Making It To Melrose
Blood, sweat and tears cover the production set that has divided households, cut ties, and turned brother against sister. McKala, the determined leader, assumes the roles of writer, director and lead actress ruling with an iron fist to bring her vision from paper to screen. All hell breaks loose the moment bedtime is called, the iPad being used to record the iMovie is confiscated, and McKala’s siblings run off, finally free from their big sister’s live adaptation of ‘Do You Wanna Build A Snowman’ from Disney’s Frozen.
McKala was captivated by all things performance. Being raised in a city as vibrant as Austin, Texas –coined as “The Live Music Capital of the World”-- she was surrounded by numerous hopeful musicians. With the goal of Hollywood in her heart, she was determined to reach for the stars and turn her dream of crafting films into a reality.
Childhood development plays a vital role in the discovery of passions, though they often fade with time and renewed priorities. In McKala’s case, the subject of childhood fascination stemmed from a set of impossibly sparkling abs.
“During the 3rd grade, my sister and I discovered Twilight, the vampire movie series that sparked international obsession in the early 2000s, and we fell victim to the fangirl bug — we even had a Twilight-themed room with Robert Pattinson posters covering the red walls -– embarrassing I know,” McKala said. “Watching these films and countless other films over and over again started to spark my fascination with the filmmaking process —like for instance the sparkling of the vampire's skin. I even remember wanting to audition for a lead role in the last movie.”
With a first-generation iPad and a dream, McKala started making her own short films, utilizing her backyard, any siblings or cousins she could find and a persuasive tongue to turn every production into an adventure to fill her family’s day with.
Taking The Leap
The end of her high school career brought the terrifyingly exciting decision to move to California for college, bringing McKala within the realm of the industry she was hoping to be a part of.
“I was fearful of the negative stigmas surrounding the film industry within California,” her mom said. “I did not want her to be tainted by people who only care for their careers and looks, who were only out for their own personal gain. She is a very loyal person, so I was afraid she was going to be treated poorly in the cutthroat world there.”
Dodge College, Chapman University's distinguished film and media arts school, is considered one of the top film programs in the country. Located in Orange County, the school is in prime real estate – offering its students exponential networking opportunities and a quality education just down the road from Hollywood. Through pure grit and will, McKala conquered their 8% acceptance rate, and emerged victorious with an acceptance letter.
“With Chapman, she was in a community where people cared for the arts and furthering their understanding of it all, which made me feel like it was okay to let my oldest baby chase her dreams, while I prayed back in Texas that she made the right choice,” her mom said.
Now only a 45-minute drive from Los Angeles, McKala had entered the environment where she would learn, observe, and network her way to solidifying herself within the creative community.
“It honestly seemed impossible,” McKala said. “It wasn’t until I applied, got in, and found myself alone in my college dorm room in Orange County did I realize I was committed and on my way to reach my goals. I knew that if I did not choose a college in California I would never make it out there. This was the smartest decision I could have made to give myself the best shot at making it in the industry.”
Now, studying film production with emphasis in editing, McKala was where she was meant to be. Being at an arts-focused university provided the creative community she had been searching for her whole life.
“It was really exciting to see people working in editing suites and enjoying what I have always loved to do, but have always had to do on my own before I came to Chapman,” McKala said.
Making her name known across campus led her to Katie Albright, a creative producing major.
“I knew of McKala, but I was able to officially connect with her on the first ever film I solely produced during our freshman year of college,” Katie said. “She was the project editor, and I remember thinking to myself that I do not have to worry about her — she knows exactly what she is doing. I felt honored that she wanted to dedicate her time to a set that I was a producer of. It is interesting working with friends on a film set, even though we are all very ambitious, it is a different side of her that I was glad to have gotten to know.”
McKala proceeded to utilize every connection, opportunity and networking moment to build up her IMDb profile with projects such as Shatter, Trinity, Where The Heart Lies, and more — pouring her heart and her sleepless nights into her editing.
“Towards the end of my undergrad, I was paid by my school to edit a Billie Eilish interview when she came to campus,” McKala said. “It ended up being posted on the Hollywood Reporter as well on her Instagram story. It felt pretty exhilarating to already be working with well-known people in the entertainment industry.”
A Dream Come True
As if stepping across a long-awaited finish line, McKala graduated from Chapman and moved to Los Angeles — but the lifelong race to the top would be fueled by passion and a love for the career path that she had so expertly paved for herself.
She now finds herself in the all-encompassing, magical and slightly terrifying world of Hollywood. The dream is now a reality — but this simply marks the beginning of a new era in her life, one that calls her to put her hard work into overdrive to fight for her right to stay.
“I love what I do everyday. I’m confident in my skills which makes doing my job really enjoyable. I feel as though editors act as an integral glue to any production,” McKala said. “They are definitely the maker or breaker of the final product; the film depends on them in the end. Editors do a lot of the heavy lifting — splicing together a story that flows, is intriguing, and holds the audience's attention while adding in temp effects, music and sounds until it is all cohesive. It is so satisfying to have an end product to share with the world that will hopefully have a lasting impact.”
Once a college friend who is now a Los Angeles roommate, Katie has had a front seat to watch the drive that has pushed McKala to continue fighting for the career path she has always wanted.
“Since being in LA, McKala has developed a solid routine that works for her. This wasn't as consistent in college, but networking is huge for her. Now being in LA she dedicated more time to navigating that process. It is all about who you know, and as an editor she is doing really good at cultivating those relationships,” Katie said. “She loves stability so it is impressive that she is getting comfortable navigating that chaotic part of industry that she has to be exposed to.”
Now, only blocks away from Melrose Avenue, Hollywood Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, McKala’s world feels like a fairytale come to life…but is LA what it is cracked up to be?
“It was really scary moving here knowing that this industry is unstable and you never know where your next job is going to come from,” McKala said. “It is an expensive town and it is difficult to live this way — working freelance jobs — but it is definitely worth it.”
Yet passion outweighs it all. McKala has worked day and night toward the ‘unreachable’ Hollywood dream that she continues to cultivate for herself.
“Between working with the editor from the original Hairspray, collaborating with well established actors on an upcoming documentary, and taking pilates classes with the occasional celebrity claiming a spot in the front row, I know this is where I’m supposed to be,” McKala said.
Still, McKala remains to be a fangirl at heart, maintaining professionalism even while working alongside an actor from the film that once inspired her to dress up–braid and all–and shoot arrows in the backyard. But the true form of entertainment? Seeing her maintain composure if she ever encountered the former vampire whose cardboard cutout and posters lined her childhood bedroom walls.
To balance out the expected flaws of any city, the electrifying buzz of creativity flowing through Los Angeles is as alive as ever – kept flowing by the brave people who take a chance, risk it all, and tirelessly work to raise their name amongst a sea of others exceeding in entertaining, educating, and entrancing the masses.
Written by Logan Hansen, Photography: Quentin Deming, Design: Alyssa Lazarchik, Social Media: Cassandra Negrete, Styling: Anaya Hooda, Videography: Antonio Gutierrez