Alexander Gilbert

Unaffiliated

What was your first professionally directed work and when was it? 
The first project I was hired to direct was a branded content piece that explored and uncovered the extraterrestrial origins of ketchup flavored Doritos.

How did you get into directing? 
I always wanted to be a DP and spent a lot of my time in film school shooting for my director friends. Towards the end of my time at film school, I had a mentor who said “You have some good ideas, why don’t you direct them?”
So I did and now we’re here!

What is your most recent project? 
My most recent project is a spec spot that I created with Rattling Stick and Wieden+Kennedy NY for the Commercial Directors Diversity Program.

What is the best part of being a director? 
Music, design, cameras, editing, color, sound design and people are all interests of mine. The best part about being a director is having the opportunity to explore so many art forms under one umbrella.

What is your current career focus: commercials and branded content, television, movies? Do you plan to specialize in a particular genre–comedy, drama, visual effects, etc.? 
I love advertising and have a big passion for commercial filmmaking. My current focus is to continue honing my craft and working within advertising. However, I have a lot to say outside of commercials that I’d like to explore through narrative filmmaking.

What is your favorite movie? Your favorite television/online program? Your favorite commercial or branded content?
Nathan Fielder is my hero.

Tell us about your background (i.e., where did you grow up? Past jobs?) 
I grew up in a household of medical professionals in Loma Linda, California, a small city in San Bernardino County. My first “films” were made on my bedroom floor with the Steven Spielberg Lego Set when I was 6. However it wasn’t until high school where I picked up the camera again and found a passion for film and visual arts while making mildly offensive videos with my friends. Telling my parents I wanted to pursue a career in filmmaking felt like telling them I wanted to be an alien, it was so far outside the world we knew. Despite the unknown, chasing this dream has afforded me amazing opportunities and experiences. This year I was honored to be a fellow in the AICP/DGA Commercial Directors Diversity Program.

Contact

www.alexander.film