Wade Scanlan’s love for the arts started at age 5.
His parents were intentional in introducing various outlets through which he could express himself and become a well-rounded individual.
“As a child, I started with paintings, drawings and other forms of visual art and then transitioned to theater and debate in high school,” said Scanlan. “My parents always encouraged me to take chances and do what I love.”
By age 16, Scanlan was intrigued by the world of film.
“I would have to say (the Oscar-nominated movie) ‘Moonrise Kingdom’ had the biggest influence on me,” said Scanlan. “The movie is beautifully put together and inspired me to pursue a career in the film industry.”
When it came time to select a college, the Deatsville native chose UA because of the national reputation of the College of Communication and Information Science’s Digital Media Center and its Center for Public Television, which allows students to gain hands-on experience in television production.
“I found it compelling that UA had an on-campus media center that focuses on all areas of digital media, such as news, radio and film,” said Scanlan. “I was particularly drawn to the Center for Public Television because it gave students so many opportunities directly on campus to help grow their portfolio and expand professionally.”
Scanlan took full advantage of the opportunity to work as a student producer with the Center for Public Television starting his sophomore year. During his time with the center, he produced and filmed content for the College’s social media accounts and also worked on other high-end client productions.
Scanlan’s dedication and skills were quickly noticed and he was given a golden opportunity in the summer of 2018 when he managed a $10,000 budget to produce two commercials for the city of Tuscaloosa.
“Being given full creative control over the entire process was an experience I really appreciated because I don’t think many people put that much trust in a student,” said Scanlan. “It was a bit of a surreal experience going to city hall and bouncing around ideas with city officials about what they wanted in the commercials. But it was awesome to be part of everything from start to finish.”
“A lot of professional film producers look for those type of opportunities, and it was amazing to be able to take on the project as a student and deliver a well-received product.”
Scanlan credits the experience for building his confidence and ability to sell himself and his ideas to a client, something he knows is a must in the film industry.
Away from UA, Scanlan points to his position as a publicity intern with The American Pavilion at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in France as his most rewarding experience. As an intern, he was able to network with industry professionals, write press releases and generate social media content promoting various events. Scanlan says the highly competitive internship position solidified his desire to be part of the film industry, and more specifically, film festivals.
“Having the opportunity to work at one of the biggest film festivals in the world was when I realized I’d turned my dreams into reality,” he said.
Scanlan, who will graduate Dec. 14, is currently working for Kaleidoscope, a start-up network for the virtual reality industry. And while he enjoys his current work, Scanlan admits his long-term goals in production management remain fluid.
“One great thing about the industry is there are a lot of opportunities and you can bounce around until you find your niche,” said Scanlan. “My dream has always been to work at the Sundance Film Festival, but we’ll see what that looks like in a year or two after graduation. That’s just how the industry works.”
As Scanlan is set to embark on life after UA, he credits the University for not only providing him with the knowledge and skills he will need in the industry, but also a dedicated faculty that truly cares about its students.
“Faculty can teach you, but if they’re not there helping you and really caring, it’s easy to become lost in the sea,” said Scanlan. “I believe our faculty here, no matter what department you walk into, always want you to succeed in and out of the classroom.”