UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A Penn State instructor who works as a Hollywood writer discusses the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on television production during the latest episode of a podcast series produced by the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications.
Deepak Sethi, a writer for Cartoon Network and stand-up comedian who teaches comedy writing in the Penn State Hollywood Program, discusses a variety of challenges for the industry during the podcast. He continues work remotely as part of a virtual writers room employed by his show, “Apple & Onion.”
Robert Richards, the John and Ann Curley Professor of First Amendment Studies and creator of the Penn State Hollywood Program, serves as host for the episode.
The COMMversations series was established by the Young Alumni Council in 2017 as a means to provide advice and networking opportunities. It has broaden and grown with episodes focusing on the people and programs of the Bellisario College. Recent episodes have included: television legend and college namesake Donald P. Bellisario; a student roundtable; and conversations with Ben Feller, who formerly covered the White House for the Associated Press, and Steve Jones, an instructor in the Bellisario College and longtime broadcast voice of Penn State football and men’s basketball.
The episode and others may be found at Penn State COMMversations on iTunes. Complementary videos of the podcasts have been added for recent episodes as well. Future episodes will continue the variety of topics featuring alumni, faculty, staff and students.
In 2019, a short film by Sethi was developed thanks to success at a screenwriting competition. It has earned accolades as it has been prepared for the film festival circuit.
This past weekend the film earned the newly established Angie Thomas Zeitgeist Award at the Oxford Film Festival in Oxford, Mississippi. The award is given to celebrate a film artist from a diverse background each year who has exhibited a unique and clear voice through their work.
The film, “Coffee Shop Names,” focuses on three people who use a name other than their own when placing an order at the local coffee shop.