Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean Doherty.
Hi Sean, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The idea of Sharpened Iron Studio was a vision downloaded to me on a plane flight form DC to LA. Previously I had been in politics for 38-years with the last 13 being a lobbyist. Our firm had offices Sacrament and DC for 13-years. We were in the process of opening a London office. That download, divinely inspired, gave me the mission, vision and business plan for Sharpened Iron Studios (SIS). That was October of 2019 shortly after we had moved from Sacramento CA to Amarillo Texas. The vision was to create and build a Christian focused TV and film studio in Texas, specifically Amarillo.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No it has been anything but smooth. We entered into a 50-year lease with Amarillo Collage the local junior collage to rent 2/3 of their downtown campus. We spent over $3.5MM renovating, cleaning and constructing a sound stage, podcast studio, editing suite, G&E as well as camera departments. In turn, they were to create a film school that would train the crew that Amarillo lack, specifically below the line. They did not do that which has been a hinderance to SIS productions but also to bringing other productions to the studio for any significant period of time. We opened in late 2020 and while the Texas Governor declared Covid at an end, the world still was very much closed down and the various industry guilds were overly cautious. This reduced productions and even made our first movie “What Remains” more expensive than it needed to be. As the industry eased restrictions on covid we were hit with the worst strikes the US film industry has experienced. All of this significantly impacted our capital raise ability and income. We are going to pivot and build a creator/filmology campus in the DFW metroplex where there is crew, existing infrastructure and film school that is aggressively training below the line crew
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Sharpened Iron Studios, LLC?
My family moved form Memphis Tennessee in 1978. My sister, Shannen and myself got into acting three years later. We both had success, me mostly in theater and Shannen, well the world knows about her career. In 986 however I was challenged to run for a political office, my first, by my high school government teacher. I won and that started a 38-year political career. I walked away form the industry believing I had found my true calling. That was until that plane flight from DC to LA (ironically I was flying to meet Clint Eastwood’s daughter Allison to discuss lobbying for her.
I am the Founder and CEO for SIS. As such I oversee all aspects of the studio, from raising funds, project development, client acquisition and service, fiscal over site etc. That being said I see my primary role as the vision caster and face for the studio.
I have long been a fan of MGM, back in the day when LB Mayer ran the studio. He viewed MGM as a family and, for the most part, treated everyone that worked for the studio as such whether it was a PA or one of his brightest stars. I want SIS to be that but without some of the darker sides of the studio. Ultimately we want to have a cadre of team mates in every department that work for the studio. This will not only guarantee full employment but also that SIS has the human manpower to fulfill our mission and thrive.
SIS is an unabashed Christian film studio. We will rent facilities, equipment etc to secular films, with some exceptions, what we produce will carry the message, hope, peace and love of Jesus Christ.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Know who YOU are, your identity, know your purpose and know your mission. That is critical. Beyond that understand that there will be difficulties and how you respond to those difficulties, whether you persevere or quit WILL define you.
Pricing:
- Pricing depends on your needs
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sharpenedironstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharpenedironstudios
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharpenedIronStudios
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/69216315/admin/dashboard/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sharpenedironstudios8515
