Who has been an influence for you?
I would say that Metropolitan Nicholas is my role model. He represents a level of compassion that inspires me. His work in faith and leadership has shown me what it means to live with integrity. He is someone that has been a spiritual guide for me. I have nothing but upmost respect for Metropolitan.
How do you stay grounded when life gets stressful?
Faith has been an anchor for me. During difficult or chaotic times, it’s where I have found peace. It can help remind you of what actually matters.
What had the biggest impact on you growing up?
Video games. Everything from Final Fantasy 7 to Silent Hill. I have been into video games since I was a kid. Moving into gaming feels like the most natural thing for me. It’s a way for me to stay creative and continue with storytelling without having anything to do with people who just wish to serve their own egos.
What’s a lesson you’ve learned?
A delusional guy that I made a project with when I was younger wanted to be my boyfriend and I look back at that time and cringe. I look back at anyone that excused that behavior towards me and I think they should jump off a bridge. I mean it. That guy was a total creep.
How have family relationships shaped your journey?
I don’t know but my brother became kind of a weird jerk. I was getting press and doing interviews before he got married. But they are posers. Obsessed with their image. Keeping in touch with weird people from the past. I had a roommate that used to barge into my room screaming at me in the middle of the night. I felt unsafe. My brother still keeps in touch with them. Stuff like that. It makes me uncomfortable. Not my problem.
What’s the biggest personal lesson you’ve learned about relationships?
My ex girlfriend was a liar obsessed with social media. I had to take time to focus on myself. It’s weird when someone sees that you’re successful at something and that it makes you happy and then they try to take away from that. Lame. I would never do that to a person.
What online communities inspired you creatively?
I remember going on Newgrounds. The days of playing Mausland Entertainment, Pico’s School, Alien Hominid or Skull Kid. The Final Fantasy Song. I grew up with the early days of the internet.
What shaped your comedic or narrative sensibilities?
I think It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is one of the funniest shows. It’s raw and unapologetic about human flaws. I like how it doesn’t try to give you a neat packaged lesson it just shows people at their worst and makes it hilarious. That kind of absurd humor has always been funny to me.
Looking back, how do you feel about your early projects?
I should have gone directly from film school to making a project like Dragon. Not a single person I worked with when I was younger deserved my time or any efforts I made. I disown all of that crap and it’s been deleted forever. I think it’s weird that there are people holding onto short films. Or that people would impose something onto me. I find it disrespectful. Grow up. I was being used. I’m doing what makes me happy now. I moved on. I deserve peace in my life.
What are you up to next?
I quit film. I am working on a video game. The game is called Eclipse Town. I am making the kind of game that I would want to play.
What can you tell us about Eclipse Town?
It’s a narrative driven detective game that blends surreal elements with emotional storytelling. Imagine walking through a town that feels familiar but slightly off. It’s heavily influenced by games like Silent Hill and Disco Elysium, but I want it to have its own voice. Like stepping into a dream you can’t wake up from. For me, Eclipse Town is about creating atmosphere as much as it is about gameplay.
Sebastian Sommer’s feature film Dragon is available to watch here:
