I’m Filmmaker Kelsey Taylor and This Is How I Work

For the 40th anniversary of the first Alien movie, 20th Century Fox (via the studio’s Tongal platform) has commissioned six new short films set in the Alien universe. Most popular was Alien: The Sample , directed and produced by Kelsey Taylor. Taylor has also worked on projects for CollegeHumor, 1 Minute Horror and several of her own short films. We spoke with Taylor about her process on set, in the writing room, and in post-production, and saw the Premiere Pro timeline for the Sample . Read about her before her first feature films come out.

Location: Los Angeles. Current Job: Freelance Director, Production Preparation / Development. Current computer: MacBook Pro 13 inches (NO TOUCH PANEL, I’m not ready for this); iMac 27-inch (Retina 5K). Current mobile device: iPhone 7, 128GB. One word that best describes your job: all or nothing.

First of all, tell us a little about your past and how you got where you are now.

I grew up in the small town of East Washington (where there is no rain), desperate to be in films since I was eleven. It started when I adapted Tuck Everlasting for a fifth grade project, and hasn’t stopped since.

I always knew that I wanted to go to film school, despite all the warnings that I needed to get a real degree and return to filmmaking. I attended Loyola Marymount University, where I graduated in filmmaking and a degree in Film and Music for Minors.

After college, I worked as an operator’s assistant and an electrician to pay bills. The chances of staging were very small, but I took every chance I could – paid or unpaid. It’s all about building my portfolio and building relationships, even if it meant producing and an assistant director to prove my worth. You never know how one project can lead to another.

Enter Tongal is a really cool meritocratic platform that allows filmmakers around the world to propose projects for recognizable brands and entertainment companies. My life really changed with an incredible initiative they launched with 20th Century Fox, which allocated budgets for six filmmakers to create original short films set in the Alien universe. With the help ofthis short film, I met my manager who sent the script I wrote to development. I am very happy to move on to feature films and I have another film that I am working on next year.

Tell us about a recent work day.

Work for me is very different from day to day. I always balance between commercial projects (so I can eat) and my artwork. When I’m on set, any semblance of routine is thrown out the window.

On the days of writing, I start with yoga and a custom Spotify playlist (I have one for each project). It sets the mood for writing and helps me focus. Sometimes I sit at my laptop and think for three to four hours before I make a breakthrough, and I write a lot. INTERNET IS NOT ALLOWED. I’ll spend all day doing this until I’m burned out for dinner, or if I’m having a hot streak, I’ll go before midnight or so.

A typical “commercial” day looks like this:

• Get started with morning briefings from the New York Times. It helps me understand what’s important and reminds me that I must quit filmmaking and save the world!
• Head over to your little brother (he edits the two commercials I’ve sent) for assembly and fine-tuning before submitting to the customer for review.
• Read the new Tongal platform brief and prepare presentation materials for submission.
• Run around the neighborhood, get some air and some sunshine you need so much.
• And if you have the time / energy, end the day with an evening class, working on case materials, brainstorming, linking, making quick changes to the script …

What apps, gadgets or tools can’t you live without?

My laptop is king … I store all my files in iCloud Drive so they can be accessed between my desktop and laptop.

I use Apple Reminders (because they hook me with their aesthetic), a calendar and Wunderlist if I collaborate with others so I can assign tasks.

Everything I write is written in the final draft, next to my “bible” by John Truby, Anatomy of a History . Jill Chamberlain’s Nutshell Technique is always there.

InDesign is my workhorse for pitching and editing, and I use it alongside Illustrator and Photoshop – I’m not very good at anything. Luckily for me, there is a tutorial for everything!

Premiere Pro is my choice for editing.

I learned not to fall in love with anything, because it always changes!

How do you keep track of what you need to do?

I love lists. Without lists, I don’t know how I would do something. By jotting things down, I get the clutter out of my head, whether it’s grocery, watering plants, or giving a presentation.

Sometimes I break down large tasks into smaller ones. Instead of “send the presentation,” I will outline it: “pull out reference images”, “create a diagram”, “write the text of the presentation”. I can cross out more things and it will make me feel more productive.

How is your workplace arranged?

