Meet Sam Gannuch | Co-Owner of Pine Wall Media & Colorist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sam Gannuch and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sam, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I used to think success meant achieving all of my goals, no matter how difficult. This mindset is unsustainable, especially in a creative freelance career where goalposts constantly change. I still set goals, finish projects, and strive to better myself; however, I now take success day by day. Some days success is taking the time to learn from failures, while other days success is completing an all-day crunch to finish a complex project. If I did the best I could on that day, then I am successful.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
From consulting, editing, live production, color, and VFX, I am working on a variety of freelance projects at any given time. For me, it’s crucial to balance passion projects and professional work. Being able to experiment with learning new skills that I can later apply to paid work is rewarding. However, this approach requires some self-restraint. My greatest weakness is overcommitting to projects.

A year ago, in an effort to narrow my focus, I had always wanted to fully commit to testing myself. I thought it would be worth it to see how far I could stretch my abilities. The test turned out to be an indie horror feature I shot and helped fund called CineMortal. Even though it’s a B-horror movie, it’s tested every skill set I have. From crowdfunding to cinematography to VFX. I have learned so much from making this movie, both through experience and from my peers/friends.

The biggest lesson I took away from the experience is to make yourself promises. When Tycho Wade (writer & director) and Peter Nepi (producer & actor) approached me for this project, we promised each other that we would make this film even if it were just the three of us. Internally I promised myself that I would make this film even if it were just me. Fully committing even when the path ahead is uncertain is unintuitively freeing. If you truly believe that your commitment to a project is inevitable, it’s easy to get out of your own way. I felt almost possessed in this state of mind. That level of assuredness also attracts collaborators naturally. If you know that no matter what you are going to finish something, any setbacks become easy to brush off.

I wish it were easy to have this kind of mindset for everything, but the truth is that it’s unsustainable. However, you only need to give 200% of yourself to a project every once in a while. By testing yourself, you can grow rapidly and build long-lasting confidence. Even though I may be critical of the final result, it’s fulfilling to know that I pushed myself and gave everything I had to something.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
First, I would say you have to go on some hikes. There are plenty of short trails in Evergreen that are only 45 minutes to an hour away from Denver. Red Rocks and/or Garden of the Gods have some great walks. If you are looking to explore the city, I would recommend going to our botanic gardens and our art museums.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am lucky that there are so many people in my life that I owe thanks to. Overall, I would say the community of friends I found in film school have been my greatest motivators. To get more specific, my two business partners at Pine Wall Media. Bahy Gonheim and Zach Kalus have stuck it out with me for what seems like a millennia. I think it’s important to surround yourself with people who share your vision for the future and have similar values, and I am thankful that I have.

Website: https://www.pinewall.media/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sam_gannuch/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-gannuch-a4b232229/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamGannuch

Other: https://vimeo.com/gannuch

Image Credits
Bahy Ghonheim

Reid Sanders