THE NEXT CLASS
New Mexico actor strives to help nurture the film community
EDITOR’S NOTE: Venue Plus continues “In Case You Didn’t Know,” a weekly feature with fun tidbits about New Mexicans and their projects.
Sam Quinn is never one to sit around and wait for things to happen. It’s not his style. The New Mexico native is reveling in the fact that in-person acting workshops are coming back.
As a co-owner of Southwest Scene Works, this is music to his ears. In fact, he’s starting a series called, “Create Your Own Content.”
“This has been so beneficial and fulfilling for me,” he says. “I get to share what I’ve learned along the way. This is the cool thing about short films is that there is a focus on all the details.”
Quinn has spent more than a decade in film — both behind and in front of the camera.
He’s been a part of New Mexico TV productions such as “Longmire,” “The Night Shift,” “The Messengers,” “Manhattan,” “Get Shorty” and “Better Call Saul.”
Not to mention his time on films such as “Only the Brave,” “Big Kill,” “Justice” and “Jane Got a Gun.”
Quinn says the class will be held in June, though an exact date has to be set.
“I’ll be teaching another workshop that is actingbased this summer,” he says. “The acting class will be unique and it will be improv-based. Before improv was mainstream, theater teachers would use theater games to teach actors. Viola Spolin created just tons of games to use to try and tap into an actor’s spontaneity and use their instincts.”
Quinn was born in Taos and spent his childhood painting, making pottery and playing baseball.
He then continued his education at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design, where he received a BFA in acting with a minor in contemporary music. After college, he moved to Chicago, where he performed in numerous theatrical productions, and wrote and produced two original rock musicals.
He’s kept himself busy within the film industry and enjoys the opportunity to teach the next class of actors.
“What I’ve always wanted is to help build the (film) community,” he says. “I have a full plate with all the projects. I’m setting roots now and building the trust within the community.”
While Quinn continues to develop the in-person classes at Southwest Scene Works, here are a few things you didn’t know about him: