Penn alums behind the scenes in Hollywood

Jennifer Gwartz, a 1990 College graduate, could count on a familiar name appearing in her inbox every Wednesday morning of 2005. Rob Forman, then a Wharton undergraduate, had recognized Gwartz’s name while searching through the alumni directory looking for a job. He had seen the name in the credits as “Co-executive Producer” of one of his favorite television shows, “Veronica Mars.” The show aired on Tuesday nights, so Forman decided to send Gwartz his thoughts each week following the airing.

The two had a few conversations about the entertainment industry in which Gwartz gave Forman advice about his post-graduation move to Los Angeles. Forman, who graduated in 2006, worked for ICM for a year, and then was ready to move on when Gwartz happened to need a new assistant. The rest of the pieces fell into place.

Forman’s Penn-to-Hollywood connection is one of many in the entertainment industry. Dan Lin, a 1994 Wharton graduate and current founder and CEO of Lin Pictures estimated that Penn has roughly the most people in the industry of any Ivy League school.

In fact, Gwartz now works as Head of Television and Chief Operating Officer at Lin’s production company - which most recently released “The Lego Movie,” and is currently working on a TV pilot called “Forever” about an immortal medical examiner in New York City. She was not aware of their common alma mater until after they started working together.

“There is an active alumni community out here [in Los Angeles],” Forman said.

This community includes Stacey Snider, the CEO and Co-Chairman of DreamWorks Studios, whose business partner is Steven Spielberg. Snider, a 1982 College graduate, advised students aspiring toward careers in entertainment to just get a foot in the door.

“Once you’re under the circus tent you can move around,” she said. “The job you get after college is not the job you’ll have even five years later.”

Snider, Forman, Lin and Gwartz all started at entry-level jobs, often involving doing menial labor and reading scripts. Even at low level jobs, Snider suggests going the extra mile by taking on more responsibility and being serious about their work.

“It’s a balancing act where you don’t want to show any ego but want to keep your eye out [for other job opportunities],” she said. Snider, Forman, Lin and Gwartz suggested interning as soon as possible to get a feel for the industry.

Lin Pictures hosts a summer internship each year, where about five to eight students are chosen to participate. In the program, which is currently looking for applicants, interns perform administrative tasks, but are also given the chance to pitch their own story ideas at the end of the summer. Any intern whose story is picked up by the production company is eligible to receive a $1,000 bonus, although this has yet to occur, Gwartz said.

While internships and entry-level jobs seem to be a common thread, none of the alumni majored in cinema studies. Gwartz studied English and Snider studied international relations then went on to attend law school at UCLA.

She enjoyed the scripts she read on the side for spending money more than the legal briefs she read in class. After graduating from law school, she took entry-level jobs delivering scripts.

Lin was pushed down a certain path by his parents at the beginning of his Penn career. He started as a pre-medical student in the College because his parents wanted him to be a doctor, but eventually transferred into Wharton.

Forman’s passion for entertainment came before his undergraduate years. “I knew that I wanted to write for TV starting senior year of high school, but my parents wouldn’t pay for film school, so I went to Wharton,” Forman said.

Business-minded Forman sought to create connections early on as he did with Gwartz. He and a friend at a summer internship in 2005 decided to email about 30-40 executives in the entertainment industry, looking for information and advice. In the end, about four or five of them responded, and were willing to meet to discuss their careers. Forman says these executives are still part of his professional network.

“You have to reach out to anyone [for someone] to say no,” he said. “If you don’t reach out, you’re saying no to yourself.”

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