Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyson Holland.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in marketing, so filmmaking definitely wasn’t where I thought my career would take me. In a lot of ways, this career path found me.
In 2020, I started Kennedy Dynasty, a history podcast about the Kennedy family that really began as a passion project. I loved the subject and wanted to find a way to tell these stories that felt interesting, approachable, and less like a history lesson. I had no idea at the time that it would become the starting point for an entirely new career.
Through the podcast, I learned how to research, interview, produce, and most importantly, how to find and tell a good story. That experience led me into producing, where I really started learning the filmmaking process from the ground up: how to take an idea, build the right team around it, and carry a story all the way from development through production and post.
In 2023, I co-founded HollandHill Productions with my producing partner, Lisa McCubbin Hill. At HollandHill Productions, we create character-driven content that explores the people and stories behind history, culture, and the moments that shape us.
Today, I work as both a director and producer on projects around the country and internationally. I love being involved from the very beginning—finding the story and figuring out what makes it worth telling—and then working with a crew to bring it to life visually. It’s definitely not the career I thought I’d have when I graduated with a marketing degree, but looking back, every step somehow led to the next one.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I don’t think any career journey is completely smooth, and mine has definitely had its share of bumps along the way so far. There has been a lot of learning as I’ve grown into this career, and I think that’s something that never really stops. Every project brings a new challenge, a new experience, or something I can take with me into the next one.
One of the best parts of this journey has been the people I get to work with. I have an incredible group of collaborators who I trust, learn from, and genuinely enjoy creating with. This industry is so collaborative by nature, and I think being surrounded by talented people who bring different strengths and perspectives to the table has been a huge part of my growth. I’m always learning, always trying to get better, and I hope that never changes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a director and producer, and I work across documentary, commercial, branded, and nonprofit projects. I’m drawn to character-driven stories and projects that give me the chance to meet interesting people and step into worlds I might not otherwise get to experience. A lot of my work has touched on history and culture, but I really enjoy getting to dive into all kinds of subjects.
One project I’m especially excited about right now is THE COWBOY PRESIDENT, a documentary feature film I co-directed and produced with Lisa McCubbin Hill. It’s a non-political look at Ronald Reagan through his lifelong love of horses, ranching, and the Western way of life, offering a more personal look at a side of him that many people have never seen. After working on it for the past couple of years, we’re now finishing up post-production, and I can’t wait to finally share it with the world soon.
I’m very hands-on throughout the process, from the early stages of figuring out what a project can be through production and post. I love working with a great crew, getting to know the people we’re filming, and figuring out how to tell their story in a way that feels natural and visually interesting.
I’m most proud of the relationships I’ve built and the people I’ve gotten to work with along the way. I’ve had opportunities to work around the country and internationally, and every project is different. I think one of my strengths is that I’m genuinely curious; I like learning about new people, places, industries, and subjects, and I think that keeps the work interesting and keeps me excited about whatever is next.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Integrity matters a lot to me, both personally and professionally. At the end of the day, I want to be a good person, treat people well, and do work I can be proud of… not just because of how it turns out, but because of how we got there.
That carries over into the stories I want to tell. I’m drawn to stories that inspire people, introduce them to someone or something they may not have known about, or simply make them stop and think about something in a different way. If something I create can stay with someone after they’ve watched it, even in a small way, that means a lot to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hollandhillproductions.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/alysonlholland
