Chris Schuett, 33, is COO of Little Cinema and LCDigital. He's based in Brooklyn, N.Y. A quote from his nomination: "With Chris in his role of COO, we have delivered over 500 noteworthy events, campaigns, and immersive experiences on behalf of globally renowned and pioneering brands in the entertainment and media industry."
My career journey: "My events career began back in 2008 while I was studying business management at Texas A&M. I worked for an event production and catering company, Global Event Group. Along with the local events and shows we produced, we were also involved in large-scale productions like Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, and even the inauguration. It was during that time I made up my mind that live production was what I wanted to do.
By 2020, my career path led me to Little Cinema, where I was instrumental in the development of LCDigital, our division dedicated to digital agency services and creative technology. Over the last four years, my role has evolved significantly with each company, as each has experienced significant growth in terms of clients, project delivery, and the scale and scope of our services. Currently, I oversee operations, business strategy, and partnerships, and every now and again, throw my creative ideas in the mix."
To celebrate the new season of Prime Video's original series Reacher, Little Cinema brought a 15-foot action figure of the title character to Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium during Thursday Night Football last December.Photo: Courtesy of Little Cinema
What inspires me: "We’re a relatively small team compared to some of our industry peers, a lot of whom we share clients with—Netflix, Prime Video, Warner, etc.—so seeing what our team is capable of, and the level of care and detail that goes into every experience we deliver, is incredibly rewarding.
My greatest career accomplishment: "Playing a key role in guiding Little Cinema through the challenges of the pandemic and the development of LCDigital. Both entities are achieving sustainable growth year over year, and we continue to cement our reputation as a creative and innovative leader in the industry."
Playing a key role in guiding Little Cinema through the challenges of the pandemic and the development of LCDigital are Schuett's greatest career accomplishments.Photo: Courtesy of Little Cinema
My most memorable event: "It wasn't a single event, but rather a series of private concerts we produced between 2011 and 2013. During these years, we hosted an array of artists like The Eagles, Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, Bon Jovi, Toby Keith, and many more, performing for a few hundred people on a client’s ranch in West Texas. We lived on the property for over a month each time, constructing immersive and thematic environments, complete with the appropriate staging, sound, and lighting needed for such high-caliber headlining talent."
The advice I would give my younger self: "Stay humble. It takes years to gain enough experience to hone your craft, and even then there is more to learn every day. So listen, listen, listen, and ask questions. You’ll pick up on so much more by observing those with experience around you."
What's next for Schuett? "Continuing supporting the team toward another year of firsts and growth."Photo: Courtesy of Little Cinema
A time I averted a complete event disaster: "In my early days of festival production, I found myself operating a lull forklift—no prior training—to move road cases. This led to an unfortunate incident where I accidentally damaged every mirror intended for the artists' trailers. While not a total event disaster, it taught me early on that effective communication is key. Mistakes can and will happen, but keeping people informed early on often leaves room and time to execute a contingency plan and get things back on track."
What's next: "Continuing supporting the team toward another year of firsts and growth. At Little Cinema, we're currently developing some thrilling partnerships in the immersive entertainment sector that we're eager to reveal soon. At LCDigital, our technology and team have consistently surpassed expectations in terms of features, functionality, use cases, and client base, so I am focusing on expanding into new verticals and enhancing our recent collaborations in sports and music, while also working on integrating our technology more seamlessly into various streaming platforms."
