Mykal Cushnie's creative talents were discovered at a tender age. He spent his younger years experimenting with video and music equipment, which sparked his interest in creating and shaping art. As a teenager, he seized opportunities to refine his craft by volunteering to record school events and making home movies.
After attending the prestigious Wolmer's and Kingston Technical High Schools, where he studied the sciences and technical subjects, he later attended the University of Technology where he majored in Engineering. During this period, he accepted a new challenge and tried music production with Producer J. Legend. This stint in the Music Industry saw him co-producing songs for various emerging and prominent Artistes, including; Lenn Hammond, Mega Banton, Alozade, Red Square, and Bascom X.
In 2003, Mykal left the University of Technology and began working at Hype Television. He thought it better to pursue one's passion and chase the thing that one loves the most, than to comfortably achieve the thing that is most attainable or safe.
Hype TV provided a ground in which the young Director/Editor garnered self-taught skills in varying aspects of television production, including; shooting, directing, presenting, producing, and editing. It was here that that his love affair with film matured. In search of new conquests, Mykal decided to take a shot at directing music videos for Big Yute, Ginjah, Richie Spice, Capleton, I-Wayne, G Monei and Guyanese Singer Timeka Marshall under the tutelage of Asha Mcheal and Delano Forbes.
In 2006, Mykal, getting hungrier about his new found skill, enrolled at the New York Film Academy (NYFA), to study Film Directing. Mykal returned home from New York, leaving a lasting impression on his NYFA classmates with a compelling short film presentation on his homeland. He quickly resumed his post at Hype TV, unaware that fate had bigger and better prospects in store for him.
Mykal was later approached by Writer/Director Paul Bucknor (The Full Monty), to work on a number of projects with Fire Fly Films. He spent close to six months with some of the industries top professionals, in Jamaica, including; Storm Saulter, Nile Saulter, Joel Burke, Marie "Kashi" Allen, David Rodgers & Ras Tingle on feature films Better Mus Come & The Candy Shop (first asst. director).
Faced with the undeniable desire to spread his wings, in early 2007 he left the nest of Hype TV and founded his own Post Production Company, DSE Media (Direct, Shoot, Edit). Since then he has earned high-ranking status among the leading Editors in the post production industry, where he has displayed skill, insight and valued professionalism and has helped in raising the bar for the Industry in just over a year.
Mykal has worked with the likes of Ras Kasa, Kimala 'Lala' Bennett, Ras Tingle, Asha Mcheal, and J. Will, among others and has included in his portfolio 50 music videos and TV commercials for artistes such as Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Sean Paul, Daville, I-Wayne, Courtney John, Cherine Anderson and Jah Cure, with corporate clients inclusive of Digicel and the National Commercial Bank.
Mykal Cushnie continues to make strides in the Film Industry. He prides himself on always being conscious of his humanitarian responsibilities and is currently working on a documentary about the life of Walter Rodney with Filmmaker & Lawyer Clairmont Chung. Additionally, he is also working on Kimala "Lala" Bennett's 'Combing Through the Roots of Black Hair in Jamaica' Documentary, that aims to shed light on the politics behind black hair in Jamaica and discusses how it shapes the identities of women in the Society.
Mykal sees his life long dream rooted in youth development and is en route to developing an Institution geared towards exposing youngsters to a range of opportunities available in the Film Industry, in particular post production.
Mykal Cushnie's career is perpetually steered by his philosophy in life…Decide, Commit, and Succeed.