Meet Abdul T. Sesay | Writer/Director/Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abdul T. Sesay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abdul T., we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is something that every entrepreneur is aware of. It is something that you must be willing to embrace if you want to truly be successful in any form of business or life. I think of risks as opportunities for growth. Risks put you in positions of uneasiness no matter how well-planned you believe you are or prepared for the task at hand.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Well, I’m a Writer/Director which isn’t uncommon. So what I would say that separates me from others is how my life has been cultivated by different experiences. Not limited to, but including, background, upbringing, passions, and the way I see the world through these specific lenses.

How I got to where I am as a filmmaker is pretty cut and dry. I wanted to write so I started to put stories together. After some time I realized that I needed to learn structure so I joined a couple of screenwriting groups, learned from listening to the attending members of the group, and asked a bunch of questions.

From there I read a bunch of books on screenwriting and started to write and have more seasoned writers review my work. Once I had gotten to the point where I thought that my work was decent enough. I started to put my work into production. It wasn’t easy. It took time to buy equipment, to foster the necessary relationships to have others join me in creating my films. Which came by me of course volunteering my time for their projects first.

One lesson I’ve learned along the way is that you have to be a problem solver. Life is going to put obstacles in front of you that may seem insurmountable, but you have to find a way to fight through the uncertainty and moments of doubt. Perseverance, work ethic, research, execution, and relationships are the keys to all of this.

I am a firm believer in aiding others and in time they may be able to return the favor. The key to this is to give of your time and resources freely without expectation of receiving anything in return. If they can help wonderful, if not that’s fine as well. The thing is to be a blessing to others because with that mind sent there is nothing that can stop you from reaching your goals. You’ll start to attract people who see the good in you and want to help you along on your journey.

Sa-Loan Productions is not only a video production company, but it’s also an institute that houses talent that is going to contribute to the future of entertainment.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d probably take them to Sunset Blvd, and go on one of those bus tours. Then go to the Roosevelt Hotel and go to a restaurant in the hotel called 25 Degrees. Where I believe they have some of the best burgers on the West Coast. I’d also take them to Koreatown to go to this restaurant called Castle where they have some awesome Korean BBQ. Probably go to one of the beaches like Huntington and walk on the Pier and check out some of the vendors on the strip.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to thank God for guiding me through countless trials and tribulations. For bringing the right mixture of people in and out of my life to help me grow into a stronger person. For teaching me through my own experiences and giving me the foresight to glean from other’s experiences, whether it was people I knew personally, knew from afar, or by reading biographies.

Website: saloanpro.com

Instagram: @sa-loanpro

Twitter: @ASesay78

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tejan.sesay.31/