Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Breitkreutz.
Hi Sean, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The interest in visual storytelling started very young. Whenever I watched movies, I would reenact them and place myself in these scenarios. Perhaps an early form of escapism.
Growing up in a small town, (Rock Hill, SC) a lot of my excitement came from fantasizing new worlds outside of my own. When my father first allowed me to play with the family camcorder, (a bulky JVC camcorder) I got hooked. This was my first introduction into film, and I particularly remember the summer of 2005 unlocking many new doors. The neighborhood friends and I made a few dozen films on these 30 minute-VHS tapes. This was before editing became a factor other than rewinding over previous footage and filming to fill in gaps. Back then we shot everything in sequential order. And whatever was on that tape… that was the final film we would pop in the VCR and invite the family to watch.
In my early teens, I was introduced to video editing and digital recording. The early software was barely enough to get by, but it unlocked a whole new world. Especially, the ability to share work online. For those first years, it jumped between absurd sketch comedy that I can no longer watch without cringing, or horror shorts. Each video release was more absurd than the last, and a big driving factor was to shock and get a rise out of people. (Perhaps this was my way of reacting to the throes of high school social anxiety). Irregardless it was a time where I began to actually understand editing and the power you could possess from home.
After high school, I found a community through the University of North Carolina School of the Arts within their filmmaking program. I was accepted into the directing program, and those four years really allowed me a platform to collaborate with a plethora of talented people with access to industry standards equipment, and really start to experiment with form. The drama program was available on campus alongside musicians and dancers, which really created a community rife for experimenting. I say these are the years where I found a “style” and “voice” to my work, and really formed everlasting bonds.
Scrounging up just enough money to survive for a month or two, I packed up and moved to New York City with a few college friends. The road was rocky, but making that plunge opened a lot of doors. Going from a small town to a city was no doubt surreal, and I had to get out there if I wanted to survive and stay focused. The next 3-4 years in the city was a whirlwind, but it was exciting. Totally unlike anything I had experienced, and it was a rush navigating this terrain and building familiarity in a mecca like NY. The city allowed me to work on sets and around important figures in the world of cinema, but I struggled to find time to make my own material. The hierarchy and competitive nature was also a lot to stomach. You can be around the scene, but still feel outside.
Now, I’m spending my time back within the roots of where I first developed a love for filmmaking. In the past few years, I’ve become super active in the world of “Nightwire Films,” a collective production company dedicated to the strange unknowns of filmmaking. It’s been a super productive period in terms of output, and in a way a reminder of why creating personal work was so important in the first place.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always moments where I look around to peers my age in more “stable” careers and start to compare. I see some people starting families and having kids… and I’m dealing with that natural duality of wanting a more stable circumstance. Learning how to balance the dream with reality, along with everyone else. As I get late into my late twenties, that ability to coast and take risks starts to hit a point where it feels foolish. No doubt do I go through bouts of depression and anxiety, especially when it’s a creative dry-spell or I’m not surrounded by people with similar aspirations and interests who are also able to balance it in their lives.
But… something keeps me going back to making projects. Even with little to no budget on some films or photoshoots…. but I’m lucky to have a strong support network of friends and creatives who are willing to work on something they are passionate about. I help them on their projects without expecting a huge stipend at the end in return, and it’s important to have some sort of network. It’s a shared struggle, and the more you talk about it the more you empower each other to keep chasing the longterm goal. Deep down, we know it will pay off.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work both with filmmaking and photography, specializing in niche horror and absurdist comedy, often with an existential edge. I like to explore the subcultures within society, mostly finding comfort in subjects who are coping with the strange world around them. I tend to intermix raw realism with shifts into the surreal unknown, often escapist. I’m more intrigued by stories from the lost and damned: the friend from high school who never left town, the nephew who is afraid to show his face and must forever stand with his back turned, the caretaker who is haunted by the unearthly messages from the answering machine in the senior living center.
Towards the end of 2020, Nightwire Films was formed. A collaboration alongside Brent Worden and Spencer Bang, Nightwire hones in on the unknown, teetering between naturalism and surrealism. Based in Fort Mill, Nightwire started following the completion of “Black Altar,” a micro budget small town anthology film that mirrored the works of Shirly Jackson or strange fiction author Robert Aickman. The film combined shared elements of horror, Southern gothic, and hints of absurdist humor in a way that reflected my southern roots and interests in horror/comedy. It set the tone for what Nightwire would become.
More recently, Nightwire has started a page on various social media (TikTok, Instagram, Youtube) entitled @mush__tv (two underscores, that’s important). The goal was to create a platform that forced a consistent schedule with the craft, posting videos every Wednesday night. The videos reflect characters lost in the strange realm of “mush,” an oppressive reality oddly close to our own. The visual trick is hyper slo motion photography with grainy, black and white finish showcasing a main character lost in their own special way. However, each character has a distorted face. Driven by voice over narratives showcasing the characters thoughts, the shorts act as short reflections that showcase a distinctive style and anthology-like narrative that is digestible for a modern audience.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Unfortunately, our industry is headed in a directions catering towards immediacy. It’s just a byproduct of the social media, AI expansion that exploded over the last dozen or so years. I’ve worked on various sets where the content was strictly for social media, shooting on cell phones while still acting as a high paid professional environment. The cynic in me who romanticizes films from the past, physical media, and actually going to the theaters as a practice sometimes is scared by the direction the entertainment world is going.
I do think there is a lot of great opportunities for people to buy affordable(ish) equipment; at least enough to be seen immediately through online platforms without relying on breaking through the doors of Hollywood.
If you have a great idea, the good news is there is more availability than ever to make that a reality with basic gear and software. To stand out, you just have to be able to put in practice and take time to understand technique and your own personal touch. At least, if you want to last.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.seanbreitkreutz.com : www.nightwirefilms.com
- Instagram: @sean_breitkreutz_art ; @mush__tv
- Youtube: @NightwireFilms
- soundcloud: LORDxLOONEY
