From Whittier...To Warner Bros.:Former Poet shares College experiences, current writing career

Adam Pava, Alumnus, Cartoon Network, issue 14, Jeff Wilson, Warner Bros, Whittier College, Features - By Jeff Wilson on Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 04:13

“Being a professional writer is like having homework every night,” alumnus Adam Pava said. “It’s just like having multiple classes, each with their own assignments that you have to juggle.”

Pava, who graduated from Whittier College in 1999, earned a Master of Arts degree in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California in 2001 before going on to become a screenwriter and producer, working for companies such as Cartoon Network and DreamWorks Animation.

During his time at Whittier, Pava was part of the Whittier Scholars Program (WSP) and designed his own Creative Writing major, which consisted mainly of English, Theatre and Film classes. Pava wrote a musical production that was performed in the Ruth B. Shannon Center for his senior project.

“[The musical] was really fun to put up,” Pava said. “It was called ‘Zoo.’ I had written a couple of one-acts before, but that was my first attempt at writing a full-length project. One of the music professors, [former Director of Choral Activities] Stephen Gothold (who has since retired), orchestrated the whole thing for me. I wrote the book and lyrics, and he wrote the music. It was a great experience, learning how to collaborate with a partner.”
Pava also held various editorial positions in the Quaker Campus (QC) and co-wrote a weekly humor column.

“I think the QC definitely helped me [outside of college],” Pava said. “Working on deadlines was probably the main thing. I learned you had to work on something until it was done, even if it was at 3 a.m. It totally helped develop my chops as a writer because every week we would be under the gun to find something else funny to write about—which is not unlike my job now.”

Pava was the co-creator, executive producer and writer of the highest-rated television special in Cartoon Network’s history, Re-Animated, as well as the spinoff series Out of Jimmy’s Head.

He has also worked on shows such as Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law and Johnny Bravo and is credited as the writer of 17 episodes of Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.

Pava is currently working on a Lego feature film for Warner Brothers as well as an unannounced original movie script for DreamWorks.