Mykal Cushnie

Michael Edward Cushnie (born 28 December 1980), also known as Mykal Cushnie, is a Jamaican film director, film producer and editor. He is most recognized for his work on Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall - the Jamaican dancehall version of American Idol, The Wray & Nephew Contender - The Jamaican version of Mark Burnett's original boxing reality series The Contender, and Mission Catwalk - The Jamaican version of Project Runway. He is the CEO of DSE Media and founder of Edward Cushnie Films.

Early life Cushnie was born at The University of the West Indies Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, to mother Beverline and father Albert, and is the youngest of three children. He attended the Wolmer's Schools for Boys, and went on to pursue a course in engineering at the University of Technology, Jamaica, before dropping out to pursue his passion of story telling

Career After dropping out of University, Cushnie interned at Jamaican cable station Hype TV where he tried his at hand at directing, filming, and editing. and Asha Michael. and was founded with the vision of creating a complete production facility, where an idea could be developed from start to finish. DSE Media produces and offering post production services for commercials, music videos, reality TV series, short films and documentaries. One of the companies most recognizable commercials, so-called behind the scenes features, was for the Jamaica Tourist Board's Project Gold, which featured Usain Bolt in a series of Jamaican advertisements. where Cushnie was a camera operator under the direction of Jamaican film director Storm Saulter, and for the second film Candy Shop, where he retained the role of assistant director. However, it would be Cushnie's work with the Irish-born, Jamaican producer Mark Kenny, that would establish DSE Media, and Cushnie, as one of Jamaica's premiere post production facilities. Cushnie's work on reality series The Wray & Nephew Contender and Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall, resonated throughout the industry after both shows shot to local popularity.

In 2010, in partnership with Jamaica producer Kibwe McGann, Cushnie directed and shared executive producer responsibilities on BET-Centric's lifestyle series SPLASH! which, in 2011, was commissioned to produce a second season. In the same year, Guyanese attorney and film director Dr Claimont Chung chose DSE Media for W.A.R. Stories, a documentary on the life of the historian, author and activist, Walter Rodney. The documentary was screened at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica and at the Reggae Film Festival in late 2009 and, by January 2010, and in February at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, Africa. The name of the documentary 50 Days in Afrika is also significant, as it was coined to recognize Jamaica's 50th celebration of independence from slavery and British rule.

Music videos Cushnie first started music videos while working at Hype TV. While there he worked alongside established Jamaican directors such a Ras Kassa, Ras Tingle, Jay Will and Kimala Bennett. Cushnie's most successful videos include the Ras Kassa's "Tic Toc", which was Busy Signal/VP Records nominated video of the year, and The Matrimoney movie video, featuring Sean Paul, Tami Chynn, Lady Saw, Fambo, DJ liquid, Tifa and Wayne Marshall, considered to be the new standard by which Jamaican music medley's are judged.