Today we’d like to introduce you to Will McKim.
Hi Will, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a writer/director specializing in horror, sci-fi, and high-concept dark comedy. My latest personal project is ALANA DARKCHILDE & THE MID-CITY GHOSTING, available on Instagram, Youtube, and TikTok. Alana (played by the effervescent Eva Hamilton) is an ongoing character in the spirit of Elvira — there will be plenty more sketches, interviews, and ongoing series coming from her in the near future so keep an eye out!
I left my small-town roots in North Carolina behind to pursue my dream of working in the film industry in LA in my early 20s. I’ve been working in the industry ever since. Spent several years on my first gig, a multi-platform documentary series based on the bestselling book THE GIFT OF FEAR. I’m incredibly proud of the result — its message of personal safety and following one’s intuition is crucial for living well in today’s fraught society.
All along I’ve been writing and directing my own content — but the past few years I’ve become laser-focused on making that the day job. I’m lucky to have the support of Cinterra Management, where my manager Jane Park-Dolan is helping me set up two features in pre-production and a period-TV show that’s getting a lot of heat. One of the features is a co-production with Finland. We’re shooting there next spring. Gonna be wild.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is anybody’s journey smooth in this city? I’ve certainly had my share of challenges, shady producers, unreleased go-nowhere projects, and plain old-fashioned rejection. It sucks.
But having been on both sides of the table, I also know how much energy and effort it takes to invest in a project. It’s not personal. And frankly, the best team is the one that truly believes in the project, so things tend to work out in the end.
I choose to focus on the positive and always, always keep moving forward. My strong network of talented, breathtakingly-attractive friends and collaborators helps a lot too.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Aside from ALANA. I’ve made a few shorts (DIVERGENCE being the most notable). My dream has always been show running my own series — but with the way the industry is going, it’s obviously increasingly important to remain independent and retain as much ownership of your work as possible.
So one thing that sets me apart is looking for new ways to distribute my content that don’t involve the old guard. I believe it’s time for artists to invest in our own logistics and fight for our work to be accessible no matter what. I want to make stuff for a living — and I want that living to be sustainable.
I’m also extremely proud of my work transforming GIFT OF FEAR into a doc series – its message of personal safety and intuition continues to resonate and I still hear from folks involved or simply moved by the material.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The aforementioned ALANA DARKCHILDE & THE MID-CITY GHOSTING can be found at https://www.instagram.com/alanadarkchilde/
Check out my website willmckim.com, where I post a lot of fiction/essays/photography (both cat-centric & otherwise). Most of my film portfolio is available there as well.
And shoutout to Cinterra Management — if anyone wants to get in contact, reach out to my manager Jane Park-Dolan. She’s the best. And agent Brian Goldberg at WPA has been a huge help throughout my career — I can be reached through him as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: willmckim.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanadarkchilde/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/willmckim
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7XtzftavYA&list=PLG5B81EAJc1f4XCQSSXtb8tHtKon7lk0R
- Other: https://linktr.ee/alanadarkchilde
Image Credits
Will McKim
