SOM grad calls film experience “surreal”

Vincent Daniel ’94 never expected to see himself portrayed as a character in an Oscar-winning film.

Daniel, an accounting major at Binghamton University, was one of the few people who invested millions on the assumption that the housing bubble would burst, which it did in 2007. His experience during the subprime mortgage crisis unfolds over the course of the 2015 ensemble film The Big Short, adapted from the Michael Lewis book of the same name.

“In terms of what went down, from a top-down perspective, the film is very accurate,” said Daniel, who spoke about the film at a School of Management alumni networking event at the New York Athletic Club and shared his thoughts on how it portrays one of the most significant moments of his life.

In The Big Short, Daniel is part of a team led by hedge fund manager Mark Baum (played by Steve Carrell and based on real-life investor Steve Eisman), who is convinced of the impending financial crisis after a series of eye-opening trips and conversations. The team ends up profiting at the banks’ expense after investing in credit default swaps.

Actor Jeremy Strong decided to take a serious, no-nonsense, gum-chewing approach to portraying Daniel on screen.

“I think he did a great job portraying my serious side. He nailed it,” Daniel said of the performance. “He felt it was his job to be the backbone of the team. He didn’t really show my humorous side, but he didn’t think it was a humorous subject, so it wasn’t necessary.”

Daniel said he and Strong talked often about how he’d react and respond to the situations the film depicted. Daniel visited the film’s set in New Orleans while it was in production; he and other real-life members of his team even provided some props for the movie.

When it came time to finally see The Big Short, Daniel remembers entering the screening with a feeling of trepidation.

“You’re praying to God that they actually portrayed you in some way that you’ll feel good about yourself,” he said. “And because you lived it, you are automatically looking for discrepancies.”

The feeling of apprehension eased over the course of watching the film, and Daniel was pleased with the final product. He was particularly impressed with how director Adam McKay was able to strike a balance between drama and humor.

“His point of making this film was ‘Look at what the system allowed to happen to ordinary people.’ It’s a difficult subject matter, and he put humor toward it to make it a little more light-hearted,” he said.

The whole experience came full circle when Daniel attended the film’s star-studded world premiere.

“Only a few times in your life do you get to meet real A-listers. It was surreal,” he said. “And then you’re watching the movie with the actors who played you and your team – I mean, that’s the pinnacle of surreal!”

The Big Short went on to become a critical and commercial success. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. As Daniel watched McKay win the award for Best Adapted Screenplay on Oscar night, he still couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.

“For a kid that grew up in Queens, you never think a portion of your life story is going to be told in a movie. And then for that movie to go on and win an Oscar – that’s insane!”

Vincent Daniel is currently a managing member and the general partner of Seawolf Capital. He serves as the head of research and an analyst, concentrating in specialty finance, processors, homebuilders and real estate investment trust investments. He remains an active alumnus of the School of Management.