New Year, New....sletter! 🎉

[Note: This post was originally an end-of-the-year recap email which my newsletter subscribers received and it has since been formatted to fit your TV––nope, that's not right–– it has since been edited for this blog. If you're interested in receiving occasional email updates on new and fun things I'm working on in 2020 you can opt-in here.]

Hi!

This is my first time posting a professional work life update in some time and since we just closed out another year, I thought it appropriate that this one be a recap/highlight reel of 2019.

[TL;DR: 2019 was full of challenges, changes, memorable experiences, new faces, and dick jokes.]

Let’s dive in…

WINTER Winter brought a smorgasbord of chill(y) projects: sizzles, sketches, interviews, a short film in Massachusetts, a comedy web series in Brooklyn, an awards ceremony, and more! Related: Have you ever wanted to watch Neil Gaiman read Fox in Socks? Well, now you can!

SPRING I released episode 6 of my 100% self-made comedic web series. While I haven’t released an episode since (this thing is a labor of love), I do continue to talk to myself. Watch out for new episodes in 2020.

Can't wait 'til my desk isn't in the stairwell.

In April I joined the Brand Social Creative team at Comedy Central as a production swiss army knife. My office has limited snacks but makes up for it with views of the Hudson river, gorgeous sunsets, and the occasional building fire across the street. Incredible!

SUMMER, FALL, ETC. The past nine months at CC have been a blur: I’ve worked on a myriad of CC Originals projects in studio and on location while wearing a variety of hats, everything from Camera Operator to Director of Photography to an extra pair of hands. (Do hands wear hats? Would those be considered gloves? Should I drink more coffee?)

My life is in the toilet.

One of my favorite projects this past summer was CC’s Pitch Please, a Facebook Watch original series parodying Shark Tank. Pitch Please features a bunch of comedy darlings pitching bad products to a panel of terrible judges. This zany series was directed by Greg Washburn and DP’d by the very cool John Campbell, whom I had the pleasure of working alongside as one of four Camera Operators. Let it be known that my toilet coverage is second to none. Check out all 8 episodes of Pitch Please here.

I’m excited to currently wear the hat of Director for That’s An App?, a digital series surrounding mobile apps you never knew existed and probably never needed. DickFix is an episode I wrote/directed and features a fictional app that turns unsolicited dick pics into discounts. It’s satire! Yay! I also wrote, directed, and DP’d Break Up Box: a bogus app that helps you deliver your ex’s shit with a dramatic twist. Keep your peepers peeled for the next wonky episode, due out in January on all your fav social channels.

When I’m not wearing a production hat, I frequently participate in creative brainstorms and pitch meetings at CC. Overall, I feel blessed/lucky/grateful to have the opportunity to regularly collaborate with a bunch of talented folks and make dick jokes for a living. It can be very hard and very fun. (See what I did there?!)

2019 HONORABLE MENTIONS

Some TikToks I filmed played on a jumbotron at Clusterfest.

Brandon Rogers shaved my head.

I met Reggie Furrz.

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE Last year I mentioned a short film I DP'd and co-produced in the summer of 2017 which I can finally share with you: Department of Procreation is a dark comedy set in a dystopian future and was written and directed by my super talented friend, Kelsey Anonsen, whom I will never forgive for moving to LA. 

Speaking of never forgiving people for moving to LA, my good buddy Nick Polowy and I worked on a very ridiculous project last summer: The Gingerale Pals will be coming to a social channel near you in 2020.

With Nick Polowy, one half of The Gingerale Pals.

I’m still working on/interested in working on creative side projects outside of Comedy Central so if you or someone you know might want to work together in 2020, send me a note or send them this post!

SOME PERSONAL NEWS

In 2019 I: Shaved my head

Joined a running club

Started saying things like “just ping me” and “merger”

In 2020 I will: Shave my head every two weeks

Run the NYC Half Marathon

Take a vacation

THE END IS NIGH If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading and I hope you'll stick around for fun updates in 2020. (I promise they will be much briefer going forward!)

I'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported me this past year (and leading up to it.) Whether you were personally involved in my life or left me a kind or encouraging note along the way, trust that it didn't go unnoticed and I am so appreciative. Thank you.

For now, I leave you with this: one second of (almost) every shoot I worked on in 2019. (By “almost” I mean about 70%. Some things must stay in the dark.)

Happy New Year, everyone! 🎉

-Awna