I have a desktop at home and a desktop in the office where I work when I collect procedures, presentations and budgets. I wanted to get creative every time I entered this room, so it is decorated in a pirate style – I just watched an amazing show called Black Sails !

Ironically, I never write at this table. It seems too structured. I like to change things often. Sometimes I write on the couch, on the floor, on the bed … Anywhere I can sit with my laptop. And quiet.

I cannot write music because I believe that I adapt my compositions to what I listen to. This is a dangerous game!

It doesn’t really matter where I work as long as I’m focused and motivated. I’m not picky.

Tell us about an interesting, unusual, or challenging process you have at work.

My hard drive is a complete mess. I have scratch disks, but when the project is complete, I move them to bare hard disks (because they are much cheaper and rarely go off the shelf). I have their box and it is a very painful and slow process when I need to open an old project.

What’s your favorite shortcut or trick?

I love pre-filming projects. Sometimes I just shoot a small sequence of actions beforehand, or I shoot it in full and glue it all together. On set, I have a much clearer head because I know exactly what every moment should be – every shot.

If I can’t shoot the whole thing, I always do photoboards with friends or figurines. If I could paint, I would. I love boards because they avoid confusion, controversy and wasted time on set.

How to recharge or relax?

Go for a run. I swear running worries me. Sometimes I have to turn it into walking so that my thoughts keep up with the movement. Any physical activity helps to burn my nervous energy.

When I finish a full-length film, I squat with the guy and watch TV for the DAY. I have no self-control. Especially when it comes to television. Recent favorite shows: Dark (Netflix) and Last Kingdom (Netflix). It’s so nice to plunge into someone else’s life for a day.

Who are the people who help you achieve results, and how do you rely on them?

My manager Gavin Dorman always keeps me focused, but most importantly, he makes everything truly realistic. He’s super straightforward. I’m still working on it, so I like to surround myself with people who speak the way they are.

My younger brother Dawson Taylor, who is also a filmmaker, is another one of those people I can always trust to tell me that something isn’t working, even if we don’t always agree on what it should be. He edits a lot of my work, so we spend a lot of time arguing over who is right.

My accomplice in the crime and accomplice in everything is my boyfriend and permanent member of the police, Adam Lee. He is involved in everything I do, from the writing process to completing the editing. We both have strong opinions, and it is with great disappointment that we try to convince the other person of something, but if you have the opportunity, then you know that you are heading for something good.

When I write, I work hard, I think alone … I am learning that although I can get notes and feedback from everyone, I am the only one who knows when it’s right. But I couldn’t have done this without the people in my life whom I trust to be utterly honest with me and my work.

What’s the biggest mistake you made at work and how did you deal with it?

I am not being specific or clear about what I want. I know what I want in my head, and sometimes I forget that not everyone has the same vision in their heads. I’ve found that visual link exchange is the clearest way to talk about details, so we’re all on the same page.

My DP taught me to take it one step further. When we look at reviews, his first question is always, “What do you like about this?” Because it can make a big difference if I’m talking about lighting or composition, color palette, blocking … There are so many things that can get lost in translation without being specific.

What’s your favorite side project?

I’m working on a musical! I am a pianist and have been a concertmaster for many years, so this is how I managed to combine my two great loves. Working on this project always reminds me of why I wanted to make films at all.

Can you share your music playlist?

I enjoy making my own music playlists on Spotify when I am working on a project. While I don’t write to them, I enjoy playing them before starting a writing session or when I pull out reference images. Sharing them with co-authors is also cool because it immediately conveys the tone.

Who else would you like to see to answer these questions?

Patty Jenkins.

Her growth really inspires me and she works at the highest level, doing what I want to do. I would like to know what pre-shooting looks like for her and how she combines multiple creative efforts at the same time.

What are you reading now or what do you recommend?

I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’m currently reading Gil Bettman’s First Director . I took this book off the shelf at a party and I was addicted. Bettman’s advice is so down-to-earth and specific, and so true to my experience with my first feature film.

I should also include ” What I Say When I Talk About Running ” by Haruki Murakami. An incredible book for WRITERS! Read this.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

“CORRECT IT AT PRE-PRODUCTION”. The best advice I have ever received and the rule by which I will always live.

What problem are you still trying to solve?

How to dream coherently so that I can transform my dreams into scripts.