Learning and Planning and Doing

   On my film production internship, just about everyone worked long hour lower paid job positions and gradually got bumped up. The director used to be the assistant to a director before he became one himself. I have a friend who worked as a production assistant for a while before she became production coordinator. I like the diversity of skills that exists in film from technical to artistic to skills that encompass both.

    I want to be a director and/or producer. From the Careers in Media book, Chapter 6 on Motion Pictures, I liked how one person talked about getting the numbers of other people who are assistants and having them help you create your own film.  I also liked how another person talked about working low paid/free jobs found on mandy.com in order to build up enough skills and connection to get higher paid jobs. I do plan on using mandy.com for skill building and connections over the summer. I also want to try to find production assistant jobs, which I will try to get through networking or on Staffmeup.com. For networking I think this can be a tricky situation as I have seen interns overstep their bounds. I think genuine relationships with people, showing that you are hard working and have a positive attitude will make people remember you and want to help you out. Though I already do know people who work in film production who I am genuine friends with and who have helped others get entry jobs in the industry, but that is outside of my internship. Something else that I am going to try to reach out and do is working or interning as a photographers assistant, jobs for which can be found on indeed.com or mandy.com. I would like to learn about lighting, composition and more and those are things both film and photography have in common. Film productions do have a director of photography and that person is very important. 

     I am also interested in how things are transitioning so much toward the internet and the possibilities that exist there. Sometimes I will go to magazine websites and watch their video content (that can also be accessed on YouTube) such as The Fader magazine’s FaderTV which ranges from little interviews to live music performances to mini documentaries. Their website has a blog post from 2011 about looking for interns, I am not sure if it is still something they are actively looking for. I have applied before with no answer. I’ve been looking through magazine’s website and try to find YouTube channels that are appealing to me and located in New York so as to apply for an internship.

    Right now production assistant internships/jobs and low paid/non-paid jobs on mandy.com  and entertainmentcareers.net (which is where I found my internship) are the most viable options for me. I am someone who learns through doing so I plan on doing a lot and packing my schedule over the summer. Though I am taking classes in the second summer semester, I will just have to be that much more efficient at managing and taking advantage of the time I have. 

   I also like to read about people’s internships on here as I see the variety of experiences, input and tasks that the interns are given. I plan on checking out some of the companies that you all are interning for. 

-Kathleen

Career Planning

Upon reading Careers in Media, it put things in perspective that I was not too sure on. What I was stuck on most was how I should go about planning for my next step. Sometimes I feel like the net can be so over-saturated with websites and information on what I need to do that it can get a little overwhelming at times. However, the book helped in how I can focus more on the details of my plan.

            So far my internship has been a great experience. I’ve been able to season my editing techniques, and have learned how to shoot for documentary-style editing. I’ve gotten to use different camera equipment that I have never gotten to get my hands on. There I’m allowed my space without the pressure of micro management, or time restraints. However, in being there these past couple of weeks, I’ve learned that I’m looking for something that will challenge my creativity more. Working shows like “Marc Jacobs” is fun, but there isn’t anything challenging for me personally. I have learned with this internship that I would like my future job to have importance and meaning. Although my supervisor has mentioned that he will keep me on for freelance work, which I think is great.

            My next step is to get started on my website which can feature my work to future employers. Thankfully, my supervisor has a session set just for that where he will help me in designing this.  Before I leave this particular position, I am trying to get, along with my website being done, some contacts and connections that might help me in the future. I will be looking for production assistant positions as well as video editing positions.  I am not a huge fan of imagining myself working as a video editor, but this is likely the best place to start in a company. There are companies that do short documentary and sound projects such as Q Department Studios that I have been interested in. Companies like that I have found on sights such as LinkdIn and ProductionHub.com. Both excellent sources that not only give job listings but also give valid information on the company. Glassdoor has helped as well in letting me know if I’m a right fit for each company I have researched.

            By the end of this semester, I plan on having many applications already submitted. I will be keeping in touch with my current supervisor for me to do some freelance work for his various projects. Hopefully, if his food-network idea comes to fruition, I will be a major asset on that team.

Best of luck to all.  

