Kurt
Schemper '97
That '90s Guy
Being behind the scenes,
it's important for me to integrate my faith with my work," says Kurt Schemper
'97, manager of corporate post-production for Carsey-Werner-Mandabach in
Los Angeles, for whom he has worked nearly three years. "I have to
do that more through my relationships with people and how I interact with
them."
Before heading to the West
Coast, the Grand Rapids, Michigan, native was Trinity's director of alumni
relations. Schemper handles budget and facilities details for the company,
and also does production work for "That '70s Show," the weekly sitcom that
regularly achieves high ratings.
"Production work can consume
you and become your life," he admits, "but it builds strong camaraderie
among the crew. I'm really close to the people I work with, and I have
a chance everyday to live my faith for them to see.
"In this industry, I meet
a lot of people of different races who come from other cultures and adhere
to different faiths," Schemper continues. "My Reformed worldview helps
me to use an inviting approach with my colleagues and associates that really
makes my job less tense. Relationships are key in television, and I have
to be a 'people person.' If I judge people by what I see before I take
the time to get to know them, it reflects badly on what I believe and it
may ruin a potential business relationship."
It takes time to build those
relationships, and people who work in the media must be careful to establish
strong bonds with their audience, whether they are colleagues, viewers,
or readers.
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