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First Steps To Writing A Story – Sean Reid

Sean Reid, Filmmaker: This could be interesting too, this one’s more…I think fits in [reads from card] “Discovers a terrible secret about their own family.”

Film Courage: Does the movie start with character or plot?

Sean: I think it can start with either or I like a movie that starts with character because plot can be mundane, plot can lack originality or conceit where character there’s still a chance for a character to be original, for a character to be something you’ve never seen before, where a plot or a storyline is there’s only seven of them, or eight you can argue with Shakespeare how many there are, but there are only so many opportunities for a specific plot or turn within each of the storylines if you think about it. So if not, you’re combining those elements to create something new where within a character there’s still an opportunity especially if as a woman or as a black male we have a chance, we still have a lot of characteristics where we’ve seen things they’ve never seen before. Being a white male, you have a few less, but there’s always that opportunity. That’s why I like character starting because it’s more opportunity to find something original in that. 

Film Courage: So character it is. I know you said it could really be either or but we’ll go with character. We’re hoping to play like a little game and we’re going to need your help if that’s okay? Here we go. So since you chose character we’re going to have you pick five cards and after you’ve picked the five cards go ahead and read them aloud, it’s almost like a tarot thing where they’ll call to you in some sense.

This is from the wonderful game Pitchstorm and they’re not a sponsor or anything but we just thought it was a cool idea. It’s a pretty genius little game there. Then go ahead if you would do us the honor and please read. 

Sean: All right,

[Card one] Interior kitchen: a small mouse with a big heart,

[Card two] Exterior of the garden: an aging butler reminiscing about their glory days

[Card three] Interior top secret facility: the world’s first sentient AI

[Card four] Interior arcade: a video game character come to life

[Card five] Interior at the club: a lifelong bachelor

I get to pick one of these.

Film Courage: Which one do you think would make the best movie?

Sean: For me, at this point I would be most interested in…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).

Sean Reid Attending The Campus Premiere – Arena Cinelounge Sunset (via IMDB)
 

BIO:

Sean Reid is a 20-year veteran Producer/Director/Writer of feature films, television programming, news and music specials. His television experience includes management roles at E! NEWS LIVE (E!), as well as, producer positions on the THE ROB NELSON SHOW (Fox), and SQUARE OFF (TV Guide Channel). Reid has a well-earned reputation for combining his instinctual story skills and technical savvy to elevate the productions with which he is involved. 

Reid’s Feature Film credits include the coming of age thriller drama REDEMPTION, featuring Brian White (Ray Donavon, Homeland), and T.J. Storm (Godzilla, Captain America: Civil War), on which he served as the Producer, Director and Writer. REDEMPTION was one of the first Indie features to be shot in HD with the Sony 900 camera. The movie screened in competition at the Reel World Film Festival in Toronto, and Playhouse West Festival in Los Angeles, and was distributed by LionsGate. Reid’s producer credits include the movies HORRORS OF WAR, distributed by Maverick; the festival hit PHIN; and the soon to be released feature, THE CAMPUS. 

While at E! , Reid served as Assignment Manager (Supervising Producer) of E! NEWS, and was the Producer/Director of E! NEWS UNPLUGGED, a series of short music performances, and one-hour specials, shot on location in and around the E! News Studios, and featuring such performers as Robert Palmer, Lisa Loeb, Steel Pulse, Peter Frampton, Everclear, and Smash- Mouth. Over time, the performances grew from a few songs in the studio’s courtyard, to full concerts shot in front of an audience of 500. 

Reid has produced over one hundred network promos and image spots, often working as a First Assistant Director. Campaigns included TYLER PERRY’S HOUSE OF PAYNE producing all of the network promos for the entire five seasons in one year. Other clients included: The NFL Network; PBS Sprout; Mothers. com; Fox’s SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, HOUSE, and LIE TO ME; BET’s CELEBRATION OF GOSPEL with Steve Harvey and the DIY Network’s LET’S GET DIRTY Campaign, which ran nationally in movie theaters. 

Reid directed and co-produced the pilot for Variety’s DVD Premiere Awards, with host Ben Stein and presenters included Vivica A. Fox and Quentin Tarantino. He also directed the pilots for The Guest House, for Executive Producers Tisha Campbell-Martin, and Monique Chennault; and #OWNIT for Oprah Winfrey’s OWN.

 

CONNECT WITH SEAN REID

IMDB

Instagram

Youtube for Sean

Youtube for podcast with J. Horton

Twitter

TikTok

 
Photo by Phil Garrett (via IMDB)



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