Words by Carol Wright | Photos by James Exley
We got the chance to speak with Seth about his start in filmmaking and his advice for any video directors in the making.
Growing up did you create mini-movies and music videos?
At 11 years old I would make short comedies in iMovie using the webcam on my laptop. When I was about 12 or 13, I used a Nikon Coolpix P600 to make a music video that I wrote, directed, starred in, and edited for “Blue Skies” by Noah and the Whale. It was incredibly dramatic and I remember the subject matter of the video was very serious and dark. I emailed it to them and they responded something like, “Cool!” I showed the video to my parents and I remember they were very concerned.
What were some obstacles you faced as you were getting your career started?
There’s no clear trajectory for a budding young filmmaker. I spent a lot of time just looking for a sign of life in the industry sending out hundreds of emails and Instagram dm’s to cinematographers, producers, and directors trying to get advice. Hundreds. Most didn’t respond. A few amazing people actually would take coffee with me. This had such a massive impact on me that I am committed to always be the kind of person that is accessible to the newcomer. If you email or DM me seeking advice, I will respond. The biggest obstacle for me was patience. There is no such thing as an overnight success. Any measure of success in most cases is the result of hours upon hours of compounded education, planning, and action.
Where do you pull inspiration from for the music videos you direct?
I pull inspiration mainly from movies. I love the work of Spike Lee, Wes Anderson, Spike Jonze, Kurosawa, The Cohen Brothers. There’s an amazing series on YouTube called “Every Frame A Painting.” I studied that. I would go and rent the movies they talked about and watch them. I never went to film school, so watching movies and shooting my own projects was how I learned.
Do you have a favorite music video you’ve worked on?
I really loved making every project. None of them were easy. I haven’t cut a new reel in over two years because it’s genuinely such an emotional experience to look back at all the projects my friends and I have created. We put so much love into our work that in each project you give a piece of yourself and you grow as a person. I could never choose a favorite.
Do you have plans to direct a film or television show one day?
I can’t talk about it yet but I’ll be directing two episodes of a comedy series next month that I’m extremely excited about.
What has directing music videos taught you about yourself?
Becoming a director has taught me to trust my intuition. The more I learned to fearlessly bring my ideas into life and shut down the internal critic, I felt great freedom and my creativity flourished.
What advice do you have for aspiring music video directors?
To the up and coming music video director, I would recommend you dedicate your time to learning about your craft and taking action with the resources you have now to create. Make sure you’re always the hardest working and most positive person on set. Care about the people around you. Do all your homework.