Meet Sebastian Zufelt

 

We recently connected with Sebastian Zufelt and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sebastian, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic comes from all three of my parents. My mom has worked retail & customer service her whole life, and seeing her through the highs and lows of that physical work motivates me to work hard as well. My dad was a theater director when I was born, and to make an independent theater run, you need stamina, perseverance, and commitment to the craft. Last, but certainly not least, my step-mom is arguably the hardest-working person I know. Seeing her career as a lawyer grow, I’ve witnessed the hours she’s put in along the way. Whether answering emails on her laptop after work or attending community events on the weekends, her commitment to her craft is also an art like any traditional one.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a New York-based filmmaker from Seattle, Washington. My film ‘Soft Launch’ was profiled in Washington Square News, screened at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, and won Best Screenplay at the NYU Gallatin Film Awards. I received the Student Producer’s Award for my work on Nikki Page’s film ‘Mix Matched Socks.’ I have worked with A24, The Film-makers’ Cooperative, and Spectacle Theater. My film ‘Third,’ is the first student production fiscally sponsored by Northwest Film Forum. Currently, I am developing a feature-length coming-of-age film set in Seattle.​​​​​​​

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Having a growth mindset has been fundamental to my artistic life. Approaching the world from the perspective that you can always grow and are never stuck helps me believe in my goals, however ambitious they may be.

Another mental asset, mindfulness, is an impactful process for me. Filmmaking, especially directing, is so mentally involved, so it is important to take a step back occasionally and be mindful of one’s mental state.

Kurt Vonnegut’s humanism: “I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without any expectation of rewards or punishments after I’m dead.”

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My father has been the most helpful person my entire life regarding my artistic life. When I was born, he took me to rehearsals, where I would be held in one arm while he directed actors with the other. Additionally, he introduced me to the creative processes I still use to this day, and has always been there for emotional support. I always love falling into a long conversation regarding our process, and the highs and lows that come with it. No one understands me better than he does.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Image credits to Mark Zufelt, on-set photographer for THIRD

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