Rising Star Alexander Kane Of Workhorse Cinema On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry
An Interview With Edward Sylvan
Get to know Producers and Directors more than other actors or casting directors. They control the films and the cast. You can only land the parts you desire to play if they choose you. Develop those relationships while building a level of trust and understanding with each other’s talents and abilities.
As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Alexander Kane.
Born and raised as southern as you can get in Fitzgerald, Georgia — a small town of 9,000 people in the Deep South — Alexander Kane spent much of his adult life working hard labor and long dangerous hours surveying and inspecting oil pipelines throughout the USA to support his wife and six kids. In 2017, however, he left the oil business to pursue his lifelong dream of a career in acting, almost instantly landing multiple roles. But the roles he booked often required him to travel to far-flung small towns not too different from Fitzgerald. Alexander decided he didn’t want to leave his acting career to chance, so he took matters into his own hands by learning to produce films that would allow him to not only shape his acting career, but also help others along the way.
Working with local officials in and around his small hometown, Alexander devised a plan to help stimulate the local economies of South Georgia by creating a company with his partners Vernon Davis and Mike Donovan that would incentivize film production. In the very first year, he was able to lure and produce $8M worth of projects in the small rural town. The State of Georgia acknowledged his efforts, revealing production had resulted in an enormous local economic impact of $25M+. Building on this momentum, Alexander continued working with local leaders, as well as the Governor of Georgia’s team to make South Georgia an attractive option for bigger film and TV productions. Alexander’s efforts established the foundation for what is today known as Workhorse Cinema, and to date they have helped produce over $52M worth of projects.
Today, Alexander’s charismatic and inspirational personality has piqued the interest of some of Hollywood’s biggest names — including Bruce Willis, Luke Wilson, Kevin Dillon, Josh Duhamel and Mel Gibson, among others — to sign on to film in his small and beloved town of Fitzgerald and surrounding areas.
These productions are boosting the local economies by supporting hotels and restaurants, and bringing hope to a town that previously felt like you must leave it in order to become successful. Alexander doesn’t want any of his six children to feel that way, and he doesn’t want the citizens of Fitzgerald and surrounding areas to feel that way either. His ambition is creating a ripple effect not only within the small town, but all of South Georgia, and his passion is giving people the opportunity to join and work in an industry that they never would have imagined they could do without moving to Atlanta or Hollywood.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
Ah hell… my childhood was really awesome. I was raised in a big southern family with some wild ass uncles, aunts and cousins. Don’t picture fancy southern belles, antebellum mansions and stiff farmers, accountants, or businessmen. My family was the blue collar loosey-goosey type, and they lived for fun not status.
My two aunts and Granny were more like three extra mothers and they whipped me into shape daily to be an outlaw with a gentleman’s heart. I remember waking up every day to the sound of laughter or arguing in the kitchen, and the smell of home-cooked bacon, eggs, and grits was like heaven to me. I spent so much time at my Granny’s house because that was the epicenter of all family activity back then. There was no place better to be if you wanted to be in the action. There was never a dull moment and luckily for me I had the most amazing cast of characters that made up the motley crew who raised me.
Honestly, my early years were like the Goonies, Tom Sawyer, or The Sandlot, because I was really allowed so much freedom to roam about and just live out adventures with my friends from all over the small town. I mean every day we were getting into something and if we didn’t have anything going on that day we’d create something fun to occupy our time. I was pretty much only limited by my imagination, because everyone in my life seemed to be up for whatever was gonna be fun. All my friends wanted to spend the entire summer with my family, because every day was full of swimming in a creek, playing sports, getting into mischief, going out to a ballgame, grilling out, fishing, or just staying up all night telling tales and laughing.
I could write an entire TV series about my childhood adventures. In fact, that’s what I plan to do. I could not have asked for a better family to be honest, because not only did I feel unconditional love and support, but they were all great storytellers which is where I got my passion for it.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
There was no real epiphany for me. I just loved movies. Somewhere between Top Gun, Smokey and The Bandit, and Rocky, I was hooked and knew I wanted to be a part of storytelling on the big screen.
Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
Honestly, the best ones I can’t talk about and will take to the grave. Haha!
