Meet Anthony J. James & Sean Gloria | Actors, Writers, Directors & Producers

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony J. James & Sean Gloria and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony and Sean, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
You really have to tune out the outside sources influencing you. Family, friends, and whoever or whatever. Really it’s best to just listen to your heart. Stay true to you, always. At the end of the day all you can do is keep going. Giving up isn’t an option. If you get warn out, take a nap. Always time to squeeze in a nap, if really necessary.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Sean:
1. What makes you different from everyone else? I tend to look at life itself from a macro perspective. My goal is to understand not just how individuals operate from a daily basis, their personalities and whatnot but how those personalities come together to create a community of sorts. Each created world is different, but it begins with the systems in place that each individual operates within, and has a tendency to influence. Paired with my obsessive work ethic – I believe these traits make me different. I’m a learned storyteller that refuses to take “NO” for an answer! 2. What am I most proud about? I’m most proud of my unrelenting ambition that continues to push me forward in an industry seemingly built around telling people “No”. The word “No” has been. transformed into a die-hard motivating factor, and I’m most proud of my own tenacity to continue my belief in the stories I’m trying to tell. 3. How Did I get here professionally? An undying stubbornness paired with a ridiculous work ethic. I’m a student not only of my craft, but my life. My self-awareness of my own story paired with my propensity for storytelling, paired with my propensity to consume all stories I come in contact with, has led me to live a life of artistry I am proud of. It certainly not been easy being a full time artist, living paycheck- to paycheck -, but I can say it has certainly been worth it. I’m the most fulfilled I’ve ever been. The challenges I’ve overcome are repeating challenges that any artist might experience, and that is paying the bills. I’ve minimized my expenses in every day life so that I can maximize the time I spend on my craft. 4. Lessons I’ve learned that if you listen to your self and follow your instincts about people and stories, you’re usually right. It’s important to understadn your own perspective on life and stroytelling, because that will fuel the negotiations of your own vision – and that purity is important. Fight for what you believe in. 5. The world to know I want the world to know that I am here and I am aware of it. I, as an artist take my responsibility to be in tune with human nature and its occurrences very seriously, and I hope to share truth, first and foremost, but I hope to share a truth that could potentially shift the paradigm of humans everywhere to a thought process of true love, peace, understanding, and serenity.

Anthony:
1. What makes you different from everyone else? I think for me, it’s my work ethic. I just want to do my best. I’ve always felt as though I wasn’t good enough, and to counter that I just keep working harder. Sure, I’m also talented, and that’s great, but I think my work ethic sets me aside from other creatives, but also, I can’t really speak for anyone else or what they’re going through. 2. What am I most proud about? I’ve grown to believe in myself and to never give up on what I want out of life. That’s not easy. Every struggle or heartache life has thrown at me, even when it felt like I couldn’t continue on, I did. I’m proud of that. 3. How Did I get here professionally? I really got my first start when I was 7 years old, as the only boy angel in my church’s Christmas play. Then I got into community theatre around 11 or 12, and later got picked up by an agent in the audience for commercial/film work. From there I went into local film, and landed a soap Opera ‘La Fleur de Mai’. Went to college, dropped out, started producing my own movies. I’ve been acting, directing, writing, and producing since 2012 with movies such as Bad Trip, Cancer, Dead End, Sharknado 3, and Beyond Adversity. As well TV Shows such as Murder Comes to Town, The Jasmine Roth Project, and Real Crime/Real Story. There’s been others since. Good, bad, and ugly. I did a lot of early redbox and AmazonPrime movies. You know, a healthy mix of christian movies and Horror/slasher films. 4. Lessons The lesson I keep learning and constantly have to remind myself is to not take things so seriously. Life is an adventure. You can’t make everyone like you. Be the best person for you, with what you know and half, and just let everyone else be. And to keep learning. Soak up information everywhere you can! Art, science, keep learning languages, learn how to paint, talk in front of crowds, proper ways to light a candle, dancing, you name it! 5. The world to know I am constantly ever changing, and with it, so is my art. I have strong opinions but I am open to new information. My style will change. Some stories you will like, and some I tell you wont. I don’t make my art for anyone else, BUT if my self expression opens you up to new thoughts and adventures, I hope it’s in a progressive state. I hope whatever you may experience through my, and my friend’s talents and hard work sets your world on fire, in an emotional way. Like it has for me. There a lot of emotion put into my work. I feel like the rest of the crew feels the same.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
ANTHNOY:
In Atlanta, I would take them to local shops and eats. I have a couple local spots that I’ve gotten to know the staff and owners too. Chrome Yellow for Coffee, Edgewood Pizza for a NYC slice. There’s a great vegan burger place called Slutty Vegan. I love that place! My Fancy dinner of choice is Murphy’s on Highland. I’ve had my big meetings with producers and writers from Lifetime, Netflix, and MGM studios there. It’s a local treasure. Great food and great wine. A walk down the beltline is a great for a stroll down to piedmont park as well! If we could leave town and go hiking up into the mountains with waterfalls that would be my favorite! Take the camera, and just go be adventurous!

SEAN:
I do not know the area as well as Anthony does. He’s been here for a lot longer, but I’m down to go exploring for sure.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
“Story by Robert McKee really help me move into my craft as a screenwriter.” -Sean Gloria “I fell in love with the art of living fantasies through books and movies such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Jurassic Park.” -Anthony J. James

Website: https://www.instagram.com/_seangloria/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonyjamesofficial/
Other: https://igg.me/at/LaMasion/x/8166961#/

Image Credits
Photography by Dominic Hawkins & Alyx Libby