Meet Your Makers: Fostering Collaborative Energy with Alexander Henry
Having graduated from Humber College in 2016, Alexander is an entrepreneur at heart - building a network of partners, clients and mentors from scratch. This includes Alfredo Films, of which he is a co-founder, and for which he’s produced and directed commercials, music videos and short films.
With a background in Taekwondo - he was Canadian National Champion and a Canadian 2012 Olympic qualifier participant - Alexander regularly credits this experience as the reason for his dedication and persistence within his day to day job, where he seeks to always fight for the stories and voices that need to be told and heard.
LBB> What first attracted you to production? Has it been an industry you’ve always worked on, or did you come to it from another area?
Alexander> My love for production started when I was young and carried on into highschool. I was always intrigued by how films were made and how many people it took to make a film. I made films to express my feelings, and it was incredible to see it all come to life. Eventually, I fell in love with the entire collaboration process and truly recognised the saying: ‘It takes a village to raise a child’. Although I’ve never raised a child, it feels like each production fits that saying quite well.
LBB> What was your first role in the production world, and how did this experience influence how you think about production and how you grew your career?
Alexander> I started off as a director producing short films, but always knew I wanted to run my own production with a team of like-minded people. I ran under the name Alfredo from the time I started film, and told myself I’d love that name to be recognised within Canada as a leader in production. My career as an owner and EP started from college where I met my partners and we formed our team.
Starting our own company forced us to naturally produce our own content for some time. We learned from others, and we learned on the fly. It’s been a journey and transition to experience different roles and wear the many hats that led us to being EPs.
LBB> Looking back to the beginning of your career, can you tell us about a production you were involved in where you really had to dig deep and that really helped you to grow as a producer?
Alexander> A production we were involved in where we had to dig deep and really helped us grow would have to be the ‘Black Elevation Map’ for Black and Abroad and Performance Art. We had a big undertaking, and this project was very hands on. It involved months of research and our small team travelling to six cities in six different states in the US… within 10 days. The three owners of Alfredo, our director Kelly Fyffe Marshall, and the agency all hopped in a van and shot all of this content. It was crazy hard work and no sleep, but the hard work paid off as the project won multiple awards - Cannes Lions, Webby, BIG Campaign US, ADCC, and many more.
LBB> A good producer should be able to produce for any medium, from film to events to digital experience. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Why/why not?
Alexander> I think different mediums require different skill sets. I do believe the skills are transferable and a producer can adapt, but that isn’t the case for everyone, and the mediums can be quite different. Our story at Alfredo is that before we started doing any broadcast commercials, we produced a lot of other mediums. Of those, there were some that we were great at, and some that we probably wouldn’t do again because it just wasn’t our jam.
LBB> What’s your favourite thing about production, and why?
Alexander> My favourite thing about production is the moment we’re shooting and I get to take in how an idea that started on paper has resulted in all of these people coming together with individual talents which contribute to the final result of a film.
LBB> How has production changed since you started your career?
Alexander> We’re one of two fully BIPOC owned ACCP production companies in Toronto. I think we’re in the middle of seeing that change, and it’s hard to analyse that question when it feels like we’re in the centre of what is possibly to come.
LBB> And what has stayed the same?
Alexander> The balance of inclusion within the industry, and the conversations and steps needed to continue the changing of that narrative.
LBB> What do you think is the key to being an effective producer - and is it something that’s innate or something that can be learned?
Alexander> I believe it can be learned. I failed my producing exam in school and had a very hard time, but I learned on the job - making mistakes and learning to avoid them the next time. I believe we’re all always learning.
LBB> Which production project from across your career are you most proud of and why?
Alexander> The ‘Black Elevation Map’. The memories made while creating this project will always be with me. This project will forever be one that I’m proud of. I’ll always hop on a project if its aim is to be an instrumental tool for our community - a tool to educate, support, and help elevate it, especially economically when it’s literally putting Black-owned businesses on a map.
LBB> And in terms of recent work, which projects have you found to be particularly exciting or have presented particularly interesting production challenges?
Alexander> A project we did that was both exciting and challenging would be for Mastercard’s True Name. We made this project with McCann and our director Na Forest Lim. Na is a transgender director who has dedicated their career to projects that give back to underserved and underrepresented communities like LGBTQ+ and BIPOC. The ‘True Name’ spot is about displaying Mastercard’s new initiatives to let transgender and non-binary communities display their chosen name on their card. This production was especially exciting, as we got to see how by all coming together, we could hopefully help contribute to creating more inclusive experiences for the community. The challenging part was to hold together our emotions while journeying through each person's stories, and exploring the impact of shared stories with Na.
LBB> Producers always have the best stories. What’s the hairiest/most insane situation you’ve found yourself in, and how did you work your way out of it?
Alexander> There was once a mishap where a bunch of our talent weren’t on the call sheet and didn’t show up, and we were fighting the sun. With a lot of luck, a little willpower, shifting of the schedule, pleading, and Ubers called immediately, we got our talent to set and made our day.
LBB> What are your personal ambitions or aspirations as a producer?
Alexander> I want Alfredo to be the best in Canada and to be recognised globally!
LBB> As a producer your brain must have a never-ending ‘to-do’ list. How do you switch off? What do you do to relax?
Alexander> I watch a ton of reality TV. I love to experience other people's problems and drama! ‘90 Day Fiance’ for life!
LBB> Producers are problem solvers. What personally fuels your curiosity and drive?
Alexander> Seeing the end product fuels the drive. Sometimes, in the thick of it, it can feel too crazy, but when the shoot wraps and you get to the final result, I think to myself, ‘wow we pulled it off!’.
LBB> What advice would you give to people who are interested in becoming a producer?
Alexander> Always be ready to think of your feet and workshop with your team on how you can solve a problem. There’s always a way!
LBB> From your experience what are the ingredients for a successful production?
Alexander> Everyone putting away their egos and coming in with an attitude of seeking to be collaborative and solve problems.
LBB> What’s the key to a successful production-client relationship?
Alexander> I think the key is fostering collaborative energy from the start. As the production company, we know what it took to get the idea to where it is by the time it gets to us, and we treat that with as much respect as we possibly can. Ideas evolve and the process always have to be collaborative for the films we create to be a success.
LBB> Producers are naturally hands on - they have to be. How do you balance that in the more managerial role of an EP?
Alexander> Our journey has involved us wearing so many hats. Director, line producer, executive producer, and business owner. We’re as hands-on as the individual projects need us to be, and it’s great that we have the experience to hop in when we need to.
