Sean Hanley
Many teens mess around with video cameras, but few of them take those fumblings to the next level. Fortunately, Sean Hanley had the good sense to follow his instincts and pursue film as a career. Growing up in Marlborough, Hanley’s friends feature prominently in his early works. In middle school, he bought a Hi-8 camcorder and shot Jackass stunts and night-vision chases in backyards. As he grew older, he joined forces with other students to create short videos centered on a given topic: procrastination, insomnia, and anything else on the day’s agenda. Near the end of high school, Hanley spent hours watching films at Hartford’s Real Art Ways. Borrowing books on Super-8 film and making friends with then-projectionist Steven Cossman sealed the deal and forever ignited Hanley’s passion for filmmaking.
Upon graduation, Hanley made the leap from high school novice to undergraduate filmmaker. He secured a spot in Emerson College’s competitive film program and dove right in. “Working on the set of other students’ projects is really where you learn the most about the technical side of filmmaking,” he explains. The dedication and experience of the professors also helps tremendously, he says. At 22, his hard work is already paying off. He’s already screened films at the Manchester Community College and Westport Youth Film Festivals in addition to festivals in Los Angeles and New York City. His film, Universal Superkinetics, won Best Original Comedy Script at Emerson’s Evvy Awards night in 2008.
Hanley started off filming in his backyard, so it’s fitting that he returned to his roots for his senior project. His latest endeavor, Hindsight, focuses on the concept of home. Combining old family videos with new footage, he hopes to contrast his own past with the town’s present and future. “When my parents moved to Michigan in 2006, I had an urge to make one final film about Marlborough before I became detached from it forever,” he recalls. “By exploring Marlborough one last time, I’m re-living parts of my childhood that I had forgotten. More generally, I think homecoming is a really universal event in everyone’s lives. One’s childhood home always retains a magical essence: the place where one romped around as a kid and got grass stains. I hope people relate to that emotion.”
Residents of Marlborough have wholeheartedly embraced the project. The Marlborough Arts Center currently serves as a fiscal sponsor. In addition to handling all donations to the project and making contributions tax deductible for the donors, the organization is also planning a special screening of the film in June 2010. Hanley says, “I’d like to try and include some other multimedia works about the town during my screening, resulting in a massive artistic representation of Marlborough.”
What’s next for Sean Hanley? When he’s not filming or sorting through old tapes, he’s weighing his options. “The internal battle that I face now is whether or not to stay on the east coast or move to Los Angeles,” he admits. “New England has always played an inspiring role in my work. I’d hate to leave it so soon, but there might be a lot of good work to do on the west coast. I thin I’ll have to play it by ear.” No matter where he goes, Hanley has a tight support network. Through it all, Hanley says, “My family has always stood by me and my filmmaking. Even with a sister already in art school, my parents were willing to send me to film school. I don’t really know how I can thank them. I guess paying them back the $700 for the color reversal Film 1 final project from sophomore year would be a start.”
HINDSIGHT – Summer Trailer from sean hanley on Vimeo.