I won’t mention the name, but there was a project that came along when I first started producing and wanted a big movie star for the film, but no one had any connection to him. So even though everyone considered it a long shot to get him or to even get his team to acknowledge the project, I began my process of optimistic thinking and planning. I’m convinced that if you speak something out into the universe and then work your ass off towards achieving that goal, it then becomes possible and likely to accomplish. So as usual, I aggressively started location scouting and soft prepping for the film as if it was going to happen, using Facebook posts searching for what we’d need to make the film in South Georgia. I used the actor’s name in the quest for the right property (even though I shouldn’t have) and that drew lots of local interest, which opened up so many options that it became clear we could do the film down here in South Georgia.
So I get a phone call from L.A. and I hear this voice say, “Hey, is this Alexander Kane and are you posting on Facebook about a film with “A list actor) starring in it?” I said it sure is, because I figured it was someone that maybe knew of a property or an actor that was going to ask me if he could audition, which happens a ton. Instead the voice said, “Well, this is his manager and I don’t have a film shooting down there with him, so can you take that post down immediately?”
Well, well, well…what do you know!!! The opportunity to pitch the film to his team had come knocking on my door out of nowhere! I did honor his request, but not before I accepted the universe’s gift and sold the project to him as hard as I could right then and there.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I always heard the big timers like Johnny Depp, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, etc. talk about not reading reviews. Well, I dang sure didn’t take that advice. After my first few films came out, I decided to take a peek at what folks were saying online and, oh my Lord, I will never do that again. Haha! I remember one review, in particular, said, “This guy Alexander Kane was doing the worst impression of a southern accent I’ve ever heard and he needs to take an acting class and learn how to do one properly.” It actually made me laugh so hard I caught a stitch in my side because I was using my real southern voice! Haha! I tell you what… If you don’t have a strong sense of self and a barrel full of confidence, then reviews can chop you down to size pretty quickly.
The lesson I took from it all is to just focus on myself and try to have fun while giving everything I do my full-throttle effort. Then afterward call all your friends and have them go defend your honor and performance from their social media accounts. Just kidding…or am I?!
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
So many exciting things going on at Workhorse Cinema — from projects we’re developing to the studio we’re going to build in South Georgia. We want to continue to expand and execute on our vision by operating our own soundstages and a backlot. This will allow us to control our own destiny and position our company to grow, while really helping the local economies down in South Georgia.
In order for us all to win, we need to establish a bustling film industry that becomes a magnet for filmmakers who want to find a collaborative home for their future. Making content or becoming a filmmaker comes with obstacles and we want to be a one-stop shop that has all the resources they could possibly need to help create the life and career they set out to build. The towns in South Georgia need outside dollars to come in and people to move here, so we’re hoping to build something magical that draws the attention of Hollywood.
As an actor, I do have some really big things coming up that I can’t go into much detail about. One is a remake of the four-time Academy Award-winning western High Noon with Director David L Hunt. Beyond that, I’ll be finishing up several scripts I’ve been working on this past year and I hope to get those produced in the next 12 months.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
I don’t want to give some misleading speech or quote that indicates failure isn’t likely, because it’s a constant in this business. This business is full of rejection and failure, but like anything, if you are passionate about it and talented then you can work your ass off and recognize some success because you’ll find happiness in your efforts. But what is success right? For me it’s simple… I’m doing what I love and so every day is a win for me because I’m happy.
The only words I can offer for advice are if you are passionate and dedicated then through perseverance you give yourself the best chance at making a go of it. So, if failure or rejection is something that scares you, I suggest avoiding a career in the arts and just make it a hobby.
We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture?
When isn’t diversity a good thing? I believe everything in life is best when merit, equality, and justice are present. How boring are stories that are told with one emotion? How bland is food with only one type of seasoning? How uninteresting is a house painted with only one color? I think humans are at their best when we see the good not only in others, but their cultures and what they have to offer to not only the world but our own specific lives as well. If there isn’t a realistic representation of the world and how it is, then children who grow up influenced by film, TV, and social media get a warped sense of things which can lead to perpetuating negativity in thoughts and actions. Art often carries heavy meaning and emotion which can be a major factor in how most folks see and interact with neighbors, classmates, coworkers, etc. In the end, all that matters is how we treat each other. We should ALL do our best daily.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
- Don’t listen to anyone’s advice that hasn’t achieved the level of success you’re hoping to obtain. How can they know what it takes to get there if they haven’t gotten there?
