The Biography

Alyssa McClelland is an internationally acclaimed director of film, television and commercials. She is currently the set-up Director and Executive Producer on the TV adaptation of the famous Australian novel My Brilliant Career for Netflix. Prior to that Alyssa directed all 6 episodes of hit BBC comedy Amandaland - the new spin-off of Motherland - which was released to rave reviews in February and has already been renewed for Season Two. "A spin-off that punches above its weight: it is lovely, life-affirming escapism." - The Times "Amandaland: the Mother of all comedies" - BBC Alyssa was the set up director of Everything Now starring Sophie Wilde and Stephen Fry for Left Bank Pictures, along with directing several episodes and the finale of International Emmy award-winning Sex Education for Eleven Film. Both shows were distributed worldwide by Netflix. Alyssa wrote and directed the short film Second Best. After a successful international run, the film won the Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Direction in a Short Film as well as best short film at Flickerfest, the Milan International Film Festival and Sydney Film Festival. She also directed, produced and co-wrote two seasons of Funny or Die's cult web series One Step Closer to Home. In commercials, Alyssa has directed international campaigns for brands such as Apple, Google, Bumble and Air New Zealand. She won the coveted Black Pencil at the D&AD Awards and the award for Direction at the London International Awards. Alyssa studied Media Arts and Production at UTS in Sydney, majoring in Directing. A scholarship from the Australian Theatre for Young People led her to study at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York in the technique of Practical Aesthetics - a course developed by David Mamet and William H. Macy. Alyssa was also the recipient of the InStyle Magazine Woman of Style Scholarship for her work as a filmmaker in Australia.