Meet Sean Norona | Independent Filmmaker & Cinematographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sean Norona and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sean, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I think most people understand the cliche of Hollywood is that it’s all about who you know, but there is a misconception about the independent film world and small local filmmaking scene. Sure talent does matter, but the more I make art and work in the independent film world, the more I have come to understand that who you know still matters the most. You can make great films, or create good art, but getting your work out there and really scene or recognized really hinges on the connections you make. It’s important for upcoming and aspiring filmmakers to know that networking is a huge thing, and it’s so important to be ready to make friends, build your connections, and be ready to not only take what other offer, but also to give to those around you.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
OUTERBOUND is our current film project and is my first attempt at a feature film. I’ve never done anything this large scale before, and it has been a journey and a challenge that we are still in. This film project I used as an opportunity to create an inclusive environment on set for both student filmmakers, and female filmmakers. So much of the industry is saturated and not everyone gets the same opportunities. I know I’m not the only person to do it, but I wanted to break some barriers, and give young people, especially female film voices a chance to shine on this project. The hands on work that was done on this film gave everyone who worked on set an opportunity to learn and grow including myself. I also went out of my way to cast some very talented Latina actors as my leads in this story as I felt it was important not only to have representation from the hispanic community that I’m a part of but to really show them in the most accurate light. Latinos come in all shapes, styles, and flavors in contrast from what Hollywood sometimes shows. I think it’s important for audiences to see these characters as their authentic selves and not just stereotypes depicted by random writers. After making these choices, I could not be happier with my cast and crew. This is a great group of talented people both behind and in front of the camera, who are going to take Hollywood by storm in the near future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A hidden spot that a lot of creatives may not know about that is a great resource and hot spot in Greensboro is Gotham GSO Studio. They are a photo studio just off of Gate City Boulevard that has amazing accommodations. They had an infinity cove wall, lighting equipment for convenience, a podcast room, and mini sets for specific photo sessions. They even had lots of space for large scale shoots like for photographing cars. Not only were we able to utilize this space for capturing some marketing photos, but we even were able to use if for some filming of the movie. I cannot thank Edwin the owner enough for opening his doors to us and being so accommodating.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wanted to take this time to recognize a very special person in my life, Tanner Summers. Without her love and support I could not be where I am today in my career. Tanner is my life partner, my best friend in the entire world, and the love of my life. On my current film project OUTERBOUND, she was our script supervisor and producer. She helped us get the script where it needed to be in order to be a successful movie, and always kept us on track for success. Tanner throughout my film career has helped me see the areas I have for improvement, paid attention to detail in a way that has inspired me to do the same, and really encouraged my art from day one. She is my rock to lean on, and the best creative partner. OUTERBOUND would not be the same without her and neither would I.

Website: hogarimages@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outerbound_featurefilm/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556625284851

Youtube: https://vimeo.com/920418947

Other: https://linktr.ee/hogarimages

Image Credits
The film poster was designed by Melissa Shaul with Photography by Sean Norona. The behind the scenes photos were taken by a variety of people including: Alexa Smith, Abby Lowry, Melissa Shaul, Busola Boyejo, Stella Mabiala, and Spencer Millsaps.