Rising Stars: Meet Alan Hewitt of Marina del Rey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alan Hewitt.

Hi Alan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in rural northern Maine and fell in love with telling stories from a young age. I was always drawn to the arts, playing piano and singing from a young age and doing theater in high school. Although I was particularly interested in filmmaking as a dream career, I figured that dream would die out as I got older. For better or worse, that never happened, and so I convinced my parents to let me try film school–and so I flew out to the opposite corner of the country in Southern California.

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, especially having no previous family members in the film trade. Luckily, great professors and amazing friends taught me so much and encouraged me to push my boundaries. I ended up falling in love with the filmmaking process and often wove my passion for music into my projects, directing two musical shorts. I worked on two of our university’s feature films as well, which prepped me for the long, busy days of set life.

After graduation, I moved up to LA to intern at an independent faith-based production company in Hollywood while picking up production gigs where I could on the side. Immediately after that internship, I went to work on a Marvel TV show, which taught me great experience working on a studio lot and with countless crew and studio members every day. From there, I worked on other short film sets, a Netflix movie production, and wound up back at that faith-based company where I now work producing and directing docuseries content.

In addition to my current work as a producer, I own a photography business that specializes in portraits and wedding photography, which I hope to continue to grow. I am driven to share beauty, excitement, and human connection through all my art, and there’s no place quite like Los Angeles for being creatively stimulated, challenged, and fed as a young artist looking to impact the world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has certainly had its challenges. I knew nobody out here when I moved to California, and had no previous skill level in film, so I had to learn everything from the ground up. In addition, I entered film school and graduated at two very odd times: the first occurred in the middle of the Covid pandemic, and the latter during the actors and writers strikes of 2023. Classroom and social settings had to get creative due to the former and were often in flux without guaranteed consistency; job and internship opportunities were incredibly slim during the latter, right as I was hoping to “do the thing” and make a living for myself in LA, a famously challenging city in which to do just that.

On the flip side, I’ve also been incredibly blessed. My college community formed the best friends of my life, lessening the stress and culture shock of moving across the country. One of those friends is a huge part of the reason I even made it up to LA and got that first job for Marvel. My current production company, being independent, was able to offer steady work regardless of the union stipulations of strikes and the current unsteady climate of the entertainment industry. It’s safe to say the road has been paved, but with a fair amount of speed bumps and detours along the way.

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?
Broadly, I am a filmmaker and director. Specifically for my current position, I produce and direct faith-based/family-focused content for an independent production company. This entails wearing many hats. I pitch ideas, develop them, reach out to participants, direct on-set, and often edit the content to prep it for release. “Producer” is the title that best encompasses my job responsibilities. I am proud to say one of my series has won a Telly award, which serves as a nice motivator to continuing my work and pushing my boundaries.

On and off set, I have been known for a kind and collaborative demeanor, which means a lot to me, as it is a huge priority that everyone on my sets or photoshoots feels comfortable and cared for. I’m still finding my creative voice, but I often find myself taking authentic stories centered on relationship dynamics and giving them a stylized twist that adds a sense of whimsy and flair.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memories are from being with my grandparents. We had so many family get-togethers and holidays at their house or lake-front property in northern Maine. My grandfather was a huge inspiration to me–truly a man who lived life to the fullest, had the most positive outlook, a tack-sharp wit, and sage advice for any occasion. He believed in me probably far more than he should have, but he said a few times before he died, “Al, the world is your stage.” I believe he knew something I didn’t, and whatever it means for me, I’m determined to make him proud and find out.

Pricing:

• Contact me for photography rates!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ajhewittphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alan.j.hewitt/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanhewitt/

Image Credits
Hike Photography, broken-notes-100 and Kolt-Muro Photo: Anthony Koonce
Backcountry_AD: Joe Donelson
Pink shirt looking at camera: Cormac Tully
MPI Red Carpet: Moving Picture Institute