Filmmaker · Producer · Speaker
Speaking on history, storytelling, media, and historical truth in the age of AI.
Shane Seley is a filmmaker and producer-director and the founder of Wide Awake Films, a nationally recognized studio specializing in historically accurate storytelling for museums, public institutions, and broadcast audiences.
Over more than three decades, his work has focused on translating rigorous historical research into compelling visual narratives—films, animations, and immersive experiences seen by millions through PBS, YouTube, National Geographic Television, CuriosityStream, and major museum installations across the United States.
Drawing from this real-world experience, Seley speaks with college audiences about how historical narratives are constructed, how media shapes belief, and the responsibility creators carry when representing the past—especially in an era of AI and synthetic media.
FEATURED TALK
Who Controls the Past?
Storytelling, Power, and Historical Truth in the Age of AI
Drawing on decades of experience creating historical films and museum installations, Shane Seley examines how narratives about the past are shaped through storytelling, media, and technology—and how emerging tools like AI are reshaping what we accept as trut
Who Controls the Past?
Storytelling, Power, and Historical Truth in the Age of AI
Drawing on decades of experience creating historical films and museum installations, Shane Seley examines how narratives about the past are shaped through storytelling, media, and technology—and how emerging tools like AI are reshaping what we accept as truth. The talk challenges students to consider who controls the stories we inherit, who benefits from them, and what responsibility creators carry when representing history in a digital age.
FORMAT
- 60-minute talk plus Q&A
- In-person or virtual
- Workshops, class visits, and faculty sessions available upon request