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Sean McNamara

Sean McNamara

Director, producer, actor and writer · Born May 9, 1962 (64) · Burbank, California, USA

BAFTA Award winner · Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

Sean Patrick Michael McNamara (born May 9, 1962) is an American film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the films Find Your Voice (2004), Bratz (2007), and Soul Surfer (2011), as well as Reagan (2024).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 9, 1962 (64)
From
Burbank, California, USA
Works as
Director, producer, actor and writer
Titles
61 on MovieCove · 84 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 40% in 30 days

What are Sean McNamara's films like?

Across their 51 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Animation2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 23rd percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Family2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Family movies
Horror2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 6th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Romance2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 57th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Romance movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
44%
Self
21%
Society
11%
Morality
9%
Survival
8%
Power
5%
Ideas
3%
Family bonds26 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship13 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love11 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity13 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose6 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 48 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 35 · Serious 7 · Dark 6

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 33 · Stylized 15 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 26 · Charged 15 · Intense 7

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 31 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 20 · Some laughs 19 · Funny 9

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 23 · Even-paced 25 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 40 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 47 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Hopeful
29
Joyful
20
Warm
19
Tense
17
Melancholic
11
Other
46

How their films linger

Feel-good34 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful32 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCozy3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy42
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sean McNamara's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 48 of their 61 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (20).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sean McNamara's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

84 credits, 61 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Soul on Fire(2025)

    Director · Producer · as Trucker Bob

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Reagan(2024)

    Director · as William Keighley

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Shadrach(2024)

    Show 6 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Bau: Artist at War(2024)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Vindicta(2023)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • On a Wing and a Prayer(2023)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • True Spirit(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Moonrise(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders(2022)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • The King's Daughter(2022)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Sister Swap: Christmas in the City(2021)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday(2021)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Just Swipe(2021)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • JL Family Ranch 2(2020)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite(2020)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Aliens Stole My Body(2020)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Mighty Oak(2020)

    Director · Producer · as Blackjack Dealer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Christmas in Evergreen: Tidings of Joy(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Gabby Duran & The Unsittables(2019)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • The League of Legend Keepers: Shadows(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Orphan Horse(2018)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa(2018)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Miracle Season(2018)

    Director · as Caroline Fan

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Aliens Ate My Homework(2018)

    Director · Producer · as Plink

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Pretty Outrageous (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Executive Producer

  • The Swap(2016)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Chesapeake Shores(2016)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Love in Paradise(2016)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Just in Time for Christmas(2015)

    Director · Producer · as Tech Director

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Baby Geniuses and the Space Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director

  • Ties That Bind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Field of Lost Shoes(2015)

    Director · Co-Executive Producer · as Union Soldier #1

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Hoovey(2015)

    Director · Producer · as Archangel Raphael

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Spare Parts(2015)

    Director · Producer · as Fuzzy Wolf

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Baby Geniuses and the Treasures of Egypt(2014)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Space Warriors(2013)

    Director · Executive Producer · Screenplay · Writer · as Marshall Flight Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Cody the Robosapien(2013)

    Director · as Captain Dylan Patrick (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Baby Geniuses Television Series (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show Creator

  • Baby Geniuses and the Mystery of the Crown Jewels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Jessie(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Kickin' It(2011)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Soul Surfer(2011)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Screenstory · as Rip Curl Executive

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • The Suite Life Movie(2011)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Shake It Up(2010)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • @urFRENZ(2010)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Bring It on: Fight to the Finish(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Legally Blondes(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • Into the Blue 2: The Reef(2009)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Jonas(2009)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows

  • Out of Jimmy's Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 20 episodes · Director · Producer

  • Bratz(2007)

    Director · as Tom McShavie

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Cake(2006)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all shows

  • Beyond the Break (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 34 episodes · Director · Creator · Producer

  • Just for Kicks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · Producer

  • The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold(2006)

    Director · Producer · as Mr. Orange

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Longest Yard(2005)

    as Cafeteria Prisoner

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Raise Your Voice(2004)

    Director · Producer · as Doctor Mark Farley (as Sean Patrick McNamara)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Even Stevens Movie(2003)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • That's So Raven(2003)

    Show 100 episodes · Director · Executive Producer · Writer · as Plumber

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all shows

  • Race to Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Director

  • Even Stevens(2000)

    Show 65 episodes · Director · Producer · Writer · as Cowboy Singer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Trial of Old Drum(2000)

    Director · Producer · as Foreman

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Wild Grizzly(1999)

    Director · Producer · Teleplay · as Billy

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Treehouse Hostage(1999)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • P.U.N.K.S.(1998)

    Director · Story

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Casper Meets Wendy(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain(1998)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films

  • Scrapple(1998)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Casper: A Spirited Beginning(1997)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Galgameth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 144 episodes · Director

  • Sherman's Way: A Kid's Guide to Coping with Change (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Get Street Smart: A Kid's Guide to Stranger Dangers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director · as Lawnmower Man

  • Mother (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as TV Newscaster

  • The Secret World of Alex Mack(1994)

    Show 78 episodes · Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Hollywood Chaos (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Producer

  • 21 Down (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Black Canvas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Finding Famiglia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

  • Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Sand Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Producer

  • Six Bullets to White Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • The Last Firefighter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Will to Win (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Producer

Career shape

A full career of 80 titles, 72 of them dated from 1989 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Soul Surfer (2011)

$47M worldwide

Highest rated

Spare Parts (2015)

Midcredits 84th

Most popular right now

Jonas (2009)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting22 of 80: 2 only acting, 20 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thDirecting65 of 80: 30 only directing, 35 with another role · typical Midcredits score41stWriting10 of 80: 1 only writing, 9 with another role · typical Midcredits score40thProducing33 of 80: 11 only producing, 22 with another role · typical Midcredits score43rdOther crew2 of 80: 1 only other crew, 1 with another role

80 titles, 35 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 22 of them.

By decade

1980s1 · crew1990s12 · 2 acting · 11 crew2000s17 · 8 acting · 16 crew2010s26 · 9 acting · 26 crew2020s16 · 3 acting · 16 crew

Billing

usually 18th · top billed in 0% of 11 roles
0414

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a BAFTA Award from 6 major nominations, 2001–2007.

WinNomination
  1. 2007
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs
  2. 2005
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Children's Program
  3. 2004
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs
  4. 2002
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best International
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs
  5. 2001
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Sean McNamara's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 50; across their 48 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 34th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

34thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 48

Midcredits score across 61 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th13
  • 25th to 49th26
  • Below 25th16

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 61 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Panned2
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive11
  • Cult Classic9
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Mixed21

Most divisive · director, producer

Aliens Stole My Body (2020)

98th percentile spread · 37% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, director, producer

Spare Parts (2015)

Midcredits 84th · 79% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 49/100 and the pacing 40/100 in their films, across 44 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sean McNamara's work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles11–79 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles9–29 · median 18 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity8 titles14–52 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles7–45 · median 29 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense8 titles31–71 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Sean McNamara work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sean McNamara's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Brookwell shares the most, 23.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers