Sean Devlin is a multifaceted individual with a background in comedy, writing, film direction, production, and community organizing. He is a second-generation Filipino-Chinese-Canadian with a diverse range of experiences.
Devlin's professional career began with stand-up comedy, performing at Yuk Yuk's comedy club in Vancouver in 2002. He was soon hired by Zach Galifianakis to work as an editor and opening segment director on Zach Galifianakis: Look Who It Isn't (2005).
In addition to his work in comedy, Devlin has also ventured into film direction and production. His debut narrative feature film, When the Storm Fades (2018),earned him the Emerging Canadian Director prize at the 37th Vancouver International Film Festival and two international festival jury prizes for Best Director.
Devlin has also collaborated with notable figures such as Edward Snowden and The Yes Men on various projects. In 2016, he directed, co-wrote, and produced Edward Snowden and the Yes Men Surprise Crowd at Roskilde Festival (2016),a project that was commissioned by Roskilde Festival and later exhibited at Copenhagen's Kunsthal Charlottenborg.
In 2016, Devlin was commissioned by Zurich's University of the Arts and the famed Cabaret Voltaire to develop, perform, and direct productions to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of DaDa.
Devlin is also known for his work as a community organizer and activist. From 2011 to 2015, he organized a group of comedians, artists, filmmakers, actors, musicians, and activists to create ShitHarperDid.com, a tactical media project that aimed to expose the brutality of the Conservative government. The website went viral, receiving over a million hits within hours of its launch, and was part of a broader movement that mobilized the Canadian youth vote in unprecedented numbers for the 2015 federal election that ushered Harper out of power.
Devlin's work has been recognized by various publications, including Paste Magazine, which praised his stand-up album AIRPORTS, ANIMALS. as "the most thought-provoking and thoroughly funny comedy releases of the year."
