5 answers
Maya
Student
Satellite Beach, Florida
1
Question
Asked
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Where should I intern if I’m interested in film?
Where should I intern If I want to have a job in cinema. I live in a small town but would really want some background experience to help in college and to put on my resume.
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5 answers
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1879
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Maya !
It is so wonderful that you want to go into film and I would be happy to give you some advice.
The best places you will be able to gain experience and for now, probably the best hands on training, will be at your high school and when you are in college. Those will be the best places for now since there are barely any studios or production companies in your town or the surrounding areas. Keep an eye out, though. You never know when a new one will appear.
Orlando has risen as one of the closest cities to you for television and film production, but it is about 68 miles from where you live. It would be up to you if you wanted to venture there and first discover the opportunities online. If you do not have transportation, I would say that immersing yourself with all things film, video and even acting in high school will be a great start. See if there is a film club. Be involved with the theatre at your high school to get a feel for acting and directing even if it's film that you really want. Then in college, major in Film and the courses that will prepare you will be mentioned in the program catalogue on the college's website.
Consider beginning making films yourself with your smart phone or a digital camera. Start thinking about what you want for content and get some friends to collaborate. Going through the actions will start to make it seem real for you. Once you are in college in a Film program, you may hear of student Internships from your department staff or your professors. For right now, I would concentrate on volunteer work because internships are not offered sometimes, but volunteer work may be welcomed as you'd be an extra helping hand for the company. Try asking about volunteering at Sky Limitless Media in Satellite Beach. It would be great if you can visit them in person so you can have a face to face conversation with them instead of waiting to hear back via an e-mail. Also visit your local Chamber of Commerce who could probably give you information about new production companies or anything connected to film. This would be helpful in widening your range of places to volunteer at.
Fortunately, the internet is very full of videos and websites that give instructions on how to make your own films using your phone. It will be important to read a lot about and watch many filmmaking videos. Also, do a search for some free online courses you can start taking in film. By the time you enroll in college you will already have experience if you simply just start doing it. Never give up - you can do this !
I hope that my advice and the resources below will be a great help to you and I wish you all the best learning about and being involved in film. Have fun with it every step of the way !
FILM FLORIDA https://filmflorida.org/
SKY LIMITLESS MEDIA IN SATELLITE BEACH https://skylimitlessmedia.com/
HOW TO MAKE SHORT FILMS WITH YOUR SMART PHONE https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Short-Film-Only-Using-Android-Smartphone
MASTER SMART PHONE FILMMAKING IN TWENTY MINUTES [VIDEO] https://youtu.be/Jg9B9DIFiOA?si=W5kJ1a2VYpUSSSMd
HOW TO START FILMMAKING AS A BEGINNER [VIDEO] https://youtu.be/qLG_wHpWMhU?si=B_YlF8dQWqAiCEWs
It is so wonderful that you want to go into film and I would be happy to give you some advice.
The best places you will be able to gain experience and for now, probably the best hands on training, will be at your high school and when you are in college. Those will be the best places for now since there are barely any studios or production companies in your town or the surrounding areas. Keep an eye out, though. You never know when a new one will appear.
Orlando has risen as one of the closest cities to you for television and film production, but it is about 68 miles from where you live. It would be up to you if you wanted to venture there and first discover the opportunities online. If you do not have transportation, I would say that immersing yourself with all things film, video and even acting in high school will be a great start. See if there is a film club. Be involved with the theatre at your high school to get a feel for acting and directing even if it's film that you really want. Then in college, major in Film and the courses that will prepare you will be mentioned in the program catalogue on the college's website.
