Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Film & Business. Throughout my years in college, I was fascinated about what my career will look like after my time at Pitt is over. In 2022, I spent a month in a study away program called Pitt in Los Angeles where fifteen of us had the chance to sit down with some of the most influential people in the film & entertainment industry. These people happened to be - not from USC, NYU, or UCLA - but from our alma mater: Pitt!
Kenny Niernberg is a freelance steadicam operator who has carved his own path in the industry on projects such as The Drop Out, Insecure, Hawaii Five-O, among dozens of other projects. As the owner and operator of a steadi-cam, a niche specialization in the world of camerawork, Kenny has certainly made a name for himself in the entertainment business. He joins us on the podcast to discuss the importance of below-the-line jobs and how working behind the camera has still allowed him to explore his own creativity.
Interviewer(s): Aden McGlynn and Ally Fuller
Editor: Aden McGlynn
24 Sept 2023
Joe Rusin | Pitt ’04 | Production Coordinator
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Film & Business. My guest, for the ninth episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alumnus Joe Rusin, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 2004. Joe talks about all things Pittsburgh and the film community that has spanned across the cities of Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. He is a successful Production Coordinator for NBC’s hit drama This is Us and FX’s The Sterling Affairs. Please say hi to Joe!
6 Aug 2023
Benjamin Hatmaker | Pitt '14 | Post-Production Coordinator
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Film & Business. My guest today, for the eight episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alumnus Benjamin Hatmaker, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 2014. Ben loves the world of editing and gives great insight into the post-production process. He is the former Network Post-Production Coordinator at WarnerMedia for HBO Max, TNT, TBS, and truTV and he hails from the East Coast. Please say hi to Ben!
22 Jun 2023
John Dellaverson | Pitt '68 | Lionsgate Executive
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Film & Business. My guest today, for the seventh episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alumnus John Dellaverson, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 1968. John has years of experience working in the entertainment industry and a remarkable story that has taken him all over the world. He was one of the executives that founded Lionsgate and hails from the small town of New Castle, Pennsylvania. Please say hi to John!
21 Mar 2023
Hayley Grgurich | Pitt '09 | Writer’s Assistant
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a Film & Business student at the University of Pittsburgh. My guest today, for the sixth episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alumna Hayley Grgurich, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 2009. Hayley is an up-and-coming Hollywood writer climbing the ladder as an writer’s assistant in Los Angeles. Hayley provides an amazing perspective of someone just beginning to make waves in the industry and what you can do early on to make the most out of your experiences as an assistant. Please say hi to Hayley!
21 Feb 2023
Doug Crise | Pitt '90 | Oscar-Nominated Film Editor
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a Film & Business student at the University of Pittsburgh. My guest today, for the fifth episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alum Doug Crise, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 1983. Doug is an Oscar-nominated motion picture film editor for movies as large as Birdman, Babel, Spring Breakers, television shows like Hulu’s Dopesick and iconic music videos for global pop artists like Rihanna. Doug hails from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and currently resides in Los Angeles. Please say hi to Doug!
10 Jan 2023
Kelechi Urama | Pitt '17 | Television Writer
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a Film & Business student at the University of Pittsburgh. My guest today, for the fourth episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alumna Kelechi Urama, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 2017. Kelechi is a story editor on the SYFY series Resident Alien. Kelechi was also a staff writer on Season Two of Run the World on Starz and optioned her original pilot I Need Black Friends to Andy Samberg’s Party Over Here and CBS Studios which focuses on a young Black woman in Pittsburgh who sets out to find Black friends. Kelechi is originally from Maryland and currently resides in Los Angeles. Please say hi to Kelechi!
12 Dec 2022
Sara Klein | Pitt '15 | NBCUniversal Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a Film & Business student at the University of Pittsburgh. My guest today, for the third episode of this podcast series, is Pitt alumna Sara Klein, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 2015. Sara had an expansive and impressive extracurricular involvement during her time at Pitt which made her a great candidate for the renowned NBCUniversal Page Program. After being accepted into the program right after Pitt, she then worked her way up the ladder at NBCUniversal to her current role as a successful Director of Marketing and Digital Strategy for syndication studios. Sara however, is not in LA, but in the Big Apple: New York City. Please say hi to Sara!
10 Nov 2022
Jon Hill & Nate Cornett | Pitt '04 & '05 | Fox Digital Sports Producer & Cinematographer
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a Film & Business student at the University of Pittsburgh. My guests today, for the second episode of the podcast series, are Pitt alumni Jon Hill and Nate Cornett. Jon is a talented Fox Sports Digital Senior Producer of Creative Video and Cinematography and Nate is a skillful camera operator and cinematographer for projects as large as Borat’s Sequel, Saturday Night Live and HBO’s The Rehearsal. Jon and Nate recently wrapped their co-project indie feature film titled Above the Clouds which is a story personal to Jon as he transitions back to his life in Los Angeles after the sudden passing of his father. Jon wrote the screenplay and Nate served as his Director of Photography for the film with Pitt as the origin of it all. Please say hi to Jon & Nate!
10 Oct 2022
John Paul Horstmann | Pitt '02 | Editor, Producer, Filmmaker
Hi everyone, welcome to Pitt in Hollywood! My name is Ben Asciutto, I am a Film & Business student at the University of Pittsburgh. My guest today, for the first episode of the podcast series, is John Paul Horstmann, a graduate of Pitt’s Class of 2002. JP is a very talented editor, producer, and filmmaker working in Los Angeles. At Pitt, he founded the first student television station that just celebrated their 20th anniversary. He is also Billie Eilish’s top choice editor for her music videos as well as the Director of Tribeca Film Festival’s Official Selection: Bodyslam: Revenge of the Banana! More recently, he served as editor for Machine Gun Kelly’s newest documentary, Life in Pink, as well for the new Ana De Armas movie, Blonde, about Marilyn Monroe. Please say hi to JP Horstmann!
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