By Maggie Meegan | Reporter
Baylor alumnus Sam Klatt is on the production team of a company called Fin and Fur Films, and he’s using his status to trailblaze in the realm of documentary-making.
Klatt graduated with a film degree with the dream of making documentaries.
Klatt recently debuted his documentary, “The American Southwest,” at the Mayborn Museum.
“We are stoked about ‘The American Southwest,'” Klatt said. “It was a huge multi-year project for us. It was quite a journey.”
The documentary focuses on nature and the patterns of animals that migrate in Texas and throughout the Southwest.
“The entire thing is about cherishing this gift that is the access to the land and then also to the responsibility to take care of it,” Klatt said.
According to Pressmaverick, documentary-style films are increasing in popularity and appearing more on streaming platforms. Klatt said he recognizes the ever-changing industry and is working on adapting to it.
“The industry has been shaken by streaming and streaming platforms,” Klatt said. “We are still in the midst of this reckoning where people are still trying to figure out how to make this new paradigm work.”
Amarillo native Ben Masters, who created and guided Fin and Fur’s creativity as a director, also creates wildlife documentaries. In one documentary, “Deep in the Heart,” Klatt worked as an editor.
“I felt ‘Deep in the Heart’ was my creative breakthrough,” Klatt said. “In some ways, it was one of the first times I got to be truly responsible for the full scope of the creative aspect of a feature film. That was just awesome.”
In “Deep in the Heart,” Fur and Film were honored to have Texas native and actor Matthew McConaughey narrate their documentary.
Hollywood stars such as Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have pushed the Texas Film Initiative Program to get funds to create films in Texas.
“To bring back substantial film incentives to Texas has been totally groundbreaking,” Klatt said. “I mean, it has truly given the Industry in Texas so much momentum and excitement that is really, really needed.”
Daniel Beard, senior lecturer in film and digital media, said he is excited to see what the Baylor graduates continue to bring to the film industry.
“I really like seeing evolution happen through … the new generation coming to Baylor,” Beard said.
With the advancements of technology in the film industry, there is a change in approaching teaching, Beard said.
“We have a fantastic group of kids in the department,” Beard said. “They are building skills in the technology field, especially as we start to get into AI as well as virtual productions.”
