Fiona Mackenzie shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Fiona, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
As I continue my growth and development as a director, screenwriter and author, (“Murder in Pebble Beach – Mystery in The Club” https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Pebble-Beach-Mystery-Club/dp/B0DT28G6RL) I’m getting more into the financing side of movies and TV, and I’m also about to finish my second book in the the series. I’ve found that writing a second book seems to bring a lot more pressure than the first, as I know how hard the road ahead will be. Book two will continue the journey of those original characters but expand into new ones as well. And on the film side, I have always wanted to work more closely on the producing and financing side and that is all starting to happen organically. So these two things are now on my plate…book number two and stepping more into the world of film finance, which are both exciting to me and times a bit intimidating too.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a film and TV writer, director and producer, but I started out my career as a journalist, first for Condé Nast in London and then for British and American TV news and lifestyle television shows, based out of Paris. My entire career started in Europe, Africa and Asia. Writing, shooting and editing programs from all over the world was my film school, or rather “boot camp” at times. By the time I was 25, I had probably shot in about 30 countries around the world, but not a day in the US. So for me, conceptualizing and shooting documentaries and films, outside of the US, in other languages and cultures, was my own, unique version of film school. To this day, I really prefer working abroad, as I feel it adds another layer of richness and conflict for the characters and their personal journey.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was fifteen, and most of my friends were going to some version of tennis or baseball camp….I went to the Dominican Republic to be a summer exchange student for AIFS. Even though I had studied French forever in high school, as luck would have it, they sent me to a Spanish speaking country…and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Suddenly, at age fifteen, I had to think for myself, make friends and truly connect with people in an entirely new language. By the end of the summer, I could actually speak Spanish at a decent level, but more than that, I saw how exciting and interesting the world was, outside of my regular life in California. After that summer, I came back to finish my last year of high school, but I had much more confidence and felt I could really almost do anything I put my mind to. And I think that’s what gave me the self assuredness to move to Europe the day after I graduated from college. Because I had had such a positive experience, at just age fifteen, living away from home, and being immersed a language and culture that I barely knew…I was really ready to give life in a foreign country a chance. I first moved to London, where I had landed a job in journalism, at Condé Nast. Then later to Paris where I lived for almost six years, working first as a print and TV journalist and then later for an American scripted television series, The Highlander, shot in France.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say what I say to all teenagers and college kids that I meet…life is a journey, things take time. Go easy on yourself until you figure it out, and find your stride. And remember that everything in your life’s journey, is relevant to your growth as a human. So enjoy every step, and every chapter along the way.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I am personally committed to help end global human trafficking. One of my family members was trafficked and never found, and therefore it’s a topic close to my heart. I have written a screenplay and TV series about it. Human Trafficking is a crime against humanity. We need to all work together, as a global community, to eradicate it, once and for all.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am writing…or skiing! Two very different endeavors, but they both take over my mind and psyche so completely, and somehow, that’s very peaceful. With writing, I often resist, and don’t want to start. And of course like many people, I get very frustrated. But when you are finally in the creative flow…you feel connected to something greater than you, and that feels exhilarating. On the other hand…when you are skiing, surrounded by the vast beauty and majesty of nature, and still somehow, finding your way down various steep, tricky paths – you feel wonderfully at peace when you finally arrive at your destination. Perhaps an excellent metaphor for life!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @fionamackenziemedia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionacmackenzie
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0533301
