Seanne Winslow is a writer, director, producer. Born to American parents, she grew up in Germany and spent time in England, Israel, and the Middle East. From an early age, Seanne experienced how stories bring people together, regardless of their background. She became a filmmaker to entertain and inspire global audiences.
After writing and directing her award-winning feature directorial debut “The Falconer” with Adam Sjoberg, Seanne joined forces with Eric Darnell (“Madagascar”) to develop “Witchverse,” an animated TV show for Disney, which explores and upends common misconceptions about global witch mythology from different cultures. Seanne will be writing and co-producing. She is also attached to direct “Alleycats,” an adrenaline-packed action movie, produced by Brian Brightly and Aaron Weiderspahn. She is developing “Ilona,” which is inspired by her childhood in a German castle and produced by Benjamin Munz. Seanne recently finished a re-write of the thriller, “Nowhere” (Netflix), which garnered the movie a green light.
As a creative producer at Lin Pictures (now Rideback), she oversaw the Sherlock Holmes franchise with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. She went on to become the Executive Producer of “The Lego Movie” directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, starring Will Ferrell, Chris Pratt, and Elizabeth Banks. She co-founded an underground community with producer Dan Lin for filmmakers to discuss, “How do we tell better stories?” Seanne also produced Kanye West’s “Life of Pablo/Yeezy Season 3” show in Madison Square Garden and “Monster,” a five-part documentary series, for Spotify about rapper 21 Savage.
Seanne studied writing and directing at USC Film School.
Her film, “The Falconer”, is part of BIFF 2022.
What was your first experience on a film set?
“My most memorable experience on a film set was shooting the live-action sequence in THE LEGO MOVIE. We had been dreaming about that scene for over four years, while we worked on the animated part of the movie, and seeing Bricksburg come to life in the real world was just so awesome.
My first experience on a movie set was at USC Film School. I still get that same feeling of brimming excitement I got when I called “”action”” for the first time! There is magic in seeing a talented cast and crew transform black and white words into vibrant, living colors on set.”
What was the first film you directed/wrote?
“The first film I directed was a documentary feature in Malawi, Africa called “”Beating the Odds.”” The movie is about the courageous men and women who lead Malawi in a peaceful transition from a brutal dictatorship to a homegrown democracy.
The first narrative feature I wrote and directed is the film that’s playing here “”The Falconer,”” which I made with Adam Sjoberg.”
Who is your favorite filmmaker?
“Oye. That’s such a tough question!
I love how Alfonso Cuarón can tell a grounded story like ROMA or a futuristic story like CHILDREN OF MEN and make them both feel lived in and real.
I love Denis Villeneuve (ARRIVAL or DUNE) because he invites us all to see the world in a slightly bigger, more nuanced way.
And maybe most of all, I love Chris Miller and Phil Lord. From LEGO to SPIDER-VERSE they create environments on set where the whole crew has a voice and is valued. That joyful, inclusivity is reflected on-screen in their movies and it inspires me.”
What are you working on that no one knows about?
“I’m working on a few things right now that are pretty public. I’m writing an animated TV show for D+ called “”Witchverse”” and I’m about to go direct an action movie in Thailand called ALLEYCATS.
But the project I’m working on that no one knows about is a project that my friend A.C. Bradley, who is the creator and showrunner of “”What if…”” for Marvel, is writing for me to direct. I wish I could say more but I can’t just yet.”