Faculty & Staff

Ali Akarcesme

Akarcesme started his career in various schools teaching both Film/TV production and theory in 2016. In the industry, he has produced and directed everything from socially conscious TV documentaries to short narrative films. His short film Departures has led him to win Best Drama and Best Director on New York’s prestigious film festival circuit. His projects are mostly centered around the real personal and social issues of human beings such as immigrant/minority rights, underrepresented groups and family dilemmas.  
 
Akarcesme is still actively working in film/TV industry and aims to utilize those techniques in the classroom and bridge the gap between production and theory. 

Ali Akarcesme black and white headshot

Instructor

209A Rickenbach
610-683-4494
akarcesme@kutztown.edu

Education:
NY School of Visual Arts, Master’s, Film
Temple University, B.A, Film and Media Arts

Courses Commonly Taught:
Intro to CTM, Film History, Film Theory, Video/Film Production, Scriptwriting, Documentary Production, Video Editing, Short Film Production

Scott Bastedo

Professor Bastedo has taught and developed coursework in audio and video production, graphic design, motion graphics, 3D animation, and mass media as an instructor at Northland Community and Technical College and at Millersville University. He has worked as a freelancer on commercials, documentaries, and short films in the Washington, DC area. His areas of interest include cinematography and screenwriting.

Scott Bastedo headshot, with him holding a coffee mug

Assistant Professor

207B Rickenbach
610-683-4495
bastedo@kutztown.edu

Education:
American University, M.F.A. Film & Electronic Media
Central Michigan University, M.A. English Language & Literature: Creative Writing
Michigan State University, B.A. Telecommunication, Information Studies & Media
Michigan State University, B.A. English

Courses Commonly Taught:
Fundamentals of Studio Production
Live Event Production
Scriptwriting

Cara Cotellese

Professor Cotellese came to KU in the Fall of 2008 after teaching for 18 years in the Cinema/Video Program at Bucks County Community college in Newtown, PA. She is an alum of the CTM department (formerly EM) and continues to do freelance work in the field.

Cara Cotellese headshot

Associate Professor

209B Rickenbach
610-683-4493
cotelles@kutztown.edu

Education:
Kutztown University, M.S. Telecommunications
Kutztown University, B.S. Telecommunications

Courses Commonly Taught:
Live Event Production
Senior Seminar
Fundamentals of Studio Production

Michael Johnston - Department Chair

Professor Johnston taught film and video production, film theory and history, and screenwriting at Temple University and Rowan University. His research interests include early cinema and architecture in film. His films have screened at national and international film festivals. His films, Irina and A Man Full of Trouble, have won multiple screenwriting and film festival awards.

Michael Johnston headshot

Associate Professor, Department Chair

206 Rickenbach
610-683-4497
johnston@kutztown.edu

Education:
Temple University, M.F.A. Film & Media Arts
Rowan University, B.A. Communication: Radio, TV, & Film


Courses Commonly Taught:

Scriptwriting
Narrative Video Production
Script to Screen

Jonathan Joy

Professor Joy is a media maker, video artist, sound designer, and editor. He has taught film/video production, film/media theory and history, and documentary production. His research interests include live cinema, "liveness," slow cinema, and a non-traditional spectatorial model. He is currently in production on an experimental video and live performance which addresses themes of gender, identity, expectation, Americana, temporality, and a heartbreaking account of the human condition.

Johnathan Joy headshot

Assistant Professor

204 Rickenbach
610-683-4089
joy@kutztown.edu

Education:
University at Buffalo, M.F.A. Media Arts Production
Clarion University, M.S. Mass Media Arts
Westminster College, B.A. Broadcast Communication

Courses Commonly Taught:
Cinematography
Post Production
Narrative Production

Jennifer Suwak

Professor Suwak has worked in the film/video field since 1990. She has worked as a producer, reporter, editor, director, sound recordist, and cameraman for the news and feature films. Her sculptures, animation, and award-winning documentary films have been shown in galleries and in film festivals including two runs at Austin Film Festival, San Francisco DocFest, Black Maria, and many others. She currently continues her freelance career while teaching production and theory courses at Kutztown University.

Jennifer Suwak headshot

Assistant Professor

137 Rickenbach
610-683-4498
suwak@kutztown.edu

Education:
Rutgers University, Mason Gross, M.F.A
Upsala College, B.A.

Courses Commonly Taught:
Documentary Production
Masterpieces of Cinema
Post Production

Scott Tice

Scott Tice, a graduate of Kutztown University's Electronic Media program, has been studying and working in the audio industry for 17 years. Shortly after graduating, he became an audio and video editor for news and sports television. Scott would work in the industry editing packages and reporting on location doing interviews with Elvis Costello, Mario Andretti, NASCAR, etc.

Scott Tice headshot

Instructor

137 Rickenbach
610-683-4496
tice@kutztown.edu

Education:
Bloomsburg University, M.S. Instructional Design and Technology
Kutztown University, B.S. Electronic Media
Northampton Community College, A.A. Radio & TV

Courses Commonly Taught:
Audio Production