The Directors: Alex Fischman Cárdenas

Born and raised in Lima, Perú, Alex Fischman Cárdenas is a director passionate about telling often unheard, honest and visually striking stories. His background in narrative and documentary blend to create beautifully authentic portraits of people and communities.

Alex began his career by crafting the critically acclaimed narrative shorts, 'La Vieja Quinta' and 'Alienación'. During his time in New York, Alex skilfully directed documentary short films such as 'Teeth' and 'Starr', both of which received recognition as Vimeo Staff Picks.

Alex signed with Greenpoint Pictures for US representation for commercials and branded content. Since then, he has amassed a portfolio of boundary-pushing commercial work for JP Morgan Chase, T-Mobile, Google, among others. In 2023, he was shortlisted for Shots and AICP New Director of the Year.

In 2024 he premiered his latest short film 'Ovejas y Lobos' at the Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival.

Name: Alex Fischman Cárdenas

Location: All around, but sometimes, Providence RI

Repped by/in: Greenpoint Pictures, US

Awards: Nominated for Young Director Award, Shots and AICP New Director of the year, Berlin Commercial

LBB> What elements of a script sets one apart from the other and what sort of scripts get you excited to shoot them?

Alex> I always get excited when I see a script that’s meant to evoke an emotional response from the audience. Whether it’s heart-breaking, funny, or anxiety-inducing. I put that main emotional response at the centre of every decision I’m making as a director.

 

LBB> How do you approach creating a treatment for a spot?

Alex> It all goes back to feeling and empathy for me. I’ll go through the script and try to remember what I felt when I was dealing with what the characters are dealing with in the given situation. I will then base all of my decisions on maximising that feeling in a visual way. Whether it’s through sound, performance, cinematography, production design, etc…

I take my treatments very seriously and I get involved in every detail because I feel they’re a great way to convey my vision with an agency. I’ve learned to try and get those treatments as close to the final film as possible because it’s a hard thing trying to bring back ideas you already sold in the initial treatment phase.

 

LBB> If the script is for a brand that you're not familiar with/ don’t have a big affinity with or a market you're new to, how important is it for you to do research and understand that strategic and contextual side of the ad? If it’s important to you, how do you do it?

Alex> I’ll always research the brand before starting a project. I’ll go through and look at everything from the graphic design of their website to their previous spots. My most important resource though, is asking in the initial calls what’s the purpose of this commercial. 

Figuring out that purpose is key to making sure I’m, as a director, making a film for the same purpose as the agency/client.

LBB> For you, what is the most important working relationship for a director to have with another person in making an ad? And why?

Alex> I think it’s the producers. So much of what you can or can’t do is decided way before you get to set. It’s so important to work with people who can find ways to deliver the vision while under limited constraints. 

LBB> What type of work are you most passionate about - is there a particular genre or subject matter or style you are most drawn to?

Alex> I love ads that are about people. Product exists, but the main focus is people. People going through heartbreak, moments of joy, small wins. 

I love the ads that make you forget you're watching an ad.

 

LBB> What misconception about you or your work do you most often encounter and why is it wrong?

Alex> My work is moody. People sometimes think I’m a moody person. They’re always surprised to find someone who is friendly and nice. Also, I guess my name doesn’t sound very Peruvian. They’re surprised when they hear my accent. 

LBB> What’s the craziest problem you’ve come across in the course of a production – and how did you solve it?

Alex> I mean, a lot of things go wrong. All the time. My general philosophy when an unforeseen complication arises is to figure out a way to make it work within the narrative. Embrace the new reality. 

In a commercial, this can be hard because clients aren’t the most flexible people on the planet, but as a director, you have to find a way to spin the problem into a positive and make it work visually.

LBB> How do you strike the balance between being open/collaborative with the agency and brand client while also protecting the idea?

Alex> It’s all about having good communication. Ideally, we’re all on board to make a film that conveys this specific message and emotional reaction. I’m open to great ideas coming from any direction. I like the saying that the best idea wins. But even when we’re all aligned on what we’re making, we can still have disagreements as to what’s best for this story.

I feel what’s best is to really listen to the other side and what’s driving their note. When you do this, you can get a glimpse as to what’s really behind their note, and you can propose other solutions that might be cleaner or more visually inventive ways to solve their problem.

At the end of the day, as directors, we’re hired for our vision and our voice, so it’s always important for me to speak up when something’s not feeling right and to jump in if a note feels like it might not be in the best interest of the finished piece. But I always try to do this respectfully and truly listen.

LBB> What are your thoughts on opening up the production world to a more diverse pool of talent? Are you open to mentoring and apprenticeships on set?

Alex> I’m so down to open the doors of this industry to anyone who wants to join it.

I’m currently having an up-and-coming director shadow me on a project. I love helping people out in any way I can. Get in touch here.

LBB> What’s your relationship with new technology and, if at all, how do you incorporate future-facing tech into your work?

Alex> Right now, we’re actually working on doing an interactive ad. This does feel pretty different because there’s an element of game design that I feel is important to incorporate into the film so the audience learns how to interact with the piece.

I’m an avid gamer, and I really admire the way games teach their audience to interact with the product. It’s really fascinating to figure out how we can teach, surprise and engage our audience in an interactive film.

I love learning about new technologies, but I treat them as tools to serve the story. I prefer to think about what story I want to tell, be it in a commercial or a personal project, and then about what are the tools that will best help me tell it.

LBB> Which pieces of work do you feel really show off what you do best – and why?

Alex> JPMC

This ad highlighted how businesses, both big and small, are making a meaningful impact on their communities. It was exciting to dive into these unique stories and visually convey the positive influence these local heroes have on the people around them.

CHENIERE – 'DOING OUR PART'

Tender, optimistic, connection – those were the key words that guided me to find these different vignettes and figure out a way to maximize those feelings.

STARR – SHORT DOC

I began my career by making short documentaries about underlooked New York stories. I’ve always been interested in the people who are at the margins of society. But I’m interested in telling their stories in a way that puts the spotlight on them. One where these people show themselves to the world in a way in which they want to be seen.

SOFIA MAMANI – 'CORRIENDO CONMIGO'

This was a project I made with only Jesse Bronstein (DP) and myself. Our goal here was to make a spot that showcased the support of a family. Told through a rapid, engaging and optimistic style.