Shaun Phillips (director)


 * Not to be confused with Sean Phillips or Shaun Phillips (football player).

Shaun Phillips (born May 18, 1963), also known as Sean Phillips or the stage name Jimmy Lee, is an American film and video director, producer, editor, and TV personality who was born in England. He is co-owner of Artistic Perspective Entertainment, also known as APE Films.

History
Phillips was born in London, England while his father, a member of The United States Air Force was stationed there. He moved to the U.S. shortly after birth and was raised in suburban Philadelphia. He graduated from Temple University in 2004 where he studied film and media arts. He was selected to attend the 2004 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Kodak Student Filmmakers series. While at Temple University, he partnered with fellow student, writer / director Candice Vernon to form Artistic Perspective Entertainment (Also known as APE Films). They produced promotional videos for the Boxer Prince Badi Ajamu, the 2004 Philly Music Awards and Hip Hop Star Cassidy. < In the summer of 2005, they directed / produced the P.S.A. music video “Take It Outside” for The Philadelphia Fire Department.> The song was part of a fire prevention campaign called Take It Outside and was written and performed by Hip Hop star Akbar. At the time Akbar was also known as Rodney Jean-Jacques and was a real city firefighter. The video was featured as part of a city wide contest and was played at halftime of the December, 2005 National League Football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2006, Phillips began working with then unknown fashion designer Indashio, pin up model Coco, wife of actor / rapper Ice-T and entertainer Jori Jordon.He produced their first electronic press kits and a TV pilot called “Broke Celebrity”. The Broke Celebrity pilot was not picked up, but attention that it and the EPK's Phillips produced resulted in Indashio being offered guest spots on MTV's Made, 8th & Ocean, 24 Hour Catwalk and VH1’s Glam God where he won the $100,000 first prize and Coco delevoping an ongoing relationship with E! where she currently stars in her own reality TV show Ice Loves Coco. Between 2007-2010, Phillips directed and produced 4 of Coco’s DVD’s (2007 Exotics Calendar, Smooth Magazine, California Girl, and Playboy Magazine). He was co-producer for Coco's SSX Tribute Issue DVD. Broke Celebrity was one of a dozen episodes of “APE Presents” that aired during 2007 and 2008 on MNN-TV, a New York City public access station. While filming an episode of APE Presents, Jori Jordon received received attention in the New York City newspapers where she was said to have upstaged Madonna at the 2008 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Phillips is still video producer for all three artists.

In 2007, he was associate producer for Vernon on her first short film “Apartment 309”. The film was featured at several film festivals and co-starred Ice-T. He again partnered with Vernon on the music video “M3 – The New Message”, directed and produced for Hip Hop legend MC Melle Mel to commemorate the 25th anniversary of The Message, arguably the greatest record in Hip Hop history. Phillips introduced MC Melle Mel to the website Okayplayer.com where Mel posts as MUSCLES and Phillips as playSERIOUS. M3 - The New Message had its debut at Okayplayer.com on January 31, 2007. A half hour making The New Message debuted on APE Presents. Phillips worked with Melle Mel again as official photographer / videographer for Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five at their induction into the 2007 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and again partnered with Vernon to perform the same duties for The Ventures at their 2008 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.

In June 2009, Phillips began working on the feature length documentary Unbelievable! The Elvis Presley Trippin’ Beatles LSD Trip Killed Michael Jackson, a film detailing the influence of The Beatles on Michael Jackson. While researching the film he discovered information that inspired him to release a separate short film, The Beatles at their Best. This $0 budget critically acclaimed short film won best documentary at the 2011 New England Underground Film Festival. In 2011, Phillips was also field producer for the Andrea Bocelli DVD Concerto, One Night in Central Park.

In April 2012 Phillips announced that he will offer a free showing of the film The Beatles at their Best for 100 days beginning June 24, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the closing of the legendary The Casbah Coffee Club and place that gave birth to The Beatles and the Merseybeat Sound. The feature film Unbelievable! is scheduled to be released in late 2012.Phillips currently works as field producer for TVBS-TV Taiwan (Republic of China) producing weekly stories on NBA superstar Jeremy Lin and continues at Artistic Perspective Entertainment.