Two Wilkes University juniors are translating their classroom experience into a production credit with audio book giant Audible. Nicholas Filipek of West Wyoming, Pa., and Luke Modrovsky of Mountain Top, Pa., will be working with Etruscan Press author Aaron Poochigian as he produces his debut novel-in-verse, Mr. Either/Or. Poochigian will be at the University from March 27- 30.
The students were presented with the opportunity by Kristen Rock, radio station manager of the campus station, 90.7 WCLH. Rock reached out to all members of the radio staff and Filipek and Modrovsky took advantage.
“I jumped on it. Audio books are one of my little pleasures of life,” Filipek said. “I listen to hours of audible.com—I love it.”
Mr. Either/Or is a verse novel melding American mythology, noir thriller and classical epic in language. Etruscan Press is a partner of the Maslow Family Graduate Creative Writing Program at Wilkes University, where the press is housed.
After deciding to take on the audio book project, the students met with Rock and Bill Schneider, associate director of the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing and managing editor of Etruscan Press. Schneider explained the goal for the final product. Since their meeting, Filipek and Modrovsky started preproduction.
“I’m handling a lot of the production side of things,” Modrovsky said. “When we did the interview with the author, Nick conducted the interview. From there, I took the interview and did some post-production work. It’s now playing on our station.”
Filipek and Modrovsky explained that their classroom training and pre-production work have prepared them for such a project.
“We’re in Kristen’s (Rock) class learning how to use Adobe Audition and it just couldn’t have come at a better time,” Filipek said.
The students noted that the audio market is continuing to grow and the opportunity is one that crosses mediums.
Modrovsky, a double-major in sport management and communication studies, explained that having the production credit will help him achieve his goals of working in the sports world. “Not every single thing I do will pertain to sports, but I think this will still help me going back to sports because it’s just one more thing to produce: the more you do, the better you are for it.”
Filipek is looking towards a future in the world of media production. Not limiting himself to radio or television, he’s looking to put full use of convergence in media—something the Wilkes communication studies program encourages. “Hopefully it doesn’t have to come from one place—I would be thrilled to be doing multiple jobs.”
The two noted that even though it’s an opportunity of a lifetime, it’s still work—from start to finish.
“I hope that my excitement is somebody else’s somewhere along the road. It could be something for future generations to get involve,” Filipek said. “To be the start of something so cool and have it be the thing I wanted to do… it’s a grand slam for me. This is real life.”
