The Moveable Fest Interview: Sean David Christensen on "What I Had to Leave Behind"

Stephen Saito of The Moveable Fest interviewed me about my collaborative creative process making What I Had to Leave Behind. I was flattered to describe the production hurdles I had to overcome with my team, once again reminded how grateful I am to work alongside such amazing people. It was enlightening to hear his perspective watching my film for the first time, and I hope you'll enjoy the discussion!

"What I Had to Leave Behind" Official Selection at 2022 Los Angeles Animation Festival

What I Had to Leave Behind will screen at the 2022 Los Angeles Animation Festival on December 10th. Founded in 2007, LAAF is the city’s only international film festival and symposium.

Earlier this week, Maggie Dave - Old You, the official music video animated by Cassie Shao for Christensen’s pop music project with Mark Christopher, was awarded Honorable Mention at LAAF. This honor is given "to work of an exceptionally high standard and worthy of festival praise." Shao is an alum of the festival, earning a nomination for her film There Were Four of Us as Best Student Experimental Short in 2019.

"What I Had to Leave Behind" at DOC NYC

What I Had to Leave Behind will be screening at DOC NYC, America’s largest documentary festival. Now celebrating its 13th season, this year celebrates new talent, feature film premieres and compelling stories from artists of all backgrounds, cultures, ages, abilities and identities.

I’m honored to share the screen with my colleagues in the “New York, New York” shorts block. Tickets are now on sale for both in-person and streaming.

"What I Had to Leave Behind" at 2022 HollyShorts Film Festival

The Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival hosted a screening of What I Had to Leave Behind at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA on August 18th, 2022. It was a fun night sharing the evening with my friends and collaborators from the film: cinematographer Wenting Deng Fisher and animator Cassie Shao. Our mighty sound mixer Jackie! Zhou had three films in the shorts block we played in, including our own!

Post-screening Q&A after the “Docs II” shorts block at the 2022 HollyShorts Film Festival in Hollywood, CA - August 18th, 2022. (Photo by Shengwei Zhou)

28th Palm Springs International ShortFest - June 24th, 2022

I was honored to share the screen with so many brilliant creatives at this year’s Palm Springs International ShortFest. I feel the journey of a film isn’t complete until an audience experiences it together. With that, What I Had to Leave Behind was embraced in a way that was completely unexpected and so gratifying for me & the crew who attended. Special thanks to Getty Images & David Crotty for capturing on the red carpet how I felt that entire week: grateful and proud of whatever comes next.

"What I Had to Leave Behind" at 2022 Palm Springs International ShortFest

As we wrapped miniature photography on What I Had to Leave Behind last spring, cinematographer Wenting Deng Fisher had an idea for a behind-the-scenes picture. I had to crawl underneath the set, a dollhouse-scale replica of my old Los Angeles Koreatown apartment, to get to the other side and give her the best angle. One year later, I'm looking at myself through this doorway, reflecting on all that was unknown at the time for my film & I. I hadn't yet added Cassie Shao's remarkable animation or Branden Brown’s evocative score (his first for film). Not even Jackie! Zhou’s immersive sound mix or Alastor Arnold’s impeccable color. This film would just be an empty room without my crew.

Wenting Deng Fisher adjusts her camera on the miniature set of What I Had to Leave Behind.

Later this month, our film will be making its west coast premiere at the 2022 Palm Springs International ShortFest, selected to compete in the "Best Animated Short" program. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude. For all those currently in the middle of a project or a pathway that seems obscured, keep moving. Don't be afraid to ask your peers for help. If and when you're blessed with their support, always give it back to your community two-fold. You're always stronger when you build together!

Palm Springs is an institution. Their thoughtful Oscar, BATFA & Goya Award-qualifying programming elevates the craft of short films. It's an honor to participate this year with my latest offering. Please check out the rest of my peers on the #shortfest2022 YouTube playlist to hear all about their wonderful work.

"What I Had to Leave Behind," original motion picture score by Branden Brown

It was a joy working with multireedist and composer Branden Brown on his first film score for What I Had to Leave Behind. A graduate of the USC Thornton School of Music Jazz Studies program, I discovered his gift for composing at one of the school’s jazz concerts, all of which, had been converted to pre-recorded livestreams during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Coincidentally, I was able to virtually attend more concerts than I had been able to do so years before in person, and the experience forever opened my mind and ears to these remarkably talented musicians.

July 17th, 2021 - Composer and saxophonist Branden Brown tunes his instrument in the scoring stage of BioSoul Music; Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Sean David Christensen)

Branden assembled an exceptional ensemble to perform his original jazz score, which he conducted from behind his player’s podium as the saxophonist. Joining him in the BioSoul Music scoring stage were trumpeter Ethan Chilton, bass clarinetist Eric Croissant, drummer/percussionist Lauren Ellis and bassist Cyrus Elia. Adding later on to the score, remotely, was keyboardist Magdalena Daniec of Joy Guerilla. The session was engineered by Daniel Weidlein.

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

As we wait for our film festival premiere and an opportunity to share What I Had to Leave Behind in its entirety, please enjoy Branden’s musical score that evokes the film’s contemplative themes of remembrance and letting go of the past. (Music animation by Cassie Shao. Photography by Wenting Deng Fisher.)

Behind the scenes: "What I Had to Leave Behind"

Here I am dusting the miniature set of What I Had to Leave Behind, my latest film. In my (comparatively massive) hand, I’m wielding the same 1/2 inch acrylic paintbrush I used to paint this dollhouse-scale apartment. I should’ve made a dust pan before I started sweeping, too! Photographed by my director of photography, Wenting Deng Fisher, we wrapped filming in April 2021 with these miniature unit shots to help tell the story of this hybrid live-action/animation diary film. Featuring animation by my friend Cassie Shao, an original jazz score by Branden Brown and sound design by Jackie! Zhou, I’m looking forward to completion this summer and building whatever comes next!