- Be yourself and don’t change what makes you unique or marketable. Every casting director wanted me to lose my thick southern accent and so far that’s precisely why Directors usually like me.
- Reverse engineer your plan for success. Look at folks that have made it where you want to be and analyze the steps in reverse so you know what you should do next. Their path to success has already been walked. Examine how they did it.
- Go with your gut. So many strategies, thoughts, plans, ideas, techniques, etc. you’ll be told to examine, practice, or follow, but at the end of the day, your gut instinct will serve you best in art and business as it does in life. Ask any actor about roles they landed and often you find out they broke the so-called rules in their audition.
- Get to know Producers and Directors more than other actors or casting directors. They control the films and the cast. You can only land the parts you desire to play if they choose you. Develop those relationships while building a level of trust and understanding with each other’s talents and abilities.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Hell… It’s passion! You gotta have passion for anything you want to be successful in or you’re going to burn out. If you don’t love it, then don’t do it because your selfish desire for money or fame will never burn hot enough to overpower the hard times and failures. You need to use passion as your fuel, because nothing burns as hot.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I’m a simple dude, I just believe that everyone should start a kindness movement. What does it hurt to be kind and put your neighbor before yourself? Unfortunately, it seems to me that we’ve lost so much of that in this world. If you choose to be kind and don’t wake up each day operating like people are out to get you, you’ll be shocked how wonderful things will go for you just by using a smile and kindness all day long. Replace negativity, doubt, suspicion, sarcasm, and apathy with joy, optimism, kindness, belief, and hope. Life will suddenly become surprisingly better all round.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I mean this question is a doozy because let’s get real, nobody gets anywhere ever without help from tons of people along the way. I’m a guy that believes in loyalty, service, and dedication kinda in the old Three Musketeers type of way. I could start naming people now who assisted my journey throughout life, business, and art, and I’d still be naming them a week from now if not longer!
Seriously, I’m grateful for every makeup artist, gaffer, DP, sound guy, scripty, PA, casting director, producer, etc. that has shown me kindness and effort to help put me in the best position to succeed. Those people are the engine that make it all go.
Obviously, my wife Brittney has no doubt supported me more than anyone, and I’d imagine most successful people have an amazingly supportive partner like her. Lord knows she has put up with more shenanigans than most humans can tolerate from one man!
As for acting… I’d have to say the amazing Director Brent Ryan Green. He cast me in my very first role and that sort of jumpstarted the run I’ve been on ever since, so I’m eternally grateful to him.
My partners Mike Donovan and Vernon Davis who joined forces with me to create something special. Without them, I’d still be just auditioning daily for roles instead of producing films.
I’ve been lucky to have amazing friends that have been there for me all my life and believed in me. During this filmmaking run, I’ve been blessed to have my entourage of brothers that go with me everywhere and help paddle through the rapids. It’s seldom I’m seen without my boys Big Smooth, Tshort, and Billy Jack hangin with me daily creating mayhem and having all the fun there is to be had. You need a group of people that will keep it real with you and don’t blow any smoke up your ass. That’s where they come in, because they never sugar coat it with me.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“God will provide the fish, but you gotta dig the bait.”
I was raised and taught that you have to work your ass off to get what you want in life. This quote has proven true, as anytime I just waited for something good to happen it didn’t. Obviously, there are a bunch of steps in life to get the fish from the lake onto your grill at home and it’s up to us to do the work to make that meal happen. How it applied to my life was that no Director was gonna come looking for me out in the oil field, so I had to take all the steps necessary to get myself in front of them so I could fight for the acting roles.
Is there a person in the world, or in the U.S. with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
I love people, so I have plenty. However, right now I’d have to narrow it down to Jim Carrey or Matthew McConaughey. Taking into account where I’m at in life and in my career, I’d have to choose Mr. Alright himself, because as a Southerner and father of six I see many similarities in our journey. I think McConaughey has a kind spirit and such an amazing outlook on life which makes me just want to hang out with the dude honestly.
How can our readers follow you online?
My Instagram account @siralexanderkane is the only social media I really use right now and I’ve considered leaving it entirely, but my wife has inspired me to do the opposite honestly. She is helping me to see the value and benefit of building up a presence on all the platforms, so I may just be expanding on that rather than contracting. Haha!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!