Ambitions and Goals in the Motion Picture and Video Industry

Hello all, 

          Careers In Media is a very resourceful book; it provides a extensive breakdown of mass media careers and fields, an appendix with a bunch of excellent websites for job postings (one of which, that being Mandy.com, actually landed me my internship with Inside Amy Schumer), and a practical, first hand account, knowledge base on how professionals got their media career started and their daily functions in that position. Analyzing the trends in mass media, the book offers insight into the growing industry of “new media” and provides an optimistic outlook for those with graduation anxiety – as the field begins to further converge and break down into these niche markets and adapting to new media, more and more opportunities arise for the college graduate. The book addresses something I felt very close to me considering my mindset circa 2013 as a college sophomore – the naivety of college students and their vague ambitions of becoming a “producer . . . director . . . (or working) with a record label”. I believe this situation is all too common on college campuses, students learning the theoretical skills and not having the actual experience that most employers look for and prefer. The situation can be defeating upon realizing this, but nothing comes easy; this is why I enjoyed Careers In Media, it provides the practical knowledge that you can actually apply to your goals.
            What I plan on doing after I graduate to land a job seems ambitious; I’m still exploring the industry of motion picture productions and I’m still finding my place (should I be a screenwriter, a production designer, an editor?). It’s an exciting time in my life as I meet all these wonderful professionals that are helping me with my goals. Via my internship with Inside Amy Schumer, I’ve already landed a job for after I graduate – an entry-level position as a production assistant on a live action Cartoon Network show titled, Neon Joe. As Michael P. Savoie and Frank Barnas explain in chapter 6, this is a great way into the field if you aspire to be a director or other common career paths of students seeking jobs in the motion picture and video industry. Most of the people I worked with on the Comedy Central shoot started out as either interns or production assistants; learning of this and conversing with people that started out “at the bottom” and worked their way up is truly humbling and shows that perseverance and positive thinking pays off. Networking is key for furthering your career objectives – I mean that’s how I landed the post-grad job! My next step though, is to build a e-resume via linkedin.com and my portfolio for post-production objectives; I’ve recently been more inclined to pursue these jobs as I find them to be my forte in the industry. I find these careers to be most attractive in what I seek as the perfect career in the field, applying “balance and design” to your work ethic, where you must not only be creative but apply technical skills as well. I will refer to websites listed in Appendix B such as Mandy.com (since I am most familiar with that) and new websites such as entertainmentcareers.net. Explained in chapter 6, seeking a career in post-production, you must obtain an entry-level position – like a production assistant is to production, an editor assistant is to post-production. I’ve already updated my resume and started reaching out to new employers for editor assistant positions that I’ve made on my internship. So keep your heads up fellow interns, as I will as well, for you must work hard and be aware of the changing environment of mass media as pointed out in the book. Good luck to all!

- Joe Dunham.

Planning Ahead For a Career in Media

Chapter 1 of Careers In Media is a great summation of the real world when it comes to seeking and fulfilling a career in media. Yes, there is a wide variety of roles and positions and yes, finding a job involves a lot of work and commitment. After reading about the different media industries and sectors that one can go into, I decided I still want to continue moving forward into the marketing/communications field. Unlike many of my fellow interns, I do not have the passion or admiration for pursuing a career in production, development, broadcast and areas of that nature. I would like to pursue a marketing career in a field that I am very passionate about: the beauty industry!

Thanks to our growing reliance on social media in the professional world, more jobs in the marketing and communications fields are opening up. Understanding the power of social media, the impact it has for businesses and learning to use it efficiently is a job within itself. Today, social media is more than just tweeting about what you're watching on TV. Aside from basic professional skills, social media is perhaps the most important tool in modern-day marketing. I am excited at the prospect of being a communications professional in the beauty industry! Most, if not all companies organize influential marketing campaigns by utilizing social media to the fullest extent. In several,  (hopefully not too many,) years I see myself as head of marketing for a few, or just one high-profile beauty brand.

Climbing to the top of such a competitive industry will be very difficult. However, I do have confidence that I will get there. As I am graduating my under-grad program in Queens College this semester, I am scared but excited to go out into the job-searching world. I have already started job hunting and hope to get a call back from one of the many places I applied to. Just like my colleagues, I understand the importance of applying to entry-level positions or positions that require very little professional experience. I do not want to apply to any summer internships because most of the internships I come across only either accept students eligible for school credit, or are unpaid. It is not beneficial for me to accept an unpaid summer internship because it is financially difficult. Although I understand that the more internship experience I have under my belt, the better it will be for me, I think I can gain that same experience by working at an entry level/administrative position. Currently, I am EXTREMELY excited and anxiously waiting to hear back from a position I applied to at Birchbox. It is an entry level position, with minimum qualifications but plays an important part for the company.

