We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sean O’Connor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sean, 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?
Work ethic comes from a few places. One, as a boy I was a good athlete, but I wasn’t big and I was in the year above the grade I should’ve been in. Since becoming real good at sports was important to me, I had to work harder than the others, and I did, and it paid off. Thus I realized the value of working every day at something to become excellent.
But with art…creativity…there are other motivations to work hard and every day, the main being the fulfillment that the artist feels when they locate a moment of Truth in their work. It’s like a bulb fires up in their soul. And remains lit. The other motivation is the possibility of affecting your audience in a way that shakes them up a bit, and makes them rethink their life. All inevitably for the good. And of course, money and a little fame are things that can motivate you also.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a Writer/Actor/Director. I started out as a young man, in high school, writing some poetry and short stories, and being transfixed by great cinema, and theatre. Films and plays that knocked me back, nailed me to my seat, and kept my mind thinking about them for days, years after I saw them. My first year of college I wrote a one-act play for a writing class and it garnered some attention (even though I had no idea what I was doing) and I was then asked to act in the plays being done at that college. I continued acting in theater, via summer stock and more college productions. I wrote on the side, mostly poetry, some songs, a short story or two. Then I graduated, I was in NYC, and I started auditioning, studying acting, and getting roles. And writing.
I ended up acting in a lot of TV in my late 20s, but I wasn’t creatively satisfied. But my writing, on the other hand, was offering me a great deal of satisfaction and fulfillment. Then, one day, I’d seen a John Casavettes film, “Love Streams,” and on the bus home an entire play appeared in my head. When I got home, I began writing it. I was still acting around NYC, but I was so aware how powerful writing was for me, perhaps more powerful than other art forms. The play won several awards and had many productions, so I focused more intently on playwrighting, acting yes, but not as much. That led to writing lots of plays that have been published, won awards, had many productions, and to film also—writing for Hollywood, and recently writing, directing and acting in my own movie, “Summer of ’70,” which soon goes to festivals. These days, my plays get done here and there, I’m writing my first novel, and recording several of my own songs. I want to make certain my movie gets a good release, continue with film and plays, finish the novel, and keep enjoying writing, acting and composing music.
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?
1, Persistence. I never let up. 2, The ability (and this takes years, but it happens) to not take criticism personally, to have only the desire of bettering your work involved in the mix, not your ego. It’s a matter of putting your work and you out there in front of lots and lots of people, all the time. For years. You’re going to get beat up a lot, but keep these things in mind: Some of that criticism will be good, and brilliant, and might just be able to turn you into the artist you know you are. But other criticism might be worthless, and not well thought out. Ask enough people you trust about it, think seriously about it, and if you don’t agree, just walk on. Always know, it’s not about you…it’s about something that you built. And if someone has an intelligent idea how to make this building stronger and more beautiful, listen. But again, if what they say makes no sense to you and people you trust, turn away, know how good you are, and keep on going. 3, Learn, learn, learn. Forever. Keep your flame alive. Read, go to movies, exhibits, theatre, explore music, take in as much art and thought as possible, study the masters in your art form(s), and use/steal elements of their brilliance and put it into your work. Stay forever inspired: It all serves to deepen and enrich the talent you already have. And this activity of growth should last as long as you’re an artist. As long as you’re alive.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Yes. I have one eye open always to folks I’d like to partner with on this journey of mine that has changed, and morphed, and grown as time has shot past. Theatres, always. Those who’d like to produce my plays, and whose actors, directors and staff would be a joy to work with. Film companies, and investors, as I now bring my movie to the festivals, a short, “Summer of ’70” based on my full-length script “Imitate the Sun,” which won Hollywood’s prestigious American Accolades award. Anyone who can help in making the feature in the next few years, is more than welcome to partner with me.
I’ll be finishing my novel, “American Roulette,” this year. I’m as proud of it, as I’ve been about all my other works. Anyone in the novel publishing business who would like to help would be much appreciated.
I’m also writing and recording (and singing and playing) a number of songs. It’s a hobby. I taught myself guitar in the last three years. I have no plans on becoming the next Springsteen. But man, do I enjoy it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://writersean.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sean.oconnor.1690
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
William Electric Black (for both images from the movie “Copy Shop”)
Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival (for the image for “Orpheus Descending”)
Loft Theatre (for the image from “Let Me Fluff Your Pillow” by Robert Chase)
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
