Meet Sean Oliver | Filmmaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sean Oliver and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sean, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“You enter the forest at the darkest point, where there is no path. Where there is a way or path, it is someone else’s path. You are not on your own path. If you follow someone else’s way, you are not going to realize your potential.” ― Joseph Campbell

When I was a young lad I became enraptured by Joseph Campbell’s “Hero With A Thousand Faces”. Comparative mythology revealed what felt like a cheat code to storytelling. But instead of it being a purely academic read, with the goal of becoming a better writer, something else changed within me.

I suppose it should actually be quite obvious that reading several different myths and religions from all over the world might have the unintended consequence of making you learn something about yourself. But as I read on I took more and more from the book. And one of the lines that has stuck with me is the one quoted above about entering the forest in search of the holy grail.

Being an artists in any discipline is a lot like entering the forest in search of a mighty boon. It’s pretty much a fool’s errand, only to be ran by fools, and fools alike. It’s difficult to say if there was any era in time where a person would consider it a “good idea” to be an artist.

Technology both empowers more folks to pursue it, while undercutting the economic potential that would be needed to sustain those folks. I genuinely don’t know how the small-to-mid level film turns a profit in a world that is content to pay $19.99/month for all the planet’s content.

We used to buy albums of music for $15 dollars, but now feel entitled to the entire historys catalogue for that same price. Amazing tech, troubling economics.

But what’s wonderful, and stupid, about artists is they are going to exist anyways. There’s always been fools who enter the forest in search of something other than economic promise. Society could end tomorrow and someone would still be finishing their painting or typing at their novel next week.

I count myself lucky to be among these brave and foolish fools. There is no path to doing what we do. There is no starting point, there is no end point. The journey becomes the goal. It’s not about making it, but about making.

I entered the forest so long ago, and I’ve yet to find any mighty boons or holy grails. But I have made many a friend along the way, and filled my cup with cherished memories. And so we journey onwards towards the darkest thicket and most unknown path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a filmmaker. Which means that I write, produce, direct, and edit films! Right now, I’m most excited about the upcoming release of my first feature film “Forever Home”. I can’t talk about dates, but we’re nearing an announcement and I’m beyond the moon to finally share the film with everyone. It’s a haunted comedy about a young couple who buy a haunted house, but are too broke to move, so they try to co-exist the best they can with the ghost. I’m very proud of the film and all the work that the cast & crew did to bring the film to life.

Producing an independent feature is no easy task, but it’s better than waiting for permission from someone else. Whatever stresses and negatives that crop about don’t come close to out weighing the joy and satisfaction of creating a movie.

In November a documentary I was lucky enough to direct called “Vintage Arizona : The Heart of Winemaking” will premiere along with a digital release to follow shortly. I’m excited for people to watch cause it’s not well known that Arizona has a lively wine growing scene and I learned a ton while making it.

I’m also working on a new script called “Group Project” with my co-writer Sammie Lideen. We’re very excited about this one and the plan is to produce it next.

I don’t think anything is ever really easy. Even the easy path ends up with its difficulties. So it’s less about how difficult it was, and more about how worth it is in the end. And for me, there’s not much I wouldn’t go through to continue making movies.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Something we have in Arizona that I truly value is, Harkins Theaters. I know it sounds like a stupid filmmaker plug. But I grew up in those theaters, wearing the shirt for free popcorn, and went to so many midnight release screenings there. The folder in my brain that holds valuable movie memories are mostly meta tagged “Harkins”.

When I travel and visit other cities I’ll sometimes go see a movie and the experience can be very hit or miss depending on the chain. It’s often more expensive and sometimes projection is wrong or the sound is cheap or the walls are too thin.

And hey, I get it, a lot of people like those dine-in theaters. But I saw “The Quiet Place” at one of those theaters and the soda machine is in the theater. So every time someone got a refill we heard them dive into the ice bucket and the ‘ch tsh’ of the soda machine. Followed by a scurrying server. Some would say that’s as distracting as a phone light…

As a fan of movies I’ve always felt lucky to have Harkins. No one is paying me to say this. I just say it to anyone who will listen. “You have to be thankful for what we have!”

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
It’s important for me to give a shoutout to my sisters, Sydney and Julian. I’m the youngest of the three and for my entire life they’ve looked out for me. Not once have they ever discouraged me from following my passion or tried to get me to consider more “sensible” paths.

They are funny, smart, and kind people who encourage me to better simply by being. We share a tattoo of the Phoenix constellation across our forearms. So when we see one another we can have a Captain Planet type moment. Both their houses are filled with original art from artists they support. They over decorate their houses for holidays (Syd puts a christmas tree in each room). And Julian is a teacher with an old magic British teddy bear in her classroom.

They are two wickedly awesome women and I’m so lucky to be their baby brother.

Website: https://www.thirdproductions.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanothethird/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-oliver-5a413838/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThirdProductions

Image Credits
Beth Moore Photography