We recently connected with Abdul T. Sesay and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Abdul T. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project that I have worked on is my first feature, The Pushover. It’s because I wrote it back in 2011 as a short film. It was my very first script. At that time, I just wanted to see if I could write an entertaining story. I didn’t know much about structure or formatting. I just knew that when I was done, I felt it was engaging.
In 2014 and later in 2016, my friend Darren and I worked with some of our friends and co-workers to shoot the script. We used our DSLR cameras, had some ARRI 650 plus lights, and shot it at my house for the main scene. It turned out to be a learning moment. Darren and I didn’t know anything about lighting. Our cast, who weren’t actors, did their best to execute lines; however, it just wasn’t working.
Also, there were scheduling issues, extremely late arrivals on set, and a host of other things that I need not mention. So, what ended up happening was that we decided to stop shooting. Darren was completely done with the project. As for me, I always looked at it as a hiatus—something that we would eventually get back to.
Fast forward to 2023, now I’m at the point that I’ve gained experience on several sets. I even wrote, directed, and produced 2 shorts of my own. I was ready to revisit The Pushover again. Thanks to my friend James, of course, who insisted that “Now was the time.” So, we shot most of it in Maryland and DC. Then later that year I moved to California, where we shot the remainder here.
It took a lot of time, patience, coordination, money, and sweat equity to make this film happen, but we got it done. We had a successful Red Carpet in Pasadena, CA, and Greenbelt, Maryland. Then it was released in 2024 on both Amazon Prime Video and Tubi, and it’s still doing well today. So that is something that I am still very proud of.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a Sierra Leonean that grew up watching movies with my family as a kid. I always loved going to the theater and eating popcorn and drinking sodas. My father had a crazy VHS collection. I know I’m dating myself. I used to watch Malcolm X, Goodfellas, and all types of movies back in the day. To be honest. I never thought that I was going to make movies, but I guess for me it was a natural evolution, considering that I was always writing stories.

How I got into making movies was just by writing and not waiting for permission. I slowly started purchasing production equipment while I volunteered on other people’s projects. I continued to do so until I finally understood how things were done. I would join screenwriter groups and read books on screenwriting, cinematography, directing, and producing. I would internalize the information that I acquired, and then I would execute.

Sa-Loan Productions is a self-contained film production company that creates films and television series predominately in the drama, comedy, and thriller space. We’re also a video production company that focuses on long-form and short-form content for commercial and local businesses.

What differentiates us from other companies is that we are in tune with our clients. We focus on their pain points and find solutions to their problems.

What we’re most proud of is our commitment to create authentic and unapologetic entertainment for the masses. We’re equipped with a team of writers and a production crew that can turn any vision into a reality on any visual medium.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew more about grants, fellowships, and platforms that break down distribution. As a filmmaker, these things are important to be aware of. Although you can still make projects without them, it definitely helps. If I had utilized those resources years ago, I’m certain that I could have accelerated my learning curve.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a filmmaker is when you’re in the back of the movie theater and you hear and see people respond or react to a scene. Specifically, when you write and direct a scene and your intention is to make the audience cringe, laugh, or be sympathetic to a character, and they respond in a way that you anticipated. That is such a wonderful feeling. When you’re able to land the plane, and everyone understands exactly what your intentions were in that moment.
Finally, I would like to thank Canvas Rebel for this interview and encourage everyone to check out The Pushover on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://saloanpro.com
• Instagram: sa_loanpro.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tejan.sesay.31
• Twitter: ASesay78
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8310981/