Consider beginning making films yourself with your smart phone or a digital camera. Start thinking about what you want for content and get some friends to collaborate. Going through the actions will start to make it seem real for you. Once you are in college in a Film program, you may hear of student Internships from your department staff or your professors. For right now, I would concentrate on volunteer work because internships are not offered sometimes, but volunteer work may be welcomed as you'd be an extra helping hand for the company. Try asking about volunteering at Sky Limitless Media in Satellite Beach. It would be great if you can visit them in person so you can have a face to face conversation with them instead of waiting to hear back via an e-mail. Also visit your local Chamber of Commerce who could probably give you information about new production companies or anything connected to film. This would be helpful in widening your range of places to volunteer at.
Fortunately, the internet is very full of videos and websites that give instructions on how to make your own films using your phone. It will be important to read a lot about and watch many filmmaking videos. Also, do a search for some free online courses you can start taking in film. By the time you enroll in college you will already have experience if you simply just start doing it. Never give up - you can do this !
I hope that my advice and the resources below will be a great help to you and I wish you all the best learning about and being involved in film. Have fun with it every step of the way !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much, Michelle!
Maya
You are very welcome, Maya !
Michelle M.
Christian Severin
Video Producer Director
1
Answer
Cary, North Carolina
Updated
Christian’s Answer
Hi Maya. I would suggest a nearby video production company. If they hire you as an intern, make sure they allow you to use the equipment and come along on there shoots. Getting on a cinema film set can be tough. You really have to know someone. Just an FYI, Atlanta Georgia is a huge film hub right now. Lots of production there.
Yingna Wu
Film director / producer
14
Answers
Pasadena, California
Updated
Yingna’s Answer
Talk with your friends, and start to make films with your cell phones. Film your life, your pets, your adventure and start editing them. Have fun, no pressure. See if there are film production companies in your town, even if it's a very small business. Volunteer to help with the crew, do whatever you can, even if it's about carrying equipment or prepare for food.
If there's a film event, try to be there and meet with filmmakers. Talk to them and offer to help. Be your authentic self. Chances will slowly show up. Good luck!
If there's a film event, try to be there and meet with filmmakers. Talk to them and offer to help. Be your authentic self. Chances will slowly show up. Good luck!
Thank you so much Yinga this helps a lot!!
Maya
Siena Eyrich
Set Designer
2
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
Siena’s Answer
Hi Maya! I recommend Mandy.com, it's like LinkedIn for the film industry, most of their job are unpaid but give great experience. that's how I got my start. I also recommend looking into any student film projects at any university around you. Students films are always looking for production assistants on Mandy. I hope this helps!
Steve Jacobson
Creative Leader/Content Creator/Producer/Editor/Storyteller
51
Answers
Westlake Village, California
Updated
Steve’s Answer
There's a wealth of great advice from others who've responded to this question, so I'll just sprinkle in a bit more for you to mull over.
Why not get in touch with your local TV stations or ad agencies and inquire about intern opportunities? You may not land your dream role straight away, but persistence is key. If you're fortunate enough to be near a larger market, I'd encourage you to reach out to them too.
But don't just sit around waiting for things to happen. Grab your computer and write a short movie, maybe 2-3 minutes long. Then, get creative and figure out how to film it using your phone camera - and include your immediate posse to help you. There's a lot of user-friendly editing programs available, particularly for Apple products. Once you're done, upload it to YouTube and share it with your friends and family.
Then, rinse and repeat.
Finally, don't forget to pursue formal education that prepares you for this industry.
Wishing you all the best!
Why not get in touch with your local TV stations or ad agencies and inquire about intern opportunities? You may not land your dream role straight away, but persistence is key. If you're fortunate enough to be near a larger market, I'd encourage you to reach out to them too.
But don't just sit around waiting for things to happen. Grab your computer and write a short movie, maybe 2-3 minutes long. Then, get creative and figure out how to film it using your phone camera - and include your immediate posse to help you. There's a lot of user-friendly editing programs available, particularly for Apple products. Once you're done, upload it to YouTube and share it with your friends and family.
Then, rinse and repeat.
Finally, don't forget to pursue formal education that prepares you for this industry.
Wishing you all the best!
This was so helpful, thank you!!!
Maya