Emily Sheehan

Why did you choose the Cinema & Media Production (MFA) program?

I chose to participate in the Cinema and Media Production MFA program to hone my craft as a director, spend a year delving into a project near to my heart, and also earn my MFA, so that I would have the option to teach at the college level. The graduate program felt very much like a capstone year, as I went into the graduate program directly from undergrad at BU. I saw it as an opportunity to spend a year focusing in and sharpening my discipline as a director and as a storyteller.

How did your time at COM help prepare you for your life post-COM?

My work in class, at BUTV10, and at a number of internships, including an internship with the Tribeca Film Festival and at Paramount Pictures at the Cannes International Film Festival, helped shaped me into the filmmaker and storyteller I am today. My work at BUTV10 exposed me to the addictive energy of production; pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and make projects of my own; and also gave me the permission to reach farther, and sometimes fail. Advanced Production Workshop and Production III, as well as Lighting with John Gates and Advanced Cinematography with Joel San Juan, gave me the technical knowledge which has been critical to me as a freelance filmmaker, especially now that I'm out of school. My work with Jan Egleson in Advanced Production Workshop and Directing shaped my process as a filmmaker, and taught me how to work with actors to earn their trust and get strong performances. Finally my work at Cannes and at Tribeca, as well as a number of other internships while in undergrad and grad school, including at the Massachusetts Production Coalition and Partner Pictures Documentary Film Group, gave me an important network and safety net out of school. It also exposed me to what's possible, how much I still need to improve, and what I can work towards as a filmmaker in order to keep growing.

What have you been up to since you graduated?
After wrapping up a semester as an Adjunct Professor at Boston University’s College of Communication, I am now working as an Assistant to Producer, Robin Sweet, on the new Stephen King adaptation, CASTLE ROCK, a Bad Robot / Hulu collaboration. The work is demanding, but also incredibly fulfilling. As the Assistant to the Producer, I have the privilege of working at the heart of the great machine that is episodic television production and regularly interface with cast, department heads and third party collaborators. It's inspiring to see so many great minds working together to create a pretty amazing show! I can't wait to share it with ya'll! 

Can you talk about your current position? How did you choose it? What makes it exciting?

Working a number of part-time jobs gives me the freedom to be on set, work as a freelance filmmaker, and to continue to push forward on my personal projects! Every day is different, which is how I like it.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering the Cinema & Media Production (MFA) program?

The Cinema & Media Production MFA program is a wonderful resource! Take full advantage of it. Come in prepared and ready to go. The more prepared you are, the more you will get out of the experience. For example, if you already know what kind of story you're interested in telling, or what you want to focus on, then you're already putting yourself in a position to succeed. Finally, use the time wisely - it's gone before you know it.