Selecting an Internship in the Entertainment Field
Internships in the entertainment industry are a great launching point for those people with little experience wanting to "break in" and learn more about the field. As a prospective entertainment/media intern, let's assume you have reached the end of your educational experience and are now ready to put yourself "out there" to be evaluated by industry employers. There are literally thousands of internships available, so how should you decide where to apply?
Begin your search by looking online or in trusted trade publications to find out exactly what kinds of positions the industry has to offer. If you are not sure which area of entertainment appeals most to you this preliminary research will help you decide how to proceed.
Obviously, your particular field of education is a deciding factor. Have you attended a technical school whose emphasis is on lighting and sound maintenance and programming? If so, look for a field that will offer an opportunity to further this training. Television, motion picture and music industry employers all need people with a background in lighting and sound, and even some resorts and cruise ships will keep a staff of production technicians on hand. If you've steered your education more in the direction of screenplays and/or news writing, look into major movie studios or even your local television stations and newspapers as a possible choice. Narrowing your focus to a specific area of interest is your first step.
Next, decide about location. If you are lucky enough to live near Hollywood or New York City, your choices are practically unlimited, but if you are a prospective intern from Smalltown, U.S.A., your future career is probably going to involve relocation. How far are you willing to move or how much road travel are you prepared to undertake? Touring productions may be a choice, but they involve many, many rapid load-ins and tear-downs in cities from coast-to-coast. Again, some of the most useful experience may come from your local television and radio stations or a local newspaper office.
Perhaps the most important question a prospective intern should ask themselves is "How much do I expect to get paid?" Many internships are unpaid, or pay very little, as the experience gained is considered the true reward. If you are paid a salary or stipend, expect it to be small, based on your lack of experience. And don't expect to jump right in to your chosen career without doing a lot of "grunt work", such as running errands and doing some menial labor.
A popular saying in the entertainment industry is "It's not what you know, it's who you know" and this old adage is, unfortunately, true. No matter how well you did at college or in a trade school, no matter how "camera ready" your appearance, no matter how enthusiastic you may be, having good contacts in the business cannot be over-emphasized. If you have friends or family connections at a movie studio, television station or other entertainment venue, start your search for an internship there. And another bit of advice: if you are lucky enough to be accepted without these contacts, make it your priority to impress those around you with your work ethic, drive and determination. The contacts you make at these entry-level positions are your key to success in the future.
So, these are things to make your search for an entertainment/media internship successful:
1. Begin by checking websites geared to the entertainment industry where you may find openings in your chosen field and suggestions on how to proceed toward an internship there. Also,make use of publications at your local library, such as the Princeton Review, which collect and compile information on available internships in various fields for a specific year. These resources provide job descriptions, contact information and application requirements to help you narrow your search and present yourself as an applicant in the best possible light.
2. Determine a location for your internship that is right for you. If travel or relocation is not an option, direct your application to local entertainment outlets and venues.
3. Be realistic in your expectations regarding salary or other monetary compensation. Understand that the real reward you get from your internship will be the experience and professional contacts you make.
4. Be aware that no matter what your job, you are always "in the spotlight", regarding your professional colleagues. Those around you will remember a hard-working intern who was willing to learn, just as they will remember a recent technical school graduate who thought they "knew it all". Everyone you come in contact with in the entertainment industry is a potential "contact" for future employment when your internship ends.
One caveat: The entertainment industry has a reputation for treating its junior employees badly, to put it bluntly. But if you have a real love for the job, a willingness to maintain contacts, and a lot of perseverance, you may find that your internship is the stepping stone to a rewarding career in an exciting field.
