{"id":952,"date":"2021-01-21T11:55:55","date_gmt":"2021-01-21T16:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schieffercollege.tcu.edu\/ftdm\/?post_type=student_work&p=952"},"modified":"2024-02-09T17:19:39","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T22:19:39","slug":"class-of-2010-q-a-with-sam-wunderl","status":"publish","type":"student_work","link":"https:\/\/schieffercollege.tcu.edu\/ftdm\/student_work\/class-of-2010-q-a-with-sam-wunderl\/","title":{"rendered":"Class of 2010: Q & A with Sam Wunderl"},"content":{"rendered":"

Name: Sam Wunderl<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Hometown: Southlake, Texas<\/strong>
\n<\/span>Major: Radio, Television and Film (now known as:\u00a0Film, Television and Digital Media)\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why did you originally choose your major?<\/h3>\n

I chose it because I have always been interested in <\/span>f<\/span>ilm and wanted to study it from an academic perspective. I originally thought that I wanted to be a director, but I realized while I was at T<\/span>exas <\/span>C<\/span>hristian <\/span>U<\/span>niversity<\/span> that I was more interested in the history and criticism of film.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is your favorite movie?<\/h3>\n

I<\/span> ha<\/span>ve worked in foreign films, independent films<\/span> and horror films so my interests are across those <\/span>genres<\/span>. The movie that got me<\/span> hooked into film was a horro<\/span>r movie called <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Evil Dead II<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> I saw it in high school and the fir<\/span>st <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Evil Dead<\/span>\u201d<\/span> film was like a do-it-<\/span>yourself project. It was <\/span>filmed<\/span> by <\/span>a bunch of <\/span>people<\/span> in their early <\/span>20s<\/span> in<\/span> Michigan. It was <\/span>like <\/span>every film kid\u2019s dream of having a small amount of money<\/span>, <\/span>making a movie on their own and then having it become a huge festival hit that everyone saw<\/span>. It was<\/span> truly inspiring. <\/span>A<\/span> more recent favorite movie<\/span> of mine<\/span> is <\/span>\u201c<\/span>The Handmaiden.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0It has everything<\/span>:<\/span> vio<\/span>lence, humor, history, intrigue.<\/span> I admire movies that have all these <\/span>different <\/span>aspects.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are some of your previous work experiences?<\/h3>\n

I inadvertently st<\/span>umbled into<\/span> my career<\/span> path. I was a music director at KTCU, <\/span>TCU\u2019s FM radio station, <\/span>and <\/span>I<\/span> used <\/span>connections <\/span>there<\/span> to get<\/span> my first internship at <\/span>\u201c<\/span>The Tonight Show With Conan O\u2019Brien.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> I moved out to Los Angeles <\/span>and when <\/span>the show ended<\/span> three<\/span> weeks <\/span>after getting there, <\/span>I went to work for <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Jimmy Kimmel Live.<\/span>\u201d<\/span> At the end of the semester, I realized I didn’t like living in Los Angeles<\/span> and<\/span> I had always wanted to live in New York, so I moved there and got a job through my KTCU connections once again. <\/span>The job was at<\/span> Advanced Alternative Media but my heart was <\/span>still in the film industry. E<\/span>ventually, <\/span>I <\/span>got a job at Sony Pictures Classics <\/span>as <\/span>a<\/span> technical coordinator<\/span>. I got this job<\/span> simply because I wa<\/span>s interested in Pedro Almodovar. A<\/span>t the time<\/span>,<\/span> \u201c<\/span>Midnight in Paris<\/span>\u201d<\/span> was a huge movie and every other candidate <\/span>for the job talked about that<\/span> while<\/span> I stood out because of my interest in Almodovar. <\/span>I ended up<\/span> working<\/span> in <\/span>the <\/span>public<\/span> relations and marketing side of<\/span> film, which wasn\u2019t intentional at all but I ended up loving it. <\/span><\/p>\n

