Pursuing Your Passion: Making It as a Freelance Critic: Bill O’Neill, Amber Rivard, Allyson Johnson, Sarah Vincent, Tim Miller from 2024 Media Con. (Jenna Schmidt)
By Jessica Lynch
Returning again this year, the Cape Cod Media Con, put on by Cape Cod Community College and the college’s radio station 90.7 WKKL, will be held on Friday, April 11. The conference will feature six panels, giving a platform for professionals to answer questions and share their knowledge with attendees.
Panel sessions will be HyFlex. Sessions will take place at the Science and Engineering Center, and Zoom links will be sent out prior to the event for those who wish to join remotely.
This year, special guests include Susan Eisenberg and Jennifer Hale. Eisenberg voices Wonder Woman in the DC Animated Universe. Hale voices many video game characters, including Commander Shepard from “Mass Effect” and Ashe from “Overwatch.” She has also been named as the world’s most prolific video game voice actor by the Guiness Book of World Records
Panels featured at the conference include: “The Role of Media When Democracy Is in Peril” and “How to Promote Yourself to be Heard,” both from 9:10 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.; “The Writer’s Life” and “A.I. and the Future of Creative Work,” both from 10 a.m. to 10:55 a.m.; “Filmmaking With a Purpose,” and “Voice Acting With Susan Eisenberg,” both from 11 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.; and “Breaking Into the Industry and Getting a Job,” from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Lunch will be served from noon to 12:30 p.m., granting students a chance to dine with a professional working in a field they are most interested in. After lunch, a student showcase will be held from 1:40 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. The showcase will include an open mic for students to perform acoustic vocals, or read their poetry, non-fiction or fiction works. During this time, students are encouraged to network with panelists or get a professional headshot taken.
WKKL will offer tours of the radio station and host live broadcasting sessions.
Finally, from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Jennifer Hale will meet students and answer questions.
Lisa Zinsius, the event’s organizer and operations director at WKKL, encourages students to come to the conference to connect with industry professionals and network for their future careers.
“The Cape Cod Media Con provides a fantastic opportunity for CCCC students to connect and learn from industry professionals in their areas of expertise,” she says. “ The varied sessions throughout the day are geared for students of all majors – it’s about creativity, it’s about storytelling, and it’s about getting the job. Several students have gotten hired right out of the conference. You never know who you are going to meet and who can influence your path towards reaching your goals.”
To attend the conference, register here: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=fWADRvlaM02xSfb92OrjyWEC6TOU-55AoigtDr86APVUQjVPWFpPQk1RWkFORExCMlUzOEJBNUJVWS4u&route=shorturl
