Kathleen Sarnelli Kapukchyan is a combined Latina woman who grew up in Glendale, California. She went to the native public college the place she met her Armenian husband, Manvel Kapukchyan. Kathleen and Manvel each graduated from UCLA and, a number of years later, they married and now have a younger, spunky toddler. She labored with UCLA, MJA Promoting, after which was employed at Disney as a Manufacturing Secretary and made her method into turning into a Workers Author on Mickey Mouse Funhouse. Her most up-to-date aired episode, “Vardavar!” made worldwide information.
Mentorship & Profession Navigation
JSEL’s Danielle Mikaelian spoke with Kathleen Sarnelli Kapukchyan to debate her background, work at Disney, and the function of mentorship in her profession.
Danielle Mikaelian: Hello, Kathleen! Thanks a lot for being right here with us as we speak! Might you inform us somewhat bit about your background?
Kapukchyan: I’m a Latina Author who loves writing preschool animation! I grew up in Glendale Ca, positioned in Los Angeles county, dwelling to a big Armenian inhabitants. Rising up I used to be uncovered to all kinds of cultures, meals, music and celebrations. Los Angeles is a metropolis that really exemplifies the USA melting pot and I realized there are extra issues that join the human race than divide us. I’ve a beautiful household that’s tremendous supportive and each story I inform on our present is impressed by household, mates and my experiences.
Mikaelian: How did you grow to be a author for Mickey Mouse Funhouse?
Kapukchyan: I first acquired employed at Mickey Mouse Funhouse as a Manufacturing Division Secretary. It was an outstanding alternative for me to be taught each a part of making a Preschool Animation present. I went to each single assembly and I realized how every particular person on our crew was very important in making our present incredible. Particularly, throughout Covid, I ended up speaking to a whole lot of seasoned veterans on our present and so they gave me a whole lot of useful recommendation. When a possibility for an Apprentice Author function opened up, I instantly submitted my private script and acquired the job! By the Apprentice Writing program I acquired a whole lot of useful recommendation from our entire writing crew, Story Editor, Mark Drop and Co Government Producer, Thomas Hart! By that program I used to be finally staffed on our writing crew the place I set to work with a beautiful group of writers!
The Course of Behind “Vardavar” at Disney
Mikaelian: Virtually each Armenian web site has posted one thing about Disney’s “Vardavar” episode. For people not aware of Vardavar, are you able to briefly describe the Armenian vacation?
Kapukchyan: Vardavar is a enjoyable, summer time Armenian vacation the place family and friends collect spherical and splash one another with water. It’s a vacation that’s uniquely Armenian that’s all about enjoyable and group!
Mikaelian: Are you able to clarify the method behind imagining and creating the episode?
Kapukchyan: I first considered writing an Armenian episode as a result of I needed my son to have all his cultures represented on Mickey Mouse Funhouse. I wrote a Día de los Muerto episode the place my son’s Mexican heritage was represented however I additionally needed to showcase his Armenian facet! On our present we’ve a land referred to as, the Land of Fantasy and Legends the place the gang meet gods and goddesses from completely different cultures akin to; Korean, Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Mayan and I believed Astghik could be the right Armenian goddess to showcase on our present. She is the goddess of water, love and wonder and she or he was celebrated throughout Vardavar. I knew Mickey and the gang would have a whole lot of enjoyable assembly a form, optimistic goddess and they might particularly take pleasure in splashing one another throughout Vardavar!
Mikaelian: I discover it unbelievable what number of references to Armenian tradition you had been in a position to incorporate into the episode. Astighk not solely speaks Armenian, however Minnie Mouse additionally eats conventional Armenian khorovats and wears an Armenian taraz. How did you establish what cultural references to incorporate?
Kapukchyan: I used to be very methodical in together with as many Armenian cultural references as potential. Once I visited Armenia in 2018 I observed the attractive taraz and I knew that I needed the goddess Astghik, to look, converse and be happy with being Armenian. I included a line in Armenian as a result of the Armenian language is just not usually heard on mainstream tv and having the language represented to a worldwide viewers was to indicate younger Armenian youngsters to be happy with their language and roots! Meals is a crucial a part of bringing folks collectively and I believed khorovatz was good to incorporate as a result of a number of Armenian households make khorovatz at dwelling. I additionally needed her temple, Garni, to be included on our present as a result of it’s a huge cultural website that individuals go to from all around the globe! Each cultural reference I used was little Armenian youngsters who don’t have a whole lot of illustration in mainstream tv and I hope it teaches non Armenian youngsters about Vardavar!
Mikaelian: What was the pitch course of like?
Kapukchyan: The pitch course of was pretty easy for this episode. I wrote a springboard to my Story Editor, Mark Drop and included youtube hyperlinks of individuals celebrating Vardavar! Everybody was instantly on board akin to our showrunners, Government Producer Phil Weinstein, and Co Government Producer Thomas Hart. This episode got here from the guts and fortunately everybody was so supportive in showcasing Armenian heritage. It’s a testomony to the Mickey Mouse Funhouse crew as a result of they all the time embrace new cultures, celebrations and traditions.
Mikaelian: Illustration is so necessary and Armenians have grown accustomed to not being represented on main networks like Disney. As a toddler, I’d have adored seeing our tradition represented like this – though it’s nonetheless very thrilling to see as a 25 yr outdated. Do you’ve any recommendation for different people on find out how to pitch Armenian illustration in programming?
Kapukchyan: My recommendation could be to by no means be afraid of showcasing your traditions and tradition as a result of most of the time folks wish to find out about one thing new. Armenians have a whole lot of wealthy and distinctive tales to inform and I feel the world wants to listen to extra of them.
Mikaelian: Retailers have talked about you wrote the episode in your son. What was his response?
Kapukchyan: He beloved the episode! He made me play it so many occasions however I don’t suppose he realized I wrote the episode for him as a result of he’s a one yr outdated. He danced to the music and laughed on the jokes and it made me so completely happy he loved it. At some point when he’s older I feel he’ll perceive the impression this present had on so many Armenian folks and that he was the inspiration behind it!
Mikaelian: Do you’ve any recommendation for people thinking about turning into writers for main media shops like Disney?
Kapukchyan: Write, write, write! One of many hardest a part of writing a script is beginning however as soon as you start it will get simpler and simpler. If the primary draft sounds horrible, you’ll be able to all the time edit and repair it, so don’t be discouraged! Additionally, apply to the Internships, or assistant roles. They actually set the muse of writing for a present! Writing is a brilliant aggressive trade so that you may hear a whole lot of rejection earlier than touchdown a gig so all the time have an up to date writing pattern helpful simply in case the right alternative arises.