At my current internship, I have mastered the art of online research. I learned that it is a very important tool in the communications industry when trying to reach out to people. As part of my career plan, I will research and find direct email addresses of hiring managers for companies I am interested in. I feel like this will be a better approach rather than just applying online through a general HR page.
The textbook supplied a number of career portals to utilize. I am always searching on those job sites for openings. However, I find that using LinkedIn is sometimes more efficient than those websites.
Through LinkedIn, you can search job openings, as well as network with professionals who may be a great help. LinkedIn is great when writing cover letters. Through my research, I've learned that addressing your cover letter to a specific individual is looked upon higher than just writing "To Whom It May Concern," or "To Hiring Manager." Via LinkedIn, you can research complete names of people and utilize their profile to your advantage. You can understand what kind of person they are, how they interact, what kind of people they connect with, what interests them. Then, you can craft a cover letter that appeals to that person all while shining a light on yourself.
This tactic works great in my field because in marketing and communications, companies are always looking to hire fun, creative and innovative people. The more your personality appeals to the hiring individual, the more they would want to meet you.

Chapter 8 of the textbook, "Advertising and Public Relations" discusses the importance of networking and knowing people. I understand it is crucial to build solid relations with people I come across. Once I land an entry-level job to stick my nose into the industry, I will use my intter-personal communication skills to build as many friendships and partnerships as I can. This is also why LinkedIn is such a great tool because it allows me to keep track of your connections.

As of right now, I am on the fence of whether or not to pursue a Master's degree. However, I am sure that I would like to work and gain some experience before going back to school. Once I get a feel for the industry and understand what works, then I will make my decision. If I do decide to go for it, I know that Queens College has started a master's program for marketing which I may consider. My other idea is to pursue a Master's in business, just to build a bigger portfolio which I am sure will come in handy!

My Future: Action Plan

      Throughout my time at Allied so far, I have realized many things. First off, it is that I definitely enjoy being on the creative side of projects. I do not have a problem being personable with people, but I have also realized I would like to be the person behind my own business. I really enjoy the aspect of casting films, so I would love to apply to casting jobs. I love to travel, so I would also enjoy a job that allows me to travel for various events. The chapters I was most interested in were Chapter 6, Motion Pictures & Chapter 8, Advertising and Public Relations. Crystle Robertson’s personal profile describes how she called up the local production office and asked if they needed an extra hand on set for free. This allowed her to build relationships and build a pathway towards her career. I have been doing that at many events, especially when we work with additional 20th Century Fox team members that work in the LA office. I know that we have a premiere coming up in a couple of weeks that my supervisor asked me to help with so I just ordered business cards that I plan on giving out to some people I encounter in case I have a chance to do so. I realized that I talk to so many people working in different places that I should really have business cards on me at all times.
In Chapter 8, Advertising and Public Relations, Lacy Dixon’s advice was to start with who you know when looking for jobs. I also waitress, and I’ve realized that it is a bigger networking outlet than I thought. I served a friendly table this past week and they are regulars that come in often. They understood what field I was trying to break into and offered to send my resume to their nephew who works at CBS Films. You never know what can come out of something like this, but it is definitely always worth a shot. I've acquired techniques this semester not only on how to market films, but also how to market myself.
Another step I must take over the spring break is putting together all of the events I have organized and worked at throughout my time at my internship. I want to be able to put everything in a portfolio so I can potentially show my future employer the type of responsibility/success I had with projects. I want to research more PR companies that work with charities/non-profit organizations, because I enjoy spending my time helping others, and this would also allow me to travel while making a decent amount of money. I have also been personally asked to take pictures at certain events throughout my internship because they know that I enjoy photography on the side as well. I am in the process of updating my photography portfolio online, and right now it looks pretty good! Another step that I am in the process of creating is my own blog, I am going to take a much needed trip to Barnes and Noble for my first weekend off in awhile and look around for books on marketing your own website so I can get started in the right direction. I want to do this because the one thing I believe my resume lacks right now is a sense of personality, and I believe a domain website would be able to provide insight to that part of me.
        Rather than being nervous and scared of my future, I am realizing that I have to place myself in unfamiliar and often intimidating situations in order to end up where I want to be. Well, I have a lot to do so I better get going! :)

Planning Actions and Finding Careers in Media

After reading Careers in Media, I've obtained mixed feelings with finding a career in the media industry, but mostly gaining hope. The first sentence of the chapter mentions the expanding media field and how there has become a wide variety of opportunities. However, although there's a wider range in career paths, it seems to be more competitive than ever! The first chapter gives readers the gist of what to expect when pursuing a career in the media and tells us about the different career categories we may be able to look into.

In all honesty, reading this book made me a little nervous when it came to financial stability. I do know, however, that working with media is something I really want to do, and that drive is what keeps me going. I also won't be graduating for another semester or year. Even though I feel like that is a lot of time, those next semesters will definitely fly by and be done before I know it.

