Gordon Quinn, Kartemquin’s founder and current president, will relinquish management responsibilities as part of a transition designed to ready the legendary documentary production house for future growth.
Kartemquin expects the search to “take some time,” said Justine Nagan, Kartemquin’s director/communications and distribution.
The executive director position is open to applicants willing to respect the socially-conscious philosophy that has driven the group’s oeuvre for 42 years.
“The key is to make sure that the history and the credibility that we have built up over time remains in place, and that this new person is in line with the mission,” she said.
Quinn will remain on board in the new position of creative director, “so I can get out from under the onerous administration duties that I’ve been dealing with for 40 years and concentrate on filmmaking, but we need to have some plans in place [for the future].” he said.
Quinn will complete his latest film, “Prisoner of Her Past,” in early 2009. “I have no plans to retire. I’ll probably work until I drop,” he said.
Gordon Quinn has been paramount to ensuring the longevity of the studio, which he formed in 1966 with fellow University of Chicago graduates with Stan Karter and Jerry Temaner, to produce cinema-verite style investigations into modern life.
The following year they were joined by Jerry Blumenthal, who remains with the company today.
