Sean Hanish
Sean Hanish is an American film writer, producer and director best known for Return to Zero. He is also a multi-award-winning commercial director.
Based on the true story of Sean and his wife Kiley's experience with stillbirth, Return to Zero was Lifetime’s first ever Global Premiere Film which was seen by over 4 million people when it premiered in May 2014 on Lifetime in the USA, Canada, the UK, and Southeast Asia.[1]
Sean has been a member of the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) since 2005 and Writers Guild of America (WGA) since 2012.
Education
After studying under master film theorist David Bordwell at the University of Wisconsin, Sean completed his Master of Arts at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television.
Awards and Nominations
Return to Zero earned an Emmy nomination for its star, Minnie Driver,[2] as well as Critics' Choice and Satellite Award nominations for her phenomenal performance. Sean received a WGA Award nomination for his screenplay,[3] and the film won the International Press Association's Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture Made for Television.[4]
Sean’s short films, Sales Tribe Grashecki and Real Men have garnered dozens of awards both domestically and internationally, and his ensemble play Acts Of Contrition enjoyed sold-out runs in both New York and Los Angeles.
Commercial Work
Sean also writes, directs, and produces commercials for a wide variety of international clients such as Cindy Crawford, CBS, NFL, DISNEY, NCAA, Hallmark, Liz Claiborne, and Oscar De La Renta through his production company Cannonball Productions. This experience has culminated in his creating and executing multi-million dollar campaigns for the launch of the fastest-growing brand in the home-furnishings industry, Cindy Crawford Home, and the largest independent furniture retailer, Rooms To Go, which grosses $2B annually.[5]