support in my life would be my mom, Sharon McDaniel. She has always been my backbone in whatever I do supporting my career choices and decisions throughout my life. If it weren’t for her I would not be here. Literally.

Website: mcdanielfilms.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandermcdanielofficial/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-mcdaniel-350849189/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/McdanielFilms

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alexander-McDaniel-1669122149988638/