Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Fresh.
Sean, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My journey with video begins all the way back as a teenager, borrowing my parent’s video camera to take video of my friends and I skateboarding. From there, my parents were gracious enough to gift me my own videocamera. I spent the next couple years practicing my editing, and naturally chose to do video for all of my final projects throughout the rest of school. I’ve always loved watching movies and making videos, so when it came time for college, I gravitated towards the filmmaking classes, hoping to eventually become a movie director! When reality set in after a few semesters, I changed my trajectory to studying business, and from there, accounting. It seemed like the “safe” choice, and within about a year after college, I began working as an entry level accountant at Hotel Solamar in San Diego. I had gotten married to my wife Alex soon after college, so a stable career choice seemed like the smart way to go, especially with kids planned in our future.
Even now, looking back at the path I took, I don’t regret going into accounting, because in working at the hotel I met one of my good friends and motivators for making the leap to starting my own video company, Jason Herrera. Jason and I quickly became friends working together at the hotel together. I was in accounting, and he was… the audio/video guy, hah! We shared a passion for making event videos, and from there we began working together creating wedding films that we were inspired to make feel like little movies.
Fast forward a couple years of creating wedding films while still working as a full-time accountant, my good friend left his job to create wedding videos full-time, and I kept doing accounting. We had our daughter Audrey (now 6) while working in accounting at Legoland in Carlsbad. Then after having our second child, Cohen (2), I began working for North County Transit District. This is where things began creating the catalyst for where I am now.
I was working at a company where I was earning a pension, was being paid competitively for the low level of stress I had working an office job, and I was picturing myself doing this for the next 30-35 years. My boss was great, I loved talking about the latest TV shows with coworkers, and I kept picturing myself doing this for the next 30-35 years… It started to sink in. I would chat frequently with my coworkers that were nearing retirement, and I couldn’t stop talking with them about how much I loved doing my video work. They were endlessly encouraging to me that I needed to be doing what I have a passion for doing, which wasn’t sitting at a desk filling in spreadsheets.
I’ll be quick to say this was far from an overnight decision. My wife Alex and I spoke at great lengths on what it would take to be successful doing video work 100%, leaving the accounting career behind. Having her support in making such a big change was the biggest factor driving this joint decision. While the conversation was being had on whether this was a good change for us, and whether we could support two children and multitude of bills, video work began to pick up. Jason was referring work he couldn’t take on, the wedding season was beginning, I offered my video work for other wedding videographers who needed help. It seemed like out of nowhere, the universe was feeling the vibes that I was ready to make video work my full-time job, and accounting was keeping me from being able to say yes to the video projects I was being offered.
I gave my notice, leaving my accounting job, and here we are now. I can’t say I’m making more money, but I can say the flexibility in how I spend time with my family, and the potential to continue making wedding films, continues to drive me every day.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest struggle for me, was getting unanimous support from my wife, since she was the voice of reason in this massive decision. We both wanted to stick to the safe choices we had made, and making a change like we were planning was going to mean other areas of our life were going to have compromises.
Another struggle was just finding the “right time” to make this change. Our daughter was approaching kindergarten, which meant less daycare expenses for us. But the work needed to be there, so it was a matter of making sure I could stay busy once I no longer had my day job.
Sean Fresh Films – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I started Sean Fresh Films as a way to capture wedding films for couples that are timeless, but still feel cinematic and capture the emotion that comes with such a special day. Weddings are what I have been doing the most of, and for the longest, so it constitutes the core of what I do.
One thing I’m known for amongst my photographer peers is creating family fusion videos, with my good friend Erin from The Leo Loves. She is one of the best family photographers in San Diego, and when we team-up, she shoots photos and I shoot video, and I edit these together into a blend of video, and it creates a video that serves as both a memory and a piece of entertainment, similar to the spark I try to create in my wedding films!
I believe what sets me apart is keeping my work timeless, with just enough modern flair to make it feel relevant and current, but not so much it will feel outdated in a few years. My couples always watch their wedding films on their anniversary, 5+ years later, which makes me excited every time they share that with me!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My wife, Alex Fresh (@alexfresh) is undoubtedly my biggest supporter, and I wouldn’t be doing this without her continuous support. My good friend Jason Herrera (@audreyalbafilms), who made the leap before I did, and has helped me build up my company name, and offers support on a daily basis. My friend Erin Brant (@theleoloves), we’ve worked together countless times on fusion videos, and she inspires me with her work and endless creativity. My parents, and they’re ability to support my efforts regardless of what my schooling was in. My friends and clients that continue to support me and refer me to their friends, I wouldn’t be able to continue doing this if it weren’t for them!
Pricing:
- Wedding Highlight Film starts at $2800
- Wedding Short Film starts at $3600
- Wedding Feature Film starts at $4800
Contact Info:
- Website: www.seanfreshfilms.com
- Phone: 760-622-2180
- Email: sean@seanfreshfilms.com
- Instagram: @seanfreshfilms
- Facebook: Sean Fresh
Image Credit:
The Leo Loves, Colleen K Photography
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