George Alexander: Living his Dream

George Alexander, a banker turned writer/producer/director, is living his dream.  A graduate of Columbia University’s Business School, Alexander pursued his more creative interests and loves every minute of it.  Raised in Alabama, he’s appeared on VH1, Fox, BET, CNN, MTV amongst many other networks.  We got a chance to speak to him recently about his work.

Elan: Can you tell us a little bit about your professional background?

George Alexander:  I started off as a banker because that was what I thought I wanted to be. However, I had a burning desire to write and make movies, so I quit banking over 10 years ago to pursue my creative dreams. I’ve never once looked back or regretted the decision. Although my mother thought I was insane, it was the best decision of my entire life.

Elan:  You’ve gone from banking to TV production.  How did that transition happen?

GA:  My transition to media from banking was very gradual. As a banker, I actually worked in the media and entertainment group for a stint.  I also spent evenings, weekends and my vacation time taking screenwriting, acting and film classes, volunteering on independent films, student films and music videos; I also directed a couple of short films. I learned a lot and formed professional relationships that I still have today.  And my business school and banking buddies are still some of my closest friends.

Elan:  You are a writer, TV Producer, book author, editor, amongst many other roles.  Which one is your favorite?

GA:  I actually enjoy TV and video production the most as you get to use all of the creative skills and business skills in one project. In TV and video content production, as the executive producer, I must be responsible for a budget, hire a team, write scripts, select interview subjects, conduct interviews, research and select B-roll content, choose the music and supervise the editing of the project. It’s a great deal of fun. It’s like playing with a bunch of toys and building one big toy with all of them that you hope your audience will love.

Elan:  You have interviewed many influential people from President Barack Obama to Oprah Winfrey to Revered Jesse Jackson.  Who was the most memorable?  And why?

GA:  I would have to say Barack Obama. I knew he had what it took to be the president when I got the opportunity to attend his announcement speech in Springfield, Illinois back in 2007. He captivated the crowd in single-digit weather and I was mesmerized. So having a chance to interview him — and I did so twice for Black Enterprise during his campaign for the presidency — was somewhat surreal. Here was a black man, who was making a serious run for the White House, and I was having the opportunity to interview him. It was unbelievable.

Elan:  What’s one thing that you’d like for people to take away from your work?

GA: I want all of my work to be compelling.  I want the viewer or reader to be engaged while learning something new. They should come away thinking, “Wow, I didn’t know that.” And in our information age where there is so much at our fingertips, that’s not always an easy feat. Therefore, as a content creator, my job is somewhat harder today than it was just a few years ago. You must really work harder than ever to make sure your take on an issue is fresh. I always ask myself, “Why does anyone care?” If I can’t provide a good answer, than I know I still have a lot of work to do. But I love the challenge. It’s exciting and fun.

Follow George on Twitter: @GeorgeAlexander

Photo credit: Steven Williams

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