Creative Approach

Alan P. MacLeod is a creative collaborator. He is experienced in Songwriting, Producing, and Consulting with artists of all levels and disciplines, for music, film or video projects.

"Lately, I've rekindled my interest in co-writing. Through various contacts and my involvment with the Songwriters Association of Canada's Halifax Regional Writers Group, I've been able to do quite a bit of co-writing again. The nice difference is that I'm able to work quicker than before. There's pressure, but not the stress I felt years ago. Now it's fun to help build a song or help make a good song better. It's all about 'what is in the best interest of the child/song' and I've been really happy with the results."

Alan brings over 20 years of direct experience with the entertainment industry. He started in music as a Roadie, Lighting Technician and Soundman. He has Engineered and Produced demo tapes, cassette and CD releases. He has also created film and video soundscapes and soundtracks for independent projects and done all of this with a unique approach that merges technology and creativity.

"On one film, the Director wanted the audience to be inside the head of the lead character, a child. It was basically a silent film, with some location sound I believe, but no dialogue. She had a beautiful soundtrack in place but the film needed more."

"So, I gathered a variety of sounds to suggest what the child was experiencing. Running on the sidewalk began as a steam train that morphed into a panther when he passed by a scary alley. When he stepped into the street he went underwater, swam with whales, emerging on the other sidewalk as a jet plane that became a helicopter landing as he spun around a pole and stopped in a playground."

"The bigger challenge was in having the soundscape not fight the wonderful soundtrack. At the time, samplers were brand new and nothing was automated. But, I was able to adjust the pitch of the sound effects to match those in the soundtrack. The result was a seamless fusion that was quite powerful and very effective."

Alan's work in the music industry grew alongside a successful career in the film industry. He has worked as a Location Sound Recordist, Lighting Technician, Grip, Dolly Grip, Props Assistant, Set Dresser and (for the last 10 years) as a Set Decorator / Set Decoration Head of Department. Recently, Alan has done selected projects as an Art Director.

He was nominated for a 1999 Gemini Award for his Set Decoration work on the "Pit Pony" Television Series for CBC. The same year he won the Atlantic Film Festival Excellence in Art Direction Award for Decorating "Beefcake". In 2002, he was Nominated for a Golden Sheaf Award at the Yorkton Festival for "Baba's House" and won another Excellence in Art Direction Award from the Atlantic Film Festival.

("Baba's House" was also Nominated for two 2002 Gemini Awards and won Best Drama, Best Cinematography and/or Best Script awards at the 2002 Houston, Yorkton and Atlantic Film Festivals.)

"Collaborating with Directors, Production Designers, Producers and craft people of all disciplines is an excellent rush. Budgets, logistics, time constraints, and weather challenge us. However, with sheer tenacity, teamwork and a little luck, we create amazing worlds. In so many ways, the work I do with film is a lot like the work I do with music."

"I like working on projects that requires great effort, creative solutions and intense collaboration. Finding the soul of a character or the heart of a song is the same process. We make something out of nothing. I really love the challenge and enormous satisfaction that my work brings me."