Mission Statement

By: Brandon Wagner

For those of you who are reading this and don’t already know me, I’m Brandon Wagner. For the past year, I was the Film Critic and Opinion Editor for the Emory Wheel.

Yes, that is the paper that had all those Trump articles, if you’re coming to us from certain parts of the Internet.

However, graduation has come, and I’ve had to leave that venerable paper behind. But lest you think that brings an end to my film critic career, I’m here to keep the writing train a-rolling. While I’ll still be looking for a professional gig in the meantime, it’s gonna be a while before I get the primo review assignments, and I certainly don’t want to lose my chance to talk X-Men: Apocalypse or The Nice Guys or the countless other deeply fascinating blockbusters that will be coming our way over the next few months.

So, to that end, check 3rd Rail every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for reviews, features, thinkpieces and other writings about the modern film landscape and the good, the bad, and the ugly populating it. But since I have all the editorial freedom here, expect to see plenty of random thoughts on television, comic books, gaming, and other bits of the wonderful tapestry that is the modern media world.

I learned one other thing in my time with the Emory Wheel. The importance of teamwork. No one person can properly cover anything, nor should one person be given a unanimous platform to speak. There are a host of wonderful voices out there, and that’s where you all come in.

3rd Rail is taking submissions! Whether you want to write just as regularly as I do, or you just want to toss me a single piece, I want to hear your voice on the media landscape as well. I’ll be here to bring you through, edit you, and make something you can be proud of.

If you’re interested, or when you become interested, send me an email at the Contact tab or to thirdrailsubmissions@gmail.com. If you want to write regularly, please send me 2-3 writing samples or a completed piece.

Finally, why 3rd Rail? Partially because it’s short and easy to say. But also, because stepping on the third rail is a shock to the system. And I think that a group of young writers engaging with media that are absolutely willing to bring some teeth to what they’re saying can be just that shock to the system.

So let’s have some fun with it.