#310: From West Point to Hollywood: Building a Filmmaking Career with Sean Mullin, USMA '97

Need financing for your next investment property? Visit: https://www.academyfund.com/ ____ Sean Mullin is an award-winning filmmaker known for his feature film debut, AMIRA & SAM , which won multiple film festivals and was distributed by Drafthouse Films. He co-wrote and co-produced SEMPER FI with Oscar-nominated director Henry-Alex Rubin, and produced ALLEGIANCE , both of which saw theatrical releases. Sean directed the documentary KINGS OF BEER and IT AIN'T OVER , the highest-grossing theatrical documentary of 2023, about baseball legend Yogi Berra. A former Army officer and first responder on 9/11, Sean holds an MFA from Columbia University and a B.S. from West Point. He is represented by UTA and runs Five By Eight Productions in Los Angeles. In this episode of the SABM podcast, Scott chats with Sean about: Filmmaking with Sean Mullen: From West Point to filmmaking Family Influence: How Sean's entrepreneurial roots shaped his creative vision. Notable Projects: It Ain't Over , the West Point rugby doc, and working with Buzz Aldrin's family. Building Five by Eight Productions: Growing a successful production company. Creative Wisdom: Sean's advice on chasing passion and making it in the film world Timestamps: 00:08 Sean's Unique Career Path 01:59 Early Influences and Creative Upbringing 04:24 Military Service and Transition to Filmmaking 08:18 First Feature Film: Amira and Sam 10:56 Documentary Journey: Kings of Beer and It Ain't Over 15:40 Current Projects and Teaching 25:07 Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers Connect with Sean LinkedIn Make sure you never miss an episode—subscribe now and help support the show: Apple Podcasts Spotify Leave us a 5-star review! A special thank you to Sean Mullin for joining me this week. Until next time! - Scott Mackes, USNA '01

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