After Sony, I went to work at AMC Networks, <\/span>and <\/span>they started an exclusive horror movie streaming service called Shu<\/span>dd<\/span>er. It gave me the opportunity to be hands-on with directors and producers be<\/span>ing<\/span> the marketing and public relations manager. I then started working at Gunpowder & Sky, in the<\/span> independent film side, as the <\/span>d<\/span>irector of <\/span>p<\/span>ublic <\/span>r<\/span>elations. They <\/span>had <\/span>just acquired a film called <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Her Smell<\/span>\u201d<\/span> with Elizabeth Moss and I <\/span>helped<\/span> get <\/span>her <\/span>nomina<\/span>ted for her first Gotham <\/span>and <\/span>Spirit Award<\/span>s<\/span>. T<\/span>he company got their first nominations<\/span> as well<\/span>. I just <\/span>recently <\/span>left that role to move back to Texas and I am now looking for jobs in Dallas. Once I turned 30, I felt too old <\/span>to live <\/span>in New York.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favorite work experience?<\/h3>\n

I worke<\/span>d<\/span> on <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Whiplash<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span> which won four Oscars<\/span>. W<\/span>e had no idea that <\/span>this <\/span>movie was going to do that<\/span>. I<\/span>t was so satisfying.<\/span> When I worked <\/span>at <\/span>Shu<\/span>dd<\/span>er<\/span>, we talked to the Sundance Film Festival and they agreed to let us sponsor a party for the midnight section<\/span> (<\/span>all the horror movies<\/span>)<\/span>. I was responsible for the planning of this <\/span>big <\/span>party for <\/span>all the industry people. <\/span>I<\/span> spent months doing this. I <\/span>never had so much responsibility and it went <\/span>remarkably<\/span> well. I had no prior experience in event planning<\/span>,<\/span> but I was passionate about it and cared enough to execute it well. It was a good lesson for me.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What skills did you gain from your experience in the College of Communication?<\/h3>\n

I got better at <\/span>the critical analysis of films<\/span>. <\/span>I finally understood <\/span>what makes<\/span> movies<\/span> good and bad<\/span> and <\/span>how to express <\/span>in words <\/span>ho<\/span>w I feel about movies<\/span>. As a<\/span> part of <\/span>the <\/span>student film making association, we would make <\/span>movies, which taught me that I was ill<\/span>-suited for actual filmmaking<\/span>,<\/span> but I learned the value of working together and collaborating on a set. The true value I got in a college experience was <\/span>I <\/span>learn<\/span>ed<\/span> how to be responsible <\/span>for myself<\/span>, maintain a schedule and become independent.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What was your favorite class at TCU?<\/h3>\n

Any class with Dr. Joan McGettigan. She is wonderful<\/span>.\u00a0 S<\/span>he teaches critical <\/span>analysis of films and is well<\/span>–<\/span>versed in film history. Every time I took one of her courses<\/span>,<\/span> I was always happy to be there<\/span>. S<\/span>he is one of those professors that you could just sense their <\/span>enthusiasm, which<\/span> helps <\/span>make the class enjoyable<\/span>. It was <\/span>so <\/span>motivating to be around someone who cares so much and wants to share their love of something.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you miss about Fort Worth?<\/h3>\n

I miss the Modern Art Museum<\/span>.<\/span> I would always go to Magnolia at The Modern on Sundays as a study break.<\/span> They would play movies at The M<\/span>odern, they were usually Sony Pictures Classics which is funny because I got a job there. I loved the Botanic Gardens too. <\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re not working what do you like to do for fun?<\/h3>\n

I <\/span>have a Fren<\/span>ch bulldog that I have fun with, and<\/span> I have also really gotten into cooking now that I have a bigger kitchen. I used to cook out of obligation because it was so expensive to eat out in New York. I like going to concerts and movies. I probably go to the movie <\/span>theater<\/span> at least once a week and in the busier movie seasons<\/span>, I go two to three times a week.<\/span> I <\/span>probably <\/span>see 100+ movies per year. <\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you have any advice for life after undergrad?<\/h3>\n

Every job I got came from me being passionate about th<\/span>e company and the work they did<\/span>,<\/span> so have passion. Also having a natural curiosity about things helps you keep an open mind when working different jobs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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