Media Network Elects New President After Odotei Leaves for Hollywood

The Harvard-Radcliffe Media Network (HRMN), whose 200 members create and produce movies and television programs, met last week for the first time since an emergency election held several weeks ago to replace the group's resigned president.

The five-year-old club was left leaderless for the summer, after former President Odoi M. Odotei '98 resigned last spring, opting to take a year off. Emergency elections were held several weeks ago, with former events manager Nabeil O. Sarhan '98 taking over as president.

Michael B. Fertik '00 was elected as the new HRMN events manager.

Odotei left Harvard to pursue, according to Fertik, a "very sexy job offer in Hollywood." He will be working in production and marketing at a "fast-growing independent film house," Fertik added.

"His recruitment for this job is consistent with the high level of work he contributed while at Harvard," Fertik said.

HRMN is a multi-media group at Harvard that produces movies and television shows and trains students in the production field.

"We do all kinds of crazy stuff," Fertik said.

HRMN has existed since 1992 and is composed almost entirely of undergraduates. Since the group's inception, membership has ballooned from a handful of students to nearly 200.

Each production is written, directed, acted in, edited, produced and created entirely by students.

Former members of the group have gone on to jobs at Hollywood studios, MTV and television shows or in the theater business.

HRMN usually holds elections at the end of the fall term, so the election several weeks ago was unusual. Sarhan, a senior, said that he does not plan to run for re-election at the end of this term, but will instead "take more of a background role," he said.

HRMN leadership has not been very stable in past years, Fertik said. Two years ago, an HRMN president was impeached by club members.

Fertik added, however, that the last and current presidents have provided HRMN with "experienced and good leadership."

Within the organization, Fertik said, HRMN this year plans "internal consolidating and reorganization, because we are growing so fast that we're not equipped to handle all the newcomers."

He said that HRMN is working on a number of projects this year, including a new first-year film, an "ER/NYPD Bluestyle" drama called "The Ivory Tower," and a computer animated cartoon, "Yard Tails."

As events manager, Fertik will coordinate the second annual HRMN Media Jobs and Internships Fair on Nov.7.

Last year, this event was the largest student-organized job fair at Harvard. Representatives from the television, film, print journalism, and radio industries will attend.

Fertik said that he feels some "hysteria to be launching such a big thing and to be taking over at mid term."

As the new president, Sarhan said that he plans to "acquire more and better equipment for HRMN and to work closely with Fertik to plan the internship fair."

Sarhan said that he is "very optimistic" and that he is "sure we'll be able to get a lot done" in his short tenure as president.

Screenings of HRMN-TV, the club's student-created television program shows air every Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Loker Commons.