The Several Ways of Finding Film Internships
Do you believe that only the cities of New York and Los Angeles have film internships? Think again. You can acquire a fantastic internship in the film industry virtually anywhere in the United States. Do you wish to follow the footsteps of Quentin Tarantino? How about Angelina Jolie? Whatever area in film making you are interested in, you’ll always find internships that will help you learn your craft, make your resume more enticing and give you connections to the most popular professionals in the field.
Do a little research – through this, you will find out that the film industry is present even in your area. You can even give your mayor’s office a ring if you want to know if a particular production is shot near your place. (Tax incentives are driving many film companies to cities such as Boston and Seattle, and everywhere in between.) You may also refer to Craigslist.org to help you on your hunt for film internships – or search for local film production and special effects companies or television studios. Refer to their websites – most probably, they’ll have a list of internship openings. If not, give them a call and ask to speak to whoever is in charge of hiring the crew. Explain where your interests lie and bring your skills to the table, and you may find yourself in a film internship that did not exist before your phone call.
You may also check with your school’s career services department if you’re a student or an alumnus. More often than not, local schools are tapped by these film production firms. You can even make use of the list of alumni to call those who are in the film industry. (Don’t forget, these folks agreed to be contacted by other alumni, so do not be shy!) And in case they’re not living in your area, they will still be able to provide you with tips on where and how to look for internships.
If you have gone the film school route, many film schools have established internship programs that will let you earn credits as you break into the business. There is also another choice: go for mentoring and internship programs that will allow you to be an apprentice of professionals – this is best for people who want to avoid the cost and relocation associated with film school internships.
Finally, the expression “it’s who you know” is doubly true in the world of entertainment. Is your mom’s hairdresser’s cousin a talent agent? Maybe, your roommate’s uncle is a film composer? The important thing is to let the world know that you are looking for an internship – and you might just be surprised at the connections that you already have.
Start with your area – do your homework, make some calls. You may realize that the film internships that you’re looking for may just be lurking in the corner.
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