WASHINGTON, Pa. (October 17, 2014)—Damian Bosiacki ‘13 has been dreaming of a career in the entertainment industry since he was a student at Washington & Jefferson College (W&J). The summer of 2014 shows him, very nearly, a dream come true.
Not only did Bosiacki intern with Comedy Central in New York for the summer, he also traveled to France for a unique opportunity to participate in the Cannes International Film Festival.
Originally from Mount Airy, Md., Bosiacki stayed in Pittsburgh after earning a communication arts degree from W&J. He discovered these unique internship opportunities while pursuing a master’s degree in entertainment industry management at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
“The [Comedy Central] opportunity presented itself through our wonderful Career Services at CMU,” said Bosiacki. “We have this résumé book that potential employers look through to determine which students they want to reach out to based on their professional and educational experiences.”
Bosiacki’s résumé caught the eye of a representative from Comedy Central, where he was soon hired as a development intern. He remembers receiving this news as one of his most triumphant moments, recalling that he “shouted some wonderful things” in celebration.
Bosiacki said the internship with Comedy Central’s development department offered him invaluable experience in entertainment industry management.
Writers and producers pitch their project ideas to the development department in hopes of creating new TV shows, so Bosiacki got an inside look at how projects are selected, fine-tuned, and ultimately aired on TV.
“One of my proudest moments was when I watched a set of pilots that were being considered, and I correctly picked which shows were going to be picked up,” he said. “It was a nice confidence boost.”
While Bosiacki’s internship with Comedy Central was a crash-course in TV development, his second summer project gave him hands-on experience in filmmaking.
He was accepted into the Cannes International Film Festival’s Creative Minds Filmmaker Institute, a group that gives young filmmakers the opportunity to collaborate and compete with other amateur filmmakers. He and the others participating in the program had a seven-day production window to write, direct, and produce a short film, which was then screened for review.
“I learned how to direct and write with a partner, and how to manage conflicting personalities on a film project. I also got to meet some great people, and I watched some unbelievable films, like my new favorite Spanish film, PANCHO: The Dog Millionaire.”
With a summer of adventure and valuable experience under his belt, Bosiacki is once again focused on completing his master’s degree. He is currently taking night and weekend classes at CMU’s satellite campus in Los Angeles.
While his internship at Comedy Central and his participation at Cannes will surely play pivotal roles in Bosiacki’s achieving a career in entertainment industry management or TV development, he said that his time at W&J established the foundation of his entertainment career.
“W&J is where I started performing stand-up comedy, and where my friends and professors like T. Scott Frank, Anthony Fleury, and Tim Murphy supported my every endeavor. I am extremely grateful to them.”
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work.
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