As for a plan of action, I'm currently in the process of waiting back for responses on summer internships I've applied to. Kind of nerve-racking because I haven't heard back yet, but I'm still in the process of looking around, too. I'm not 100% positive on what field I'll likely be pursuing, but pursuing a career in the music/entertainment journalism field is on top of my list (think working with Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, E!, old-school TRL, etc.). To get there, I've been applying to editorial internships for entertainment magazines and websites, as well as music magazines like Billboard. If interning doesn't work out for me during the summer, I'm planning on looking into volunteering for websites that'll allow me to write for them or possibly start a blog that can show my interest in entertainment and music along with building up writing samples. I've also been searching internship and career websites on a daily basis. (I search ed2010.com, entertainmentcareers.net, and company websites daily).

Networking is also key to landing a good job or internship. Obtaining connections and meeting people from different companies who can possibly help you out is definitely important and a good perk. Hopefully within these coming months, I'll make more connections which can help me land an internship for the fall or spring 2016 semester.

As Drake once rapped, "Started from the bottom, now we're here." To reach the top of success, I need to work my way up, by interning, volunteering, and applying to entry-level jobs, letting me get my foot in the door. When I do feel like I've reached that "point," it'll be much more rewarding knowing how much work I put into it.

My goals for my career and how I plan to obtain them

From my experience in my internship i am currently working at, I have learned there is more I need to do then just expanding my skills. I do have a lot of prior experience in some of the job areas that I've been a part of. However, there is so much more I can be training to do. Most of my experience is with video camera work, photography, and editing. Though my current internship is not really putting me in the field, it is showing me a lot of what I need to know to before I do get a real hands on gig in the industry. I've been learning a bit on what it means to be a PA (Productions Assistant). There are aspects of that job I didn't know existed. I've always worked on more advance jobs  in production and never realized how important the minor jobs are, like looping wires, testing and setting up lights, inventory and many other jobs. Not only do I now know what else I need to learn and improve on, but I've decided to do something I haven't done in years in order to be successful when working as a PA: I need to start working out again. I should have figured how much heavy lifting I'd be doing and how much of that equipment I'd be moving around. So, before i do graduate and get a real job in the film indurstry I plan on going back to the gym. I'm not doing that for anyone but myself and for the sake of my ability to progress in my career.

As I've said I have experience with filming, photography, and editing. they are things I would like to expand my skills on regardless of how many years I spent investing time in learning the trade and applying it to my jobs and school work. I just managed to get another internship in a Film and Television Company this summer located near me. From what they have told me, I can tell it's the perfect internship for me to expand my skills and train in other types of jobs involving production. I will be editing, filming, photographing, and helping out with social media as well. It's a full work day, four days a week, for 3 full months. It's a good experience that will prepare me for the long work days that the book Careers In Media talks about. However before I start, I plan to brush up on my skills that I haven't used in a while. I keep all my text books from my films classes in case I need them in the near future. Before the end of the school semester I will be going back to the books to keep everything fresh in my mind foe when I start the internship. 

The book mentions that the business field is a good area to have experience in for the film industry. I just so happen to be a business minor. I do prefer to work in the on hand aspect of the industry as oppose to just the business aspect. I chose to be a business minor, because I can never have to much experience in  certain career. I felt that in case I didn't get a job in the on hand or set related aspect of film, then I would still have the business behind the scenes aspect. So, that being said I have the ability or am working on my ability to work in pre-production even though most of my experience is in production and post-production. The only thing I really have to do regarding my resume is updating it with my internship information for when i graduate Queens College. I already have experience on there that landed me two internships and overall three internship interview in a four months period. 

I do have connections in the industry who I have already contacted for when I am done with college. Many of which I know personally and are fond of me and are willing to help me get in the mix. I know I can't rely on just that. I plan on doing as many jobs in and out of college to gain both experience and some finances. However, once I get out of college I don't plan on doing many free jobs because I would need to support myself somehow. I've done some in the past nothing major like the motion picture jobs mentioned in the book. Most of all I would like to direct. I do plan on working my way up there one day, but to be a director I need to be tough, which I'm not so that is something I really need to improve on. Even today, I have become a pushover for some people. As a director you can't be a pushover you have to be assertive. Even though that is a long term goal. I plan to start toughening up long before I get there, because honestly I need a thick skin to work in the film industry.

Matt's Action Plan

Careers in media gave me a basic overview on the media industry. I chose to read two specific chapters of the book: television and broadcast video as well as corporate and non-broadwast media.
After reading the two chapters, I took an interest in the role of "Producer" in broadcast television. The authors describe the producer as the person who develops and organizes local programs and is responsible for scripting, story development, booking guests, overseeing field production, and editing. Due to my specific interests, i began to look up information in terms of Children's Media.

