After screening his recent work with Overtime, the Elon alumnus shared insights into his career as a producer and cinematographer.
Following a screening of three episodes he shot, edited and produced, Elon alumnus Sean Dolan ’13 was presented on Nov. 19 with the elondocs Emerging Documentarian Award.
Based in New York, Dolan is a producer, cinematographer and editor for Overtime, a sports media company that merges sports, culture and social media. Prior to this role, the media arts and entertainment major – a precursor to Elon’s cinema and television arts major – worked as a producer for Fly on the Wall Productions, Gallery Media Group and Sports Illustrated.
“The range of his post-grad work, combined with his ongoing commitment to Elon students, made him the perfect candidate for this year’s elondocs Emerging Documentarian Award,” said Nicole Triche, associate professor of cinema and television arts and faculty director of elondocs.
After the screening of Dolan’s work in Turner Theatre, students and faculty engaged in a lively Q&A session. Topics included Dolan’s experiences at Elon, insights into the evolving communications industry, and advice on building a strong portfolio before graduation.
“Get involved in any way possible, create as much content as you can, and show your style through your work,” Dolan said. “Even recording your friend playing a sport or playing an instrument puts you at an advantage.”
Dolan reflected on his time at Elon, emphasizing his hands-on approach to learning. From participating in student films with elondocs to interning at professional broadcasting and production companies, he honed his storytelling skills from the ground up. He attributed much of his success to his ability to connect with people and bring their stories to life, in addition to technical expertise.
“I have always had an interest in the communications field, but viewing Dolan’s impressive work and hearing him speak of elondocs’ profound impact on him made me want to get involved in a new realm of it,” said Devon Sweeney ’25, a strategic communications major and Communications Fellow.