Sebastian Jansen was born in 1987 in Lahnstein. After finishing school he followed his dream to work in film industry and therefore went to Cologne for several internships in film production. He started his bachelor degree Time-Based Media at Unviersity of Applied Science in Mainz in 2009. During his time at university he focused on screenwriting, directing and editing. Beside his studies Sebastian worked as an assistant for ZDF, European major broadcaster.
HFF: What is your film about, and how did the project come to be?
SJ: Registered is about a student girl named Nike. She takes advantage of Manfred, an emotional highly distracted man in his mid-forties, in order to finally finish her psychology studies.
I wrote the screenplay while studying and shot the film itself as my bachelor’s degree film.
HFF: What was your role in the production?
SJ: Screenwriter, director and editor.
HFF: Why did you submit to the Heartland Film Festival? Have you been to the Festival before?
SJ: I thought this year’s tagline fits my movie very well. I haven’t been to Heartland Film festival before.
HFF: This year’s tagline is “Shift Your Perspective” – what lasting effect will your film have on moviegoers?
SJ: Nike shifted her perspective just for her own benefit. She thinks that Manfred is just a weird guy who needs to be analyzed to get her work finished. But as she approaches Manfred’s core she has to ask herself a very important question: Who is really the weird one? If this question is somewhere heard outside the cinema, my wished lasting effect is fullfilled.
HFF: What has inspired you to become a filmmaker?
SJ: My father, James Bond and David Fincher.
HFF: What is something that you know about filmmaking now but you weren’t told when you started your career?
SJ: When I started I had a crush on filmmaking. Now I’m in love. Never thought of that.
HFF: What are some of your favorite movies? What’s your favorite worst movie (you know it’s bad, but still love it)?
SJ: Favorite Movies: Seven (Fincher), Children of Men (Cuarón), The Game (Fincher) and The Breakfast Club (Hughes). Worst Favorite Movie: Snakes on a Plane…oh man 😀
HFF: How many film festivals has your film been a part of? What do you like the most about the festival experience?
SJ: Right now Registered has been part of four festivals. As I could just take part in one of them there is no comparison. But I’m so so sad that I cannot come to Heartland Festival myself. 
HFF: Heartland Film Festival moviegoers love filmmaker Q&As. Let’s say a Festival attendee wants to earn some brownie points—what is a question that you’d love to answer, but haven’t yet been asked?
SJ: Would you mind if we watch your new film Ed (trailer) right after “Registered”? 😉
See Registered in Shorts Program 9: An Ashortment of Sorts at the 2014 Heartland Film Festival:
- Saturday, Oct. 18 – 5:45 pm at AMC Castleton Square 14
- Tuesday, Oct. 21 – 2:45 pm at AMC Castleton Square 14
- Thursday, Oct. 23 – 2:15 pm at AMC Traders Point Showplace 12
- Saturday, Oct. 25 – 10:15 am at AMC Traders Point Showplace 12
