Gabe's 1st Blog Post

My name is Gabe Cymbalista and I am working as a Television Intern at DvDepot. As of now I am mostly working in the office and moving filming equipment from place to place. I help out with inventory and to set up or get ready for shoots. I am still learning about the film equipment and technology and I am honing my skills with cameras, lenses, tripods, lighting, etc. 

DvDepot rent outs equipment to films crew and sometimes we work as a crew. That is still an experience I hope to be part of soon. In fact, I was told this week that we rented out some equipment to the studio that made the new Liam Neeson film Run All Night. I was told they needed the specific lenses that we had.

The internship is what I expected in some ways, and in other ways it is not. I work from 9AM till 6PM every Tuesday. Sometimes when they are short staffed they contact me to come in other days. It's the length of a typical work day. I had a feeling it would be a slow start for me, but it's almost March and I haven't worked on a set or filming job yet. However, I started a week late because of the blizzard. I have no doubt I will be working soon with cameras, because that was the purpose of the internship, to train me in that particular field as well as others. There are slow days and there are days we work a lot and I have to stay late to help out. I am encouraged by recognition when I am proactive and working hard, because that's the way I've always been, even when I make a mistake. They see I'm dedicated and that's what motivates me. I honestly am enjoying the internship. I would like the learning to be sped up, because I don't enjoy sitting around at the work place when I could be kept busy. Sometimes my bosses tell me to hang back, but I am so eager to learn and be productive.  Most of all, I want to get experience in the field, because that's what I signed up for.

Engel Entertainment

Hey guys!
My name's Alexa Tanney, I'm a media studies senior (woo-hoo! the final stretch). I'm currently interning 3 days a week at Engel Entertainment, an Emmy Award winning production company in Manhattan. I'm currently interning in their TV Development department and so far I'm absolutely loving the experience I've had at this company. I've previously interned for Al Roker Entertainment, another TV production company, however I interned primarily in their Production Management and Post Production department.


1. What have you learned about working in the media that you did not know before your internship? Include here processes and procedures, job titles, you never knew of, how companies interact with other companies, and so on.
I previously interned for a different production company that most definitely ran their shift a completely different way. At Engel I feel like I'm getting a more hands on experience. I am learning the details and depths of the development department and the path of creating a Reality TV program to sell to a network. Prior, I had no idea how companies actually sign the talent that they do to create such programs. I've learned about the outreach and casting process for perspective talent, as well as the several hundred pitch ideas that companies receive every month. As an intern, I've been able to read through all of the pitches that come through into the company and see what I personally find interesting or that can be created into a program to sell. I've also been able to sit in on talent skypes and meetings with perspective talent for shows. Here, I've learned how to create a "Sizzle Real" to pitch to a network. The development department researches each perspective talent member intensely to pull together a question sheet. From there, they interview the talent usually via skype and record the entire interview. Afterwards, they replay/rewatch the interview, using editing software to create a shorter, well put together package to show to the President and Vice President of Development. From there, in Development meetings, we watch and discuss what we think will work for a show and which networks may be interested. Currently, Engel Entertainment is working on producing a show for Bravo called "Untying the Knot," which is about couples who are going through a tough divorce. I've been able to see the process of casting couples for said show.

2. Is the internship what you expected? Why, or why not?
The internship is definitely not what I expected because at my last internship I was definitely not as hands on as I am now. Previously, I was doing more clerical work: organizing, scanning, copying, filing. Sometimes I'd have the privilege to transcribe episodes of their hit show Coast Guard Alaska, but that was my extent. At Engel, I'm way more hands on. I'm actually invited to sit in on all the development meetings and am included on all of the development department emails. There's also an application called Basecamp where the development department posts all of their projects and ideas, in which I have full access to, as well.  It makes me a lot happier knowing I'm considered an asset to the company and not just an "Intern". I'm happy to be so hands on, too, because I am graduating in May and looking for an entry level job to start out with.

3. Is there any way you could improve your internship experience? Explain how.
I don't really see anyway that I could improve my internship experience thus far. I definitely feel like I'm getting a great learning experience and I'm entirely hands on. I think that because the development department here is relatively new, everyone is kind of adjusting. All of the people who work here are so friendly and open to asking me to do things or help out wherever they need, which is awesome because I want to do a lot and learn in every way I can while I can still intern!
You guys should totally check out their website if you are ever interested in interning for future semesters, they have tons of other interns in other departments and all of them say they absolutely LOVE working here. They also have hired several interns after their internship is complete.
www.EngelEntertainment.com

(And sometimes there are four legged friends that come in to help work, which makes it all the better!)

The Blog

Hello Everybody,

So, on this blog you will see responses from students who took this course in previous semesters. I've chosen to leave the posts on the blog so that you may see the very different kinds of experiences that your classmates have had, depending upon where they were and the kinds of work they were doing. Use their comments as learning tools for you to help make your internship the one that you want it to be!

Best regards,
Dr. Fuqua

Hello Interns!

Post #1: DUE Monday, March 2, 5PM.

In a few sentences, state where you are working and what your primary responsibilities are. Then, please post your thoughtful responses to the following questions:

1. What have you learned about working in the media that you did not know before your internship? Include here processes and procedures, job titles, you never knew of, how companies interact with other companies, and so on.

2. Is the internship what you expected? Why, or why not?

3. Is there any way you could improve your internship experience? Explain how.

Remember this post should be like a journal entry. It is your thoughts and experiences and there are no right or wrong answers. However, it is a required assignment and proper grammar, spelling, thoughtfulness will count.

Also, feel free to comment on each others' posts.

Please post your comments as a comment to my post. For those of you who took this same course last semester, I will expect you to contribute differently from what you did last time. While these are the same questions, your experiences are not.