A Storyteller's Journey: Anne-Marie Mackay

Profession: Producer

Credits: Stranger Adventures, Always Outnumbered, Zoo TV, Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge, Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times, Naked Cafe, Hi Octane, The Junky's Christmas.

Bio: An Entertainment Industry producer for over 20 years, Anne-Marie Mackay has been responsible for creating and overseeing the extraordinary successes of Palomar Pictures and Propaganda Films.

She helped launch the careers of current movie notables including David Fincher, Antoine Fuqua, Michael Bay, Alek Keshisian, and Alex Proyas; and provided established directors like David Lynch and James Foley with short form opportunities. While representing directors to the record industry, she presided over hundreds of music film projects. At the same time she introduced a fresh view to the advertising world and Propaganda's television commercial division was born. Propaganda accrued annual revenues of nearly $40 million by 1990 in her music division alone. As a result, she is credited as being a major force behind one of the largest and most prolific independent production companies in the world.

In 1992, Anne-Marie co-founded Palomar Pictures. Under her direction, the music department produced hundreds of videos and concerts for renowned artists including The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Tina Turner, Janet Jackson, Tom Petty, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Michael Jackson, Seal and Lenny Kravitz. And again she directed major talent like John Schlesinger, Gore Verbinski, Ben Stiller, Forest Whitaker, Joel Schumacher, Michael Caton Jones, and Sophia Coppola by diversifying their career paths. The same stable of directors were responsible for Palomar's highly successful commercial division which produced the original Bud frogs, Bud Bowl for the Super Bowl, Nike with Michael Jackson, the Anti-Smoking campaign -- a Cannes Gold Lion winner, and various notable spots for Coca Cola, Reebok, United Airlines, Converse, 7 Up, Mercedes, Saab and Skittles.

Her work on television includes Walter Mosley's Always Outnumbered, William S. Burrough's The Junky's Christmas, and the Brian Wilson documentary I Just Wasn't Made for These Times. Anne-Marie has been nominated for multiple Emmy's and Grammy's, including her nomination for her work as Executive Producer on Stranger Adventures.

1) What were you doing before you "made it"?

How far do we go back? Okay here is a list of jobs I've done while I waited for my break, not really knowing what that break might be. In no particular order chronologically or otherwise -- teacher, public lavatory attendant, housewife, janitor, sweeper upper/hair washer in a salon, photographic assistant, print maker, dark room assistant, photographic model, silver service waitress, dishwasher, music video rep, chamber maid, bar tender, vegetable seller, market stall vendor -- ex army surplus, telephonist, switchboard operator, filing clerk, receptionist, accounts payable clerk, personal manager for musicians as sidemen for albums and tours.

2) What was your "big break" and how did you get it?

I was at a concert in London England at the Hammersmith Odeon for Cockney Rebel. I think the theme was punk and Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange -- I know I was dressed in the bowler hat, stripped suit uniform of the day, very, very out there. I managed one of the bands sidemen so I was showing up both as business person and consummate fan. The director (Lindsey Clennel) of the live performance approached me and said "I really like what you do for these guys and I want you to do that for me!" I said, "I don't know anything about film or video, nothing at all actually!" And he said, "I don't care, I'll teach you how to produce, that's how important this is to me. You I want."

Well he was true to his word. He taught me all the basics of a music video shoot. In no time at all I was producing Black Sabbath and ELO videos as well as The Clash, The Stranglers, The Members and UB40. Then I was talking to America. They wanted what we were doing! Music Video London style was suddenly very MTV which was in its birthing stages. The US was still struggling with mini Hollywood musical versions of what they thought music video should be -- not dissimilar to the current web scenario where TV thinks Broadband Entertainment might be a squeezed version of what they already produce while missing what this brand new beast is worthy or capable of.

I look at it this way: -- In the early 80's we were putting Punk bands in raw performance up against a white cyc -- Everyone loved it and we called it a music video. Less than four years later I had helped establish America's premiere music video production company Propaganda Films and great talent like David Fincher was directing real mini movies for Arrowsmith like "Janie's Got A Gun" That's how far music video traveled and that fast too -- why would anyone not imagine that Internet Entertainment as a new form wouldn't beat those odds?

3) How does your career today stand up to your previous expectations?