In order to be in the best position when i graduate, i feel that it is important to acquire a part time job or  internship in a company that is more focused in producing programing for children as opposed to my current internship that is more focused on adult content. In order to do this I have created the following action plan. Some of the steps on this plan have already been completed.

• Research Children's Media companies such as Scholastic, PBS, and Sesame Workshop
• Follow all these companies on LinkdIn and Facebook in order to keep up to date with the companies' progressions.
• Apply for any and all internships in within these companies.
• Revise my resume and online profiles such as LinkdIn by updating my experience sections to include my current internship.
• Subscribe to newsletters such as Kidscreen Daily
• Pay for student membership at the Childeren's Media Association
• Speak to any professionals that i know in the field such as Lewis Bernstein the producer of Sesame Street and Sarah Wallendjack, a contact that I made last year at Out of the Blue Productions, and ask for advice about how to proceed with my career planning

I also recently learned, through experience, how important it is to maintain relationships with people in my current internship, even if they are not your boss. As many of you my know from our class meeting, i have been working on a series of videos for cosmopolitain.com called "Clueless Guys"(I will attach some more videos to the bottom of this post for your entertainment). Two weeks ago, my I was setting up equipment with Andrew, the guy i have been helping for the series. Andrew started to tell me how he also has his own production company aside from cosmopolitain and that his company recently finished a Kickstarter campaign for a feature film. Andrew proceeded to tell me that he has enjoyed working together with me and would like to speak to me about pulling me into the project as a production assistant. This goes to show how important it can be to make a good impression on your co-workers. You never know where it can lead!

And now, as i promised:

This video went viral. It was shared by various news sites such as BuzzFeed and Huffington post.

This video didn't do so well in the view count, but what can i say, not every video can be a hit.

Finally, this video went up less then 48 hours ago and already broke 200,000 veiws. The coolest part of the video is that the concept was MY IDEA!!!

Careers In Media/How I Will Find My Way

Careers in Media is a great book for the basic information of all sectors of the industry. I really enjoyed the break down of all the different parts and their resources such as websites, advice and statistics. In Chapter 1, they spoke of how broadcasting jobs will increase by 2016, which is important to me because my main interest in media is production and development of late-night and broadcasting type shows. My real dream has always been to be a female late-night television host, and although I know those dreams are HUGE, I haven't quite lost faith yet.

In comparison to last semester, I have a lot more pressure to buckle down and find myself an administrative or entry-level position within the industry, preferably in a big company. Although I do enjoy the resources the book has to offer, I have used several if not most of the websites to locate and outsource for job openings. My internship has offered me an extension to stay on as a Summer intern straight through another 4 weeks and I have accepted the proposal. However, I am not stopping my job search because of this. As an unpaid intern here, although I have great hands on experiences with working in development and on numerous projects at once, I do not get to further in the process of actually working. There are limits, legally, to how much I can do because I am unpaid and the President of the company, rather than have issues, limits the amount of work that can be done. Therefore, while I am thrilled to stay on at this internship, I need to start looking for a job as well.

Before this semester, I had been looking up jobs that I was literally shooting blindfolded at. Most of the jobs I had applied for had been producer, assistant producer, writer, etc. However, I have come to discover that in many companies, especially the big ones, I have to start as an assistant to the CEO, an office manager or an administrative assistant. No one is going to hire me straight out as a producer or a writer, when I am fresh out of college. Due to this, I began looking for programs in the big name companies that I can train and learn, and then eventually be hired by said company. For example, I applied to the NBCUniversal Page Program, which is a year-long training program. Although it is highly competative, I hope to hear back. As well, I began to apply to assitant and administrative jobs, hoping to start from a low level and build my way up. I believe I have a great work ethic, much like my superiors at all of my internships have told me, and believe it can help me succeed through the levels of the industry.

I still check Simply Hired, Indeed, Glass Door, Entertainment Careers, etc. almost every single day for new jobs and postings. I also regularly check Time Warner's site, NBCUniversal, Viacom, Comcast, Sirius XM for new job postings and apply daily and weekly. I feel like the pressure is on now more than ever to find something to get my foot in the door. I definitely am feeling a bit discouraged, because I do have some pretty good internship experience and letters of recommendation, yet haven't quite heard back for an interview or a followup from the majority of the places I have applied.

Therefore, I started applying to blogs and small start up sites as a freelance writer and blogger. With my journalism minor, I feel like it is a good step to building a portfolio and getting my name out there on the web, if people were to look me up. I'm also working on a book on my own, and hope to focus more time on it after graduation and during the rest of my internship during the summer.

Fingers crossed!