Students at Emerson Los Angeles benefit from incredible internship opportunities. A few of them discuss their experiences, and what they learned, below.
Working in a studio has been my dream since I started working in television.
What’s the best thing about your internship?
At Conan, the best part is watching the team create a show each day – seeing it go through rehearsal and all of the different steps it takes such a large group of people to create a fun and entertaining show.
What have you learned?
I’ve definitely learned a lot more about being professional and the way that a production office works. I know Emerson production, but I haven't been part of a bigger “name” show, so it's really interesting to learn what different people’s roles are and just sort of see the way everything operates.
Why did you want this internship?
Working in a studio has been my dream since I started working in television. I started on television at Emerson’s Boston campus, so I was really excited to be involved in the studio. Conan was a really cool opportunity and obviously if you are in production and you get a name like that you want to go for it.
I learned that even if a script is not written perfectly, but the idea is good, that it can still be worth pursuing if the the ideas are strong or fresh enough.
What’s the best thing about your internship?
Being able to walk around the NBCUniversal back lot. It’s always very busy and everyone is always doing something. I enjoy reading scripts and providing coverage for projects up for potential development.
What have you learned?
I learned that producing and developing is a lot of holding meetings and just talking; trying to hammer out the idea for the project and answering exactly why the company should pursue this specific story. I learned that even if a script is not written perfectly, but the idea is good, that it can still be worth pursuing if the the ideas are strong or fresh enough. Also, I learned that you have to be very adaptive and respond to the trends in the market and pursue ideas that align with the constantly changing culture and consumer behaviors.
Why did you want this internship?
I wanted to read scripts for a high-profile production company and get a glimpse into the life of developers and how pre-production functions.
The executives here are highly knowledgeable about the industry and have generously taken the time to sit with me one-on-one to share their insight.
What’s the best thing about your internship?
The best thing about my internship is learning the ins and outs of the TV development process. The executives here are highly knowledgeable about the industry and have generously taken the time to sit with me one-on-one to share their insight.
What have you learned?
I’ve learned about the pitch process and what a major network specifically looks for. Therefore, this has broadened the scope of my own work.
Why did you want this internship?
I aspire to write for television some day. Where else could I garner a better understanding of what a major network looks for in a hit show than in their development department?