In the year 1980, the world witnessed a televised scientific milestone in the form of “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” presented by American astronomer, astrophysicist, and cosmologist Carl Sagan. Even today, the documentary is still considered one of the most educational and eye-opening features of its time. Now, in the year, 2014, Fox and the National Geographic channel have brought about the sequel, “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,” presented by Neil deGrasse Tyson with updated information. And one of Wittenberg’s very own has become part of the phenomenon.
Parker Neff is a graduate from the class of 2011 who double majored in English and Film Studies. After an internship in Los Angeles in 2010 and a string of smaller jobs that followed his graduation, Neff says he finally landed an interview with “Cosmos” after direction from a productions coordinator at ABC Family. He currently works as a script coordinator on the on-going series.
“I’m honestly blown away by the response,” Neff says. “I was never a science guy growing up, so that I’m even a small part of such a brilliant bauble of human potential fulfills this do-good part of me that I thought would remain forever unfulfilled due to my usual heathen interests.”
Once “Cosmos” comes to a close, Neff says that he plans on working with fellow Wittenberg graduate Drew Sykes on their own short films. After entering the films in a variety of contests last year and receiving positive response, Neff’s confidence is elated.
“These are certainly more ambitious, so there’s a decent chance we’ll be broke and miserable by the end of the summer,” he says.
But Neff still has confidence. According to him, he was never into anything “science-y” before “Cosmos,” so he plans on staying flexible and keeping broadening his mind to what may come. Working on “Cosmos” has opened many doors for this Witt grad, and there’s no limit to what the universe will have in store for him next.
Fran Stygar
@FStygar
