Daniel Quackenbush's time at Elon University proved formative when working on production teams for major documentaries like Netflix's "Gaga: Five Foot Two" and HBO's "Believer."
A combination of hard work, faculty mentorship, and an Elon education paved the path for Daniel Quackenbush ’13 in the competitive entertainment industry. From interning at the Los Angeles Film Festival to producing documentaries for HBO (“Believer”), Apple Music and Netflix (“Gaga: Five Foot Two”), Quackenbush has experienced significant career breakthroughs thanks to his time at Elon.
Quackenbush was determined to attend Elon. From the moment he toured the campus, he knew that his education at Elon would shape the trajectory of his life. He called the financial aid office for more than 45 days straight to check on his aid package.
“Truly I cannot imagine my life now having not gone to Elon,” he says. “I would not have my career, most of my friends, or my life here in Los Angeles that I love and have worked hard to build for the last 11-plus years.”
One of the defining moments of his time at Elon was his Study USA trip to Los Angeles, where he was offered a role as lead post-production and event coverage intern at the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival, sponsored by Film Independent. Serving on a team of about ten interns, Quackenbush was responsible for shooting, producing and editing videos of dozens of red-carpet premieres and gala events. The fast-paced environment, often requiring work after the events, taught him the importance of deadlines and the ability to adapt on the fly.
After graduating from Elon in 2013 with a degree in media arts and entertainment, Quackenbush found his way into the entertainment industry, working at Live Nation. A big career milestone came when he was asked to help produce the Netflix documentary “Gaga: Five Foot Two,” which followed Lady Gaga during a transformative period in her career. The film won several awards, including both the “Best Editing” and “Best Music” in the film category of the 2018 Webby Awards.
“I still consider it to be one of my greatest career breakthroughs and a huge personal milestone for me,” he said.
Joining the production team of a documentary about one of the world’s most famous pop stars at the age of 26 was both a humbling and exhilarating experience for Quackenbush. The project required him to push the boundaries of traditional documentary filmmaking. Chris Moukarbel, the film’s director, adopted a cinéma vérité style, offering a raw and unfiltered glimpse into the singer’s life, which was something Quackenbush had never seen before and brought out his passion for the project.
“I saw very quickly that the project would be unlike any other I’d done,” he said. “Chris did a brilliant job of telling Gaga’s story through a fly-on-the-wall approach.”
Quackenbush emphasizes how his professors at Elon played an equally important role in shaping his development. He received constant support and mentorship from faculty members like Anthony Hatcher, professor of journalism and chair of the department of journalism; Rich Landesberg, retired associate professor of journalism and David Copeland, retired professor of journalism and distinguished university professor. Their encouragement not only helped Quackenbush refine his technical skills but also instilled in him a sense of confidence and a belief in the power of storytelling.
“Elon faculty members are, in fact, that rarest of combinations—interesting to learn from and truly interested in bettering and enhancing the lives of their students,” he said.
Another key factor in Quackenbush’s success has been his relentless work ethic and his ability to handle the uncertainty that comes with a career in the entertainment industry. He attributes much of his resilience to his early experiences, both at Elon and in the field, which taught him to embrace failure as a learning opportunity.
“Classes at Elon were an eye opener to the actual amount of consistent, daily hard work that would be required to break into any media-related industry and the stiff level of competition you would be facing in order to secure your first job and thus begin your actual career path,” he said.
Quackenbush’s favorite project to work on was the HBO documentary “Believer” starring Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of pop-rock band Imagine Dragons. The film was directed by Don Argott and produced by Sheena Joyce. He notes that working with Argott was an amazing and eye-opening experience.
Quackenbush provides several key pieces of advice for students aspiring to enter the film industry, just as he did. He emphasizes the importance of staying current, valuing all experiences, not allowing ego to hinder your progress and being open to new opportunities. He also encourages future film producers to find their unique voices and to focus on storytelling that is both meaningful and genuine.
Though he has moved past producing films, Quackenbush hopes to one day go back to make an award-winning documentary. Until then, he is exploring several new avenues for his career, including film, series, social media and sports marketing.
Quackenbush’s career journey has been an exciting ride, taking him through a variety of roles. He has worked at BuzzFeed and served as the campaign manager for Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime Video. Currently, he is making his mark contracting at Apple TV+ as a creative production manager. When envisioning his future, Quackenbush sees himself possibly returning to the sports industry.
He also hopes to play a larger role in merging entertainment culture with charitable organizations and fundraising initiatives. Moreover, he is in the process of writing a book that will delve into social and political essays.
As Quackenbush continues to expand his career, he remains grateful for the foundation Elon University provided. The combination of rigorous academic training, mentorship from dedicated professors and real-world experiences have allowed him to thrive.
