September 5 and the promise of this date sparked life back into this project. I believe we had it scheduled prior to the 2024 Franklin Classic, but I am just going by memory at this point. I met Seth’s wife, Patricia, and son, Seth Jr. or Seth Andrew at his house in Franklin while Seth Sr. was at work. I still only had the one camera and my professional lighting kit arrived too late to bring. Nonetheless, just like Seth and kayaking, I wasn’t missing or rescheduling this appointment.
This interview surprised me in a few ways. Admittedly, I did not know Seth that well. I knew his reputation and general character, but we haven’t spent a lot of time together. I was expecting this interview to reveal how he REALLY is. My father had a gregarious personality and everyone loved him but he sometimes got annoying at home. I was here to dig into the true nature of Seth. As my next interviewee would say “Your family knows the REAL you.”
It turns out that Seth is the same steady leader at home as everyone in the run club knew him. I learned that the whole reason he started running regularly was for his son. He is a true family man, dedicated to each and every one of them and they all hold him on a pedastal. I wasn’t really looking for “dirt” if you will, but I wanted to dig down deep to see why Seth was so different.
It turns out that he is just a genuine man after God’s heart. He stands out not because he preaches on a corner or does crazy things to draw attention to himself. He stands about because he is steady, consistent and loves unconditionally. It’s sad to think that this is rare to find in people, but I am glad that I and many others have found it in Seth.
This interview solidified that I had chosen the best subject for this film and I was more committed than ever to be a good steward and make it the best I could with the budget I had.
After this interview, Seth Jr. gave me a bunch of pictures and videos that I was able to integrate into the film. A few days later I got a text from Patricia: “Do you want to interview his Pastor and Deacon?” The answer was an emphatic, YES!”
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