We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sean Freelon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Sean, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our mission is “To create nonpareil original entertaining content, with emphasis on strong Urban Characters.”

I feel like there is a universal stigma that independent films and especially ethnic indie films, can’t make money. Yet, we’ve seen time and time again, that when given the opportunity to compete, we can produce quality, entertaining, thrilling, cinema that succeed both at the box office and across all streaming platforms as well. And that’s without an inflated budget for some grand marketing campaign.

Slowly, it is starting to turn the corner. I don’t know if the “powers that be” have finally heard our cry or not but it’s not a coincidence that there seems to be a major push for diversity inclusion these last couple of years. Really across all business sectors. But it’s the film business that is especially interesting to me. Ironically because it is the exact reason that we launched Blinded by Ambition Entertainment.

As two black men trying to find our way in this industry, we were looking around and saying to ourselves, “where are all of the black movies? Don’t people make movies for our audience?” Not only was there a huge shortage of content but some of the films that were out there were just so predictable and cliche and truthfully, some of them were just downright bad. I still don’t understand how some of these films get made. But God bless them, I can’t knock nobody’s hustle. I am no dream killer.

So anyway, we decided we would do it ourselves, but we wanted to be sure that we put out content with substance. Something that could standup next to a studio release and hold its own story-wise. Now, we are not stupid, nor naive, we understand that we weren’t even in the same stratosphere budget-wise. We understood that we didn’t have that luxury back then, and that we still don’t have such a resource today. But you’ve got to start somewhere. And if we can pull off what we have accomplished with zero dollars. Just imagine what we can do if we get our hands on some real capital.

Sean, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born in Kansas City, on the Kansas side, for some reason you have to clarify that. I don’t even know why. The lifestyles, the people, the city, the economics, weather, food, etc… For the most part the politics are all very much the same. But trust me, it’s a thing. Anyone who says that they’re from Kansas City has to immediately follow that up with which side, Missouri, or Kansas. Weird I know, don’t blame me, blame my ancestors.

After High school, I decided to pursue my dreams and landed in Los Angeles, CA. I enrolled in some Creative Writing classes at Valley Community College, where I studied Screenwriting and Television/Radio Production, learning the “do’s and the dont’s” of the Television industry.

Soon thereafter, I found P.A. work on various Television Shows. I got lost in the world of reality television and game shows. The money was fast and good, but each production seemingly took me further and further away from big studio feature films. I was doing a lot of unscripted television, and I didn’t know professionally, how to get back to what I really wanted to do. I started as assistant this, to associate that, to coordinator, and eventually climbing the ladder to become a Production Manager. During that climb, is when I met fellow P.A. Joe Jennings Jr. we clicked immediately. We had a common bond not only of screenwriting, but we both wanted to tell our stories to audiences that looked like us. Audiences that were interested in the things that interest us, with our struggles and our sense of humor. With characters who looked, thought, acted and re-acted like us. More importantly, we had a desire to actually do the grunt work to make our own films. A lot of people have the same dream but how many of them take the steps to turn that dream into reality?

Joe and I jumped in full throttle. Along with a couple of other talented individuals, who came and went, we began stockpiling material, holding each other accountable for deadlines and challenging one another to become stronger at the craft. A formula that continues to strengthen our bond and push our talents today.

We have written several feature length screenplays that have done well in a host of screenwriting competitions. We have produced a number of short format films that have performed very well on the festival circuit. We don’t always win, but that’s okay. I have gotten to a point where I don’t need the win anymore. Nowadays, I use these events as sort of a measuring stick to see where a new script stacks up. Not just against the competition in that particular festival, But in the industry overall. Sure, A win is nice, and should be celebrated, don’t get me wrong. We’ve got our fair-share of W’s. But if I place highly enough, and get some good feedback, that’s good enough for me.

