Summary
Emmy award winner, author and HD Instructor, B. Sean Fairburn SOC served as an Officer in the U.S. Marine Corp Reserves while working in Hollywood as a freelance Director of Photography (DP). Earning his 1st Emmy for HD Cinematography shot in combat in Iraq, Sean is one of the most knowledgeable High Definition Cameramen in the country. He often works as a Consultant, Cam Op, or DIT on challenging projects that require a strong blend of disciplines both highly technical and artistic especially live action 3D.


Military Background
Sean enlisted the U.S. Marine Corp Reserves in 1987, and was activated for the Gulf War in 1990. His unit performed reconnaissance and screening missions in Iraq as part of Fox Company, 2nd Light Armored Infantry Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. Sean was a 0313 LAV Crewman and the Vehicle Commander and Gunner aboard an LAV-25 for the HQ Section as well as the Navigator for the company.

In 2000 Fairburn was the only High Definition Combat Camera Officer in the Marine Corps, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Fairburn was called to active duty again in 2002 for Operation Enduring Freedom and 2003 Iraqi Freedom. He was asked to shoot the Iraq War in High Definition 24P (HD 24P) as part of Regimental Combat Team 7 with the 1st tank battalion, which was the lead ground combat element over the border into Iraq, and all the way through multiple firefights on the push to Baghdad.

CWO2 B. Sean Fairburn resigned his commission from the Marines on Nov 10 2005. He is currently writing 6 feature film scripts and creating a Feature on the Marine tank unit he traveled with in the Iraq War called “Armor Clad Warriors.” this will make use of the 50 Hours of HD footage shot while in Combat in Iraq, To see still photographs of the Iraq War taken by Sean, please visit www.seanfairburn.com.

Entertainment Background
Sean got his start in entertainment in the late ‘80s when he had a desire to be a stuntman but was offered a job operating a camera for a sports television show. Upon returning from the Gulf War in 1991, he moved to Branson, Missouri to shoot and direct live multi-camera stage shows and concert tours. Falling in love with the art of film, Sean began to work as an assistant on commercials and features throughout the Midwest. Over the years, Sean began to build a reputation, working on a myriad of high profile television and feature film projects, while having the opportunity to meet the talented elite of Hollywood’s camera, stunt and SFX departments.

Working in Film and Video yet keeping an eye on technology, Sean eagerly anticipated the arrival of High Definition and took the first HD workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico taught by Jeff Cree of Sony, working with the HDW-700 (1035i) cameras in 1999. From there, Sean began a rigorous testing cycle, learning and sharing with others the pros and cons of shooting in High Definition. Once 24P became available in the summer of 2000, Sean continued to learn from heavily testing everything, working with engineers, colorist and film cinematographers. He began building practical working methods for HD 24P as camera departments who typically had only worked with film began to use it.

Because of this reputation for testing, Sean was asked to operate and engineer the first High Definition feature film in North America called "Nicolas" in summer 2000. He worked out some of the bugs on the Panavised HD 24P F-900 cameras before George Lucas received them on "Star Wars."

Sharing his skills and testing with others, Sean is also an Advanced HD Cinematography Instructor, and has traveled to Bangkok Thailand, Seoul, South Korea and Munich, Germany to instruct others from around the world in HD cinematography for the Santa Fe Workshops. Sean has also consulted on many TV shows that were switching over to HD by training other Directors of Photographers, Operators and 1st Assistant Cameramen. Raising the tide of understanding is very rewarding to Sean. His articles can be read in many industry trade magazines.

Sean’s film and television credits are extensive. Please visit his IMDB page for details.

TRW, Raytheon, USMC, Army, Navy, NOPD SWAT, American Defense Systems are among his Military and Corporate clients.

Sean Fairburn is also the owner of Role Model Productions, LLC and HD Gunner, LLC. He resides in Ponchatoula, Louisiana with his cute wife Amy and his five beautiful children. For more information, please visit www.seanfairburn.com.