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Meet Sean Fine

It was a true honor getting to connect with Oscar®, Emmy®, and Peobody®, award-winning filmmaker, Sean Fine.  In 2021, Sean and his partner, Andrea Nix Fine, transformed their production company Fine Films into the impact studio, Change Content, to scale the production of unforgettable true stories that upend the way viewers think and feel about critical issues. Their recent release is “The Sixth,” a film made in collaboration with A24 about the January 6th insurrection that weaves six individual experiences who collectively define why we fight for democracy, and what is at stake when it is challenged.

Here we discuss his style of documentary filmmaking, how he chooses his subjects, his favorite part of the documentary process, the importance of securely storing and sharing footage with their NAS system from Synology, as well as the advice he would give to those just starting out.

LAPPG: As I was preparing for this interview, I was interested to learn that you are not the only one in your family to have worked in documentary filmmaking.  How much do you think being exposed to your parents’ work impacted the trajectory of your career?

Sean Fine: I think being exposed to my parents’ work was really, really impactful to me. Not just because they’re incredible artists—my mom is an editor and a director, and my dad is a director and cinematographer—but because of the people they met and the changes they made through their work. They worked back when there were only three networks in TV, so millions of people would watch their projects, and that work would affect countless lives. They told personal and incredible stories, always bringing their craft to the forefront.

Initially, I didn’t set out to be in this field; I actually wanted to be a zoologist. But through osmosis, I learned so much from my parents—mainly how to listen and treat people well. Listening unlocks incredible stories within people, giving you remarkable access to their lives, which is such a gift. So growing up around my parents’ creativity shaped me more than I realized.

Sean Fine is surrounded by his team.

LAPPG: As a director and cinematographer yourself, how would you describe your style and what your intentions when you pick up the camera to shoot?


SF: I would describe my style as intimate. I try to get as close as possible with the lens, playing with the extremes: extreme closeups and extreme wide shots, yet always filling the frame. It’s a gift to capture the details of humanity, like a nervous finger twitch or someone staring out a window. The camera lens allows us to see so much more.

Sean Fine gets up close to his subject.

I gravitate toward things that feel real and natural. I don’t want the camera to stand between the viewer and the subject. I want the audience to see the beauty, messiness, and reality of what’s in front of them. My style embraces imperfect lighting and situations, but I aim to bring exquisite composition to them. Ultimately, I shoot for the story, not just for a single shot. A great film is made up of many shots combined to tell a story, and that’s always top of mind for me.

LAPPG: What is your favorite part of the documentary filmmaking process, and what do you find the most challenging?


SF: My favorite and most challenging part of the process is the same: the edit room. Once all the footage is shot, crafting the story is both exhilarating and tough. Sometimes, it feels like one puzzle piece is missing, and it takes so much brainpower to figure out the solution. Then, suddenly, everything clicks. You remember a shot or a piece of music, and the entire sequence comes together beautifully, delivering the emotional punch you’re looking for.

Another challenging aspect is just starting. I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to jump in, like diving into cold water. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more cautious, but I’m constantly reminding myself to throw caution to the wind and just begin.

Sean Fine shoots professional soccer player and activist Megan Rapinoe for the documentary "LFG."

LAPPG: There’s certainly no shortage of critical issues today. How do you decide which subjects or topics to move forward with?


SF: We are storytellers and filmmakers first, and agents of change second. You have to create great art and great stories to effect change. For us, a great film has great subjects, a strong narrative arc, and compelling characters. That’s what motivates us to tell these stories.

Often, people come to us with a problem, and we see ourselves as a problem-solution company. They might want a film about child soldiers or homelessness, and we figure out how to make that story resonate with people who might otherwise not care or find it hard to watch. We find the hope, emotionality, and entertainment in the story to make it engaging.

Sean Fine shoots underwater for the Oscar®-winning short documentary, "Inocente."

LAPPG: As a director of cinematography, what are your gear and equipment go-tos? Does your kit change from project to project?


SF: For my last three projects, I’ve been using the Sony camera system: the Sony Venice, the Sony FX6, and the Sony FX3. These cameras reproduce color beautifully, especially in low light, which I love. They are user-friendly and can be operated solo without an AC if necessary.

The FX6 is light, great for small spaces, while the Venice is ideal when I have more time and space. The look and feel of the camera are crucial for me because it’s an extension of my body. I prefer handheld shooting and tend to avoid stabilized rigs that feel cumbersome and off-putting to subjects. I also prefer using Zeiss Primes, which are beautiful, lightweight lenses with an incredible fall-off and 1.5 F-stop, perfect for low light.

Behind the scenes shots for the recently released documentary, "The Sixth."

LAPPG: Can you share your post-production workflow, including platforms and equipment used on your recent film about the January 6th insurrection?


SF: For “The Sixth,” we worked remotely due to COVID, with our editors Jeff Consiglio and Christie Martinez in LA, while I was in DC. We relied heavily on Frame.io and Adobe Premiere for editing. A critical part of our setup was our Synology NAS drive, which allowed us to securely store and share footage with our team across the country.

The NAS system was essential because we had an enormous amount of archival footage that had to be organized and accessed by different team members. It provided peace of mind knowing everything was automatically backed up and accessible for everyone, whether they were in LA, DC, or New York.

Additional behind the scenes footage for "The Sixth."

LAPPG: What are your most important considerations for footage in terms of editing, access, and storage?


SF: The top priority for our footage is security. Hard drives fail, so knowing that everything is securely backed up is vital. As soon as we come back from the field, we upload our footage to the Synology NAS system, which backs up to the cloud.

Another important factor is accessibility. Our team needs to be able to access footage from anywhere. Speed is also crucial since we’re working with large files, often 4K to 8K resolution. Finally, the system has to be easy to use so that everyone, regardless of technical ability, can work efficiently.

Sean Fine shooting B-roll for "LFG."

LAPPG: What advice would you give to someone who wants to do the same work you do?


SF: My first piece of advice is to just make films. There’s no excuse not to with today’s technology. I recently shot something on my iPhone 15 in ProRes, and it looks amazing. You have to jump in and start, no matter how daunting it seems.

The second piece of advice is that filmmaking is a hard business. It’s not just about making films but also about making a living from it. Finding a small production company where you can learn multiple skills—editing, writing proposals, budgeting, cinematography—is essential. The more you learn, the more tools you’ll have to make the films you want to make. Developing a style and language in filmmaking comes from watching, learning, and creating, so just dive in and start doing it.

Sean Fine shooting on location.

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