Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Clark.
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 always knew I wanted to work in film ever since I was in 6th grade. I remember when each student had to go up before all the parents and staff and say what we want to do when we grow up. I had said, “when I grow up I want to be a director” which made my mom bat an eye at the time due to the fact that I never expressed that to her. From there, I have never stopped wanting it, even in the face of all the disappointments I faced along the way. I had started my journey in film almost a decade ago in high school when I had taken an interest in an after-school program called R.O.P (Regional Occupational Program) Entertainment. The class was taught by an actor named John Moskal and he helped nurture the creativity as well as educate me on the business. I finished high school and got out into the big world auditioning and going to a local acting school called Santa Clarita School Of Performing Arts.
After gaining confidence and accolades in my school settings, I went out creating my own comedy content for social media platforms and continued to quietly learn more about the business side of film and television, hoping to one day work in the studios. All the while working various jobs spanning from fast food to amusement park ride operator and a few different kinds of office jobs. I learned and grew with each business I set foot in until I earned opportunities to work as a production assistant for music videos and now television. I currently work in the production office for “Young Sheldon” Season 6 which has been the most gratifying Job opportunity to date. Finally getting a chance to work on sound stages in the studio system has added more fire to the desire to create movies and television that entertain and create the same feelings in future generations that helped push me to work in this business.
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?
A lot of the obstacles that any filmmaker faces is summed up in one word “No”. It is heard more than yes, especially when you are looking to secure more funds or secure key players for passion projects. It sounds pretty disheartening knowing that when you start, you are basically signing up for a mountain of “no’s” to reach a couple of “Yes’s” that may unlock a whole new life. During my time learning acting and going out for auditions, I started to realize I liked working behind the camera more than working in front of it. This revelation came with a lot of conflicting thoughts and feelings due to the fact that I had already invested a lot of time and effort into one aspect of filmmaking which was acting. However, I remembered why I was learning acting in the first place and that was to figure out what the actor’s process is and how to better work with them to bring out the best performance but in order for me to get the best out of actors I wanted to learn what it is that they do to get the character right. It was difficult to realize that I needed to pivot my focus back into what I originally set out to do on top of different life events and struggles going on at the same time but in the end, I’m glad I made the decision to focus on the position I would like the best in the long run.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I started out creating comedy shorts for Instagram and Youtube, but have since started shifting focus to longer-form content mainly being comedy and horror short films. I Produced and Shot my first short film with a couple of good friends Keitrell Hamilton, Joshua Walker and my girlfriend (now Fiancé) Ashley Simmons called “The Letter” which was a Domestic Violence PSA. We had done a couple of short films after “The Letter”, however we noticed that our “The Letter” performed better than all other content posted on the channel. From then on we wanted to improve our writing technique and have found a comedy style that mixes situational comedy and an improv-like flow to the dialogue. We are excited to launch our new Production Company starting production next year with several scripts in the works currently.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Depending on what aspect of Filmmaking that I become curious about I watch a lot of Youtube videos as many of us do, and when I want to really get a topic broken down, I will get books to read. One that I have been reading recently is the popular screenwriting book called “Save The Cat” By Blake Snyder. Another book that I owe some success to is “How To Win Friends And Influence People” By Dale Carnegie. When it comes to connecting with people and forming bonds in this business I would start with that book to get in tune with your social skills, they are more important than you think when it comes to your next opportunity aside from your knowledge of the field.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: king_clark532
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCwpnbq4Gxwiq3eOI3ea6RuA
Image Credits
IG: @ashley_simmons30
