Join us for a 45-minute panel with TV Directors Félix Enríquez Alcalá, Michael Lehmann & Catriona McKenzie. This panel will delve into their unique approaches to working with actors in episodic dramas. Hear from these directors about techniques they use to bring out a performance, navigate the emotional depth and connection, and elevate the narrative without losing sight of the characters. This conversation will offer valuable perspectives on the director-actor dynamic, shedding light on how actors can align with a director’s vision to enhance the final performance. 

BIOS:

Félix Enríquez Alcalá

Félix Enríquez Alcalá was born in Bakersfield, California, USA. He is a director and cinematographer, known for Third Watch, ER, House & Battlestar Galactica, which earned him an Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Michael Lehmann

Michael Lehmann studied at Columbia University and the USC School of Cinema Television before directing his first feature, HEATHERS, in 1989. His many other films include HUDSON HAWK, AIRHEADS, THE TRUTH ABOUT CATS AND DOGS, and 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS, in addition to directing and producing a wide range of television and streaming projects, among them THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, THE WEST WING, BIG LOVE, BORED TO DEATH, TRUE BLOOD, THE BIG C, AMERICAN HORROR STORY, VERONICA MARS, SNOWFALL, and THE WOMAN IN THE HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE GIRL IN THE WINDOW. He recently completed work as producing director on DEXTER: ORIGINAL SIN for Showtime.

Catriona McKenzie

Catriona McKenzie is an award-winning critically acclaimed Indigenous director and writer of both film & television.

In 2024, McKenzie made her mark directing dramatic, action-packed episodes for a variety of series’. First up was Marvel’s ECHO for Disney+ and Hulu, which premiered in January at #1 on both channels. ECHO tells the story of a female, Indigenous, deaf, amputee renegade antihero – and the McKenzie-led episode three features a “thrilling” fight scene which has already been heralded by several critics. Also last year, her eye for action was seen in two Amazon series – the penultimate episode this season of Eric Kripke’s The Boys and the western drama Outer Range – as well as Rescue: Hi Surf for FOX. She just recently completed an upcoming episode of Gen V, the two-episode finale of Kevin Bacon’s Bondsman for Blumhouse & Amazon, and is currently directing & executive producing three episodes (including the season finale) of Percy Jackson for Disney+. She will also return to The Boys in 2025.

McKenzie’s heralded 2012 independent action-adventure drama film Satellite Boy tells the story of a young Aboriginal boy struggling to maintain the traditions of his heritage in the modern world after a mining company expands into the region. The film won multiple awards as various prestigious festivals including the Berlinale, and was nominated for the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Award (AACTA) for Best Film. She received a second AACTA nomination for her work on the Australian television series Kiki and Kitty. McKenzie is currently in development with Causeway Films for her newest feature, STOLEN, a cultural thriller that will explore the relationships between a family in an Aboriginal community. 

McKenzie made her television debut in Australia, but since moving to the United States, she has directed episodes of The Cleaning Lady, How to Get Away with Murder, Mythic Quest, Supernatural, Shining Vale, Alaska Daily and The Walking Dead.

Raised in Sydney but currently based in Los Angeles, she is a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Australian Directors Guild and a recipient of the ADG/DGA Finders Series Awards. Dedicated to developing emerging filmmakers, McKenzie has mentored in various film education initiatives including the Sundance Native Lab. As an adoptee & member of the Australian Aboriginal Gunai-Kurnai tribe, she credits her upbringing and wide-ranging life experience with developing a keen eye for people and their stories.

Before embarking on her entertainment career, McKenzie played rugby, swam for Australia, started a circus and sought out her birth parents in the midst of her pursuit of a Ph.D. She studied screenwriting and directing at the Australian Film, Television & Radio School (AFTRS) and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. 

When she is not directing, writing or producing – McKenzie enjoys spending time with her teenage son, beekeeping & restoring classic cars.