‘Napoleon Dynamite’ turned out to be SD producer’s unexpected success story

Sean Covel booked as keynote speaker for Aberdeen's inaugural FAIL Fest

Sean Covel hides behind a selection of Porter the Hoarder books he's published. Courtesy photo.

If there’s one thing that’s clear about Sean Covel’s career, it’s that he doesn’t take no for an answer.

When one producer after another rejected the idea of a movie about a teen’s experience as an outsider in a small town, he and the others involved in the project decided to make the film on their own. He was one of three producers of “Napoleon Dynamite,” which has gone on to have an unexpected cult following.

When the idea for his Porter the Hoarder children’s book series was rejected by a publisher, he started his own company and put out the books himself.

LIGHTS. CAMERA. ACTION. | South Dakota native’s breakthrough movie leans on family story