I never knew I had a career until I started Propaganda Films and later founded Palomar Pictures. I still didn't think I knew much but I was surrounded by incredible talent. It just kept coming at me day after day. It wouldn't be denied. Somehow I also managed to corral it and help make some really amazing people shine. They would have shone anyway but I was lucky enough to be part of that huge new curve in Entertainment. It was like it chose me so I was simply the vehicle.

Now I'm in Internet Television, it's interactive and what we all predicted back in the 90's. When we produced Zoo TV for U2 and MTV we had no idea how prophetic that show was! I think I have gone way beyond any expectations I had. With Palomar I wanted to grow a mini studio and build a business that treated people fairly. A place that people felt they could achieve enormous strides within and where they would want to show up for work everyday. I did that and at the same time both discovered and helped launch several current stars amongst the producers and directors.

Looking back I thought that was pretty good and maybe enough but today I'm getting the chance to build an Internet Network so I'd say that is well beyond my expectations -- a real 'who would have thought?'

4) What do you find most rewarding about your profession?

Being a part of a platform that launches talent into a bigger arena. When I was a high school teacher back in North London I remember that the biggest kick I got from teaching was not necessarily introducing kids to wild and wooly curricula like the Liverpool Poets or Harold Pinter. Skinheads were the trend of the day and I was often faced with a class of shaved heads, 'bovver boot's up on their desks with a prevailing "Yeah go ahead teach me somefink!" attitude. I figured Pinter, Inesco, Artaud and Absurdist theater and poets like Adrian Henry might have more relevance than Dickens and Shakespeare in the introductory stage for my 'home boys'.

I was right it worked, but literature aside, when a student came to me one day and said "I am really good at woodwork and check this cool photo mount I just made at home" something clicked deeper. It had nothing to do really with what I taught, but it was like finding a gem inside that person -- something unique and special. I went out of my way to find a local craft business that specialized in picture framing so I could personally recommend that sixteen year old. Sure by then he also knew something about Shakespeare and Absurdist Theater and Beat Poetry because of me, but the good thing, the important thing, was I had helped him find his sweet spot, he had both a livelihood and a career, and I think that's what I have been doing ever since with all comers -- artists, writers, directors, editors, producers -- whom ever.

5) What are the pitfalls of your profession and how do you deal with them?

There are no pitfalls only EGO which is fear. Being afraid to mess up and not be enough is the biggest hurdle for all of us. When you accept that that is part of the journey -- well I'm still learning that. Then there's that saying 'Don't push the harvest', looking back I can see that everything I did was just another part of the apprenticeship, it has all served me and brought me to here. Every experience had its value so my advice is embrace whatever you are doing, keep your ambition alive but see nothing as a waste of time because ultimately even the 'perceived' pitfalls have some learning curve.

6) What is your personal philosophy, method, or style toward your profession?

Treat all others the way you would like to be treated yourself.

7) What advice would you give to someone trying to "break in" to your profession?

If you can see it -- you can create it. Believe in yourself by being as clear as you can be about your goals, but part of that is listening to the small voices within that say you can't, you won't or you never will. When you can answer that nay saying part of yourself courageously, full on and still step up to the plate then maybe you have a chance at whatever you want. The Truth is no one knows more than you do, but to get there you have to be willing to allow everything to unfold. You are going to make mistakes, wrong choices make an ass of yourself, feel like an idiot. Berate yourself endlessly, but you will also experience those shining moments where you feel responsible -- you did your bit, you made the bigger picture happen. If you are humble enough to be part of something bigger you cannot lose. Those who want all the credit, all the acclaim, will feel a lot of pain and very little reward along the way.

On a more practical level -- I know that's what the question really was about...once you have decided what you want, don't give up until you have put your face in front of mine, or someone like me, and said I will do whatever it takes...etc. The rest is really up to the Universe, and decent minded individuals who will respect an honest plea and help you out...if they have an opening that is.

About "A Storyteller's Journey" Series

There are many trails you can choose when you're determined to scale a mountain, but as long as you keep climbing, they will all reach the top.

"A Storyteller's Journey" maps the paths others have taken before you. Writers and filmmakers tell you in their own words what they were doing before their ascent, the obstacles they faced along the way, and what they discovered at the summit of their ambitions.

I hope their insights and experiences will educate, motivate, and inspire you with your own goals. Whether you follow their footsteps or forge your own way, just remember that no rules for success will work if you don't.