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 GF:
Thank you for this interview, there are people out there whom want to
know more about you and your projects.
Sean S:
Really? I'd be
surprised...haha.
GF:
We've gotten tons of emails
from the general public.
Sean S:
It must be all spam
email...haha.
GF:
You have a really good
sense of humor, I've heard that.
Sean S:
It runs in the
family, I've always been a little on the goofy side, as a child I use to
get sent to the corner allot in grade school. I think life is too short
to be stressing on small issues everyday, but of course like everyone
else I have my moments.
GF:
True, so your family has
the same humor? and I also heard that art runs in your family.
Sean S:
Yes, my mother is an
established Persian pop singer, and my biological father is a classical
musician, he plays all the hard instruments like the violin, saxophone,
clarinet and so on.
GF:
So tell us a little about your back ground and then we can move to your
current projects.
Sean S:
Sure, I would say
that my background is not very typical. I was brought to the States at
an early age of 6 or 7, to visit and because of the Iran revolution in
'77 or whenever it was, my mother was not able to leave Iran because she
was a singer, and they had really bizarre rules about artist leaving the
country. So basically by default I ended up being adopted by a wonderful
American family in Tampa, FL. (George and Patsy Daugherty)
GF:
wow, and how did you feel
at such an early age?
Sean S:
Well, at first I was
scared out of my wits, everything was strange to me, there were no other
persians at that time in that area, and my family were ultra Christians.
I mean one second I was in Iran running in the streets in front of our
house, and the next thing I know I'm in Tampa Florida sitting in Sunday
school and being the only dark hair kid on the block.
GF:
How was your English? did
you understand what was happening?
Sean S:
Yes, I totally
understood, I think even as a kid I was very mature and strong, it's in
my demeanor. My English was non existent, however I think my survival
instincts kicked in, and I very quickly (in about 6 months) became
fluent in English, in fact after a few years I had all but forgotten my
own native language (Farsi). I had become Sean the dark hair kid next
door.
GF:
Interesting
to say the least, how did they treat you?
Sean S:
Yes it was, one day I
hope to write a novel or a script about it. I was able to experience a
first hand upbringing from a completely different culture than my own,
and I was able to experience many things that you really can't describe.
They treated my like there own son, and truly loved me, and I loved them
back. My father (adopted father) was a professor at south Florida
university (USFL), he taught film studies and was very knowledgeable in
many other fields. Lucky for me he was retired, so I was his ginny pig
student, he taught me many many wonderful things about art, chemistry,
literature, and how hard work pays off, but also that it was important
to become a more intelligent person. He was a major influence for me, he
instilled allot of confidence in me that I still hold and value. I still
care about him and the family very much.
GF:
So that lead
you to where you are today?
Sean S:
I would say many of the
seeds that a child needs were planted in me at that point in time. And
now its rounding out towards a full circle.
GF:
Very interesting I will
look forward to the book or film.
Sean S:
We'll see, hopefully
(smiles).
GF:
So tell us how you came
about writing and directing "Djinn"?
Sean S:
I've always loved Sinbad,
and "sword and sandal" type films. I also know we have many great
stories in the Middle East that the west should be exposed to, lots of
legends and fairy tales that I think the world would really enjoy and
you know? you see the same films over and over again, and I wanted to
try and bring something a little different.
GF:
Was is hard to write the
script?
Sean S:
Well I love to write and be
creative so i tried to kinda go crazy and have fun with it, in fact with
"Djinn 2" I will be going even more crazy (smiles)
GF:
So you are writing the
sequel?
Sean S:
Yes, I think I'm ready to
expand the story, in fact I had originally written it as a three part
trilogy.
GF:
Very cool, cant wait to see
it and congrats.
Sean S:
Thank you, it was a
pleasure.
GF:
Thank you, hope to have you
back soon.
Interview with Shahin Sean Solimon
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