MAKE Welcomes Seth Bortner
Lisbet Byler
April was a momentous month for the MAKE team. Not only did we travel to Italy to capture the beauty of Villa Laura and kick off an exciting documentary project back in the states, but we added two (count ‘em) TWO new Makers to the team! Seth Bortner joined as Editor & Assistant Director, and Jordan Graff joined our crew as Editor.
I chatted with Seth about his path leading up to MAKE and to find out a little more about what makes him tick. Learn more about Jordan here.
Lisbet: “Tell me about your career path prior to landing at MAKE.”
Seth: “I guess it all started when I would make skate videos with my brother. He was better at skating than me…I was garbage…so I would be the shooter and editor. So when it came time for college, making films was really the only thing I had any interest in. So I went to Kutztown University for Electronic Media. While I was there, I had an internship at TCmotion that turned into a full time job after I graduated. There, I worked as Assistant Director which included a lot of script writing, creative design, directing, and producing.”
Lisbet: “Who is ‘Seth’?”
Seth: “I’m really into cartoons and kids programming. For a long time I wanted to work in kids programming but never thought it was possible since I didn’t have animation skills. So I’ve really decided to push myself to learn the trade and build a skill set, admittedly of which I am in the infantile stages. I really enjoy playing the electric and acoustic guitar and leading small worship sessions. I’m a Christ follower; that’s a big part of my life. I’m also really inspired by all the minimalist trends going on so I’ve implemented a lot of it and my life is so much better and so orderly now because of it. I get really sad when someone hands me random pointless gifts…I just want to throw it away!”
Note to self: Don’t buy Seth anything…
Lisbet: “Why do you get up in the morning? What gives you energy?”
Seth: “I have this drive to create. So I try to get up at 5 a.m. every morning and spend two hours before work learning. I watch tutorials and read books and practice the craft. When I was probably five or six years old, my doctor asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I told him I wanted to be an animator, but I guess I got discouraged at some point and for the longest time I didn’t think it was possible. So it feels great to be 25 and now working towards fulfilling the dream I had since I was five.”
Lisbet: “What excites you about the film industry?”
Seth: “Aside from animation, I get really hype when making films. When I’m editing and I find the right music to time things nicely to really drive a point home…that gets me jacked up. I love that part.”
Lisbet: “What drew you to MAKE?”
Seth: “I could really tell the culture at MAKE encourages creativity throughout the entire process. And of course the culture in general was really appealing. I knew Grace before working here, and she told me when MAKE goes out for lunch, you’re able to talk about each other’s lives. And that translates on set and into the work you produce. The other day when I was on set with MAKE, it really felt like we were just making a film with friends. And that’s really cool.”
RAPID FIRE
Favorite activity: Reading
Favorite movie: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Favorite TV show: My Hero Academia or The Amazing World of Gumball
Dream vacation spot: Paris, France
Favorite type of food: Cheesecake (!!!)
Favorite Book: Dracula by Bram Stoker
Favorite Song: “No Show” by Toro y Moi
Favorite Quote: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1:2-4