What it tells me is that there is a market out there for what we do. That people who have no affiliation to us, legitimately enjoy our works and they want to see more. They want to read the next script, or they’re so invested in a certain character that they want to see a sequel. That’s where the satisfaction lies for me. It’s the confirmation that you’ve told a great story. That the risks that you took on set, paid off and you know what? You are pretty good at what you do. And in an industry where you hear more no’s than an Amy winehouse song, a little positive affirmation every once in a while, is what you need. (R.I.P. Amy)

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

It seems to me that non-creative types of people have a very cut and dry outlook. It’s yes or no, its stop or go. They can’t understand why we put ourselves through this self-inflicted trauma. They see the yes or the no but they don’t see the “maybe”. They don’t get it when everyone told you to stop, there was something deep inside told you to keep going. That’s the dream for creative people. It’s the journey towards that dream that makes us the glutton for punishment people that we are. People that don’t possess that creative fire drive a straight line through life to meet their goals. And if they get knocked off course, they just start over from the beginning and continue driving. But for us, there is never a straight line to anything. It’s the twists and turns that build our mental and moral or sometimes immoral characteristics and shape who we are.

For me it starts with me starring at a blank computer screen, that curser flashing in the upper corner. Already anticipating the ride I’m about to take, my mind racing with endless possibilities. And then an idea clicks, and a new journey begins.

If you think about it when I create a character, just sixty seconds ago that person didn’t exist. So, I am literally birthing that person into a world that five minutes ago didn’t exist. Now it is my responsibility to nurture that person and mold that world into something that makes perfect, plausible sense to you. What are his/her, likes and dislikes, what matters to them, what pisses them off? Their strengths and weaknesses, their style, to swag or nah? Is this the type of environment that a woman like this would thrive in? Would this child feel comfortable here, or is he clearly an outcast? If you’re a person who likes things that make sense, my whole job here is to make it make sense.

Sitting at my desk watching what happens to that blank page on my laptop is something next to incredible. The world I imagined starts to take shape. The people on the page begin to move within that world. and at some point, a shift happens. It goes from me telling a character where to be and what to do. To suddenly those characters start talking back. They begin making their own decisions and telling me, what choices they want to make. The characters temperament, or their personality determines how they will accomplish whatever task I’ve set up.

It is like watching a child grow up and make important decisions that will affect their future and affect other lives and the circumstances surrounding them. To watch that journey, be it the entire lifetime of a character or just a day in the life of is a very fulfilling and proud process. Oh, and don’t even mention the day you have to kill off a major character. To watch someone, you’ve invested so much time and energy into, shaping and molding them. To make them die, will totally mess up your whole day. And when the story is finally finished, the feeling of achievement and completion is just a very, very proud moment. But even after months and months on an emotional roller coaster it’s only the half of it.

To sit in the back of a dark theatre and watch those words from my laptop actually come to life, on the big screen. To watch a crowd of strangers experience that incredible ride of emotions. To realize that you’ve made a room full of people literally laugh out loud, or that you made them all cry together. That feeling is indescribable man. To create something, literally from nothing. And to think that I can do it again, and again, a different world, different characters, different goals and I can do it again. I don’t think you have to be a creative person to see that wielding that type of power can become addictive.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

The overnight success story doesn’t actually happen. There are usually years of hard work, rejection, struggles and denials prior to the success. I can’t tell you how many times people have made their little comments as to how long I’ve been at it. It’s like Sean, move on dude, do something else with your life. But what they don’t understand is that I can’t move on. I can’t just stop. They see things in black and white, if option A doesn’t work. cut your losses and take option B. With me, it’s not so simple. the distance between options A and B is a lifetime. In fact, for the longest time there was no plan B, there was only option A. Although through time I have developed a “backup plan,” and yes, though it pains me to say it. I do recommend a backup plan for young inspiring filmmakers. I say that but I whole heartedly implore you to follow your dreams with a Mamba-like no quit mentality. If I were to quit now, that would mean that I have thrown away my entire life. And that is not an option. The dream lives on.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bba_ent/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-freelon-5425b38/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9g5SI-78h8&list=PL1ECf5NM1cVnCs3OLoUxfwMR7_5edefFL

Image Credits

John E. Jackson for Alamu photo
Albert L. Ortega for the red carpet photo.