Filmmaker and photographer Bobby Sheehan began his eclectic career in the late-seventies. While still in high school, he designed visual presentations for the New York fashion emporium, Parachute. While attending New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, he opened his own production company where he directed and produced a wide variety of motion picture work, all the while continuing his photographic career photographing the punk rock scene. His photos of the Clash, Ramones, Blondie, Ultravox, 999, Elvis Costello, and all of his fellow rebellious friends were features in such publications as: Circus Magazine, Creem Magazine, The Village Voice, Soho News and New York Magazine.
Sheehan's first foray into the feature world was the critically acclaimed "Seed" (IFC Films) of which Variety raved: "This visually captivating spiritual movie journeys across America with innovative cinematic form. A highly imaginative, collage like, experimental epic that relentlessly strips away at the boundaries between features and documentaries." Sheehan coined the phrase "docufantasy" to describe his love letter to the arts: "Arias With A Twist: The Docufantasy." This docufantasy goes beyond a documentary profile of two extraordinary artists - Joey Arias & Basil Twist - but examines the creative spirit and the tenacity of gifted individuals who express themselves through art. Arias' and Twist's many collaborators appear in the film and include Andy Warhol, David Bowie, Klaus Nomi, Thierry Manfred Mugler, Jim Henson, Ruben & Isabel Toledo, Keith Haring, John Sex, Ann Magnuson, Divine, Grace Jones, Elvira, Pee-wee Herman, Kenny Scharf, Michael Musto, Kim Hastreiter, Michael Halsband and many others. Sheehan is also creating "Listen To The World," a feature documentary about the first-ever museum to house instruments from all over the world, "Privileged" a documentary film for the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities featuring Michelle Obama, Ed Norton and Sarah Jessica Parker and "I Thee Wed" a short film for the United Nations featuring their Goodwill Ambassador Gisele about the importance of preserving our planet and celebrating the annual World Environment Day that will be held this summer in Rwanda.
Sheehan recently wrote, produced and directed the film "Cayman Went," a narrative feature about a pretend hero forced to become a real hero. The feature premiered theatrically in June 2009. In development are "Standing 8" and "Blur", two companion films that are both semi-autobiographical and deal with the struggles of being part of the New York underclass desperately looking for hope.
Sheehan's television credits include "The Talent Collector", which he wrote, produced and directed for AMC; the reality series "Repo Men" starring, Vincent Pastore, for TLC and Discovery Networks; the documentary "Jeff Koons: Beyond Heaven" for Ovation TV; and was writer and producer on "Mr. Prince" a tribute to the legendary Broadway director Hal Prince also for Ovation TV that was directed by Sara Feldmann Sheehan.
To date, Sheehan has directed over 500 commercials that include work for: Adidas, American Express, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Budweiser, Burger King, Crest, General Electric, Hyundai, Las Vegas Tourism, McDonalds, Miller Beer, Motorola, Nabisco, Pfizer, Reebok, Wal-Mart and public service announcements for American Red Cross, Alberta Dairy Council, Health Canada, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, and the Special Olympics.
As a fine arts photographer Sheehan has been exhibited nationally in galleries such as: Bridgewater Lustburg in New York, Stephen Cohen Gallery in Los Angeles and the Vision Gallery in San Francisco.
Sheehan graduated from NYU's film division of the Tisch School of the Arts and is the co-founder of New York based Working Pictures Inc. with his wife Sara Feldmann Sheehan.