TAMPA, Fla. — Filmmaker Alex Mechanik said his first experience making movies came while he was a student at Berkeley Preparatory School in Tampa.
He credits his drama teacher, John Hulls, for allowing him to take a semester to work on the project.
“That was the first time I had been in charge of directing 25 kids or whatever. It was a silly movie. But that was an incredible first experience I had.”
Growing up in a movie-loving family, Mechanik later attended the New York University film school. That is where he met his future wife and collaborator, Sammy Burch.
After moving to Hollywood and making several short films, the couple teamed up on the screenplay for “May December,” a film starring Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore.
In 2023, the screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award.
“I mean, it’s surreal. It’s an incredible experience. I still am pinching myself.”
Mechanik said while the couple did not win the Oscar, the night itself created lasting memories.
“You got dressed in tuxedos. Sammy had a beautiful dress made for her by these incredible designers. I don’t know. It was special for us too. We got to bring the producers of the film with us. You go there as a tourist and you see the stars, but you don’t expect to be going into there to be going to the Oscars.”
One highlight of the evening was meeting Catherine O’ Hara. Throughout the award season, Mechanik also spent time with many other filmmakers.
“Even the people we made the movie with, Todd Haynes, Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman. And Will Ferrell, who produced it. We lucked out. Everyone was so kind.”
The success of “May December” led to another collaboration with his wife. Mechanik wrote, produced and directed a new film titled “This is the One They’ll Remember Me By.”
“I wrote it for my friend O-Lan Jones, who is this incredible character actress, who’s been around forever and has just never been the lead of a movie. So I wrote it for her.”
The 97th Academy Awards will air live Sunday on ABC and Tampa Bay 28. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. EST with the ceremony broadcast live from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Pre-show coverage starts earlier in the evening on ABC, including red carpet arrivals beginning at 6:30 p.m. EST.
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