Winter 2022
TMA 140 - Script Analysis
TMA 257 - Storytelling
TMA 392 - Children's Media
TMA 399R - Academic Internship
TMA 257 - Storytelling
TMA 392 - Children's Media
TMA 399R - Academic Internship
TMA 140 - Script Analysis
Course outcomes common to all sections of TMA 140
- Students will analyze play scripts in preparation for productions.
- Students will demonstrate a working knowledge of dramatic structures and genres.
Learned to conduct in depth analysis on scripts. Specifically, looking for defined genre, protagonist, and themes that can be backed up using the information presented in the script.
For my final I put together a slide show director's approach using insights I had gained in my script analysis while adding a twist in a way that would compliment the script and the ideas presented in such script.
facing_death.pdf | |
File Size: | 6911 kb |
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TMA 257 - Storytelling
Course outcomes common to all sections of TMA 257
- Students will develop unique individual skills and styles in storytelling, demonstrating ability to create imagery, use vocal animation and characterization, and produce effective story sequences, supported by skilled delivery (body, voice, use of space).
- Students will survey and respond to a variety of storytelling styles by observing and writing about live, video and audio performances.
- Students will develop teaching strategies and coaching styles designed to support storytellers in targeted communities such as schools, businesses, the entertainment industry, churches, family, etc.
- Students will foster supportive relationships by connecting to national and local storytellers and organizations.
Learned the basic art of storytelling. Participated and attended multiple storytelling experiences. Told two personal stories, one story for children, a story for a specific audience, and a choice story where I told an originally created story.
Created a storytelling file for references and the like which was submitted at the end of the semester.
Emmalisa Horlacher
TMA 257
Professor Love
Jan-May 2022
TMA 257
Professor Love
Jan-May 2022
Storytelling File
Own your body, your voice, your words, your point of view. I should see a relaxed teller who would be open to a live audience--if she/he had one!
Don't forget to season your tale with humor, especially if your topic is serious or dark, and with a pinch of gravitas if your story is silly, goofy or a tale tale.
Don't overstate. Let your story speak, and trust that the audience doesn't have to be directly told what to think or feel.
And here's my pet peeve with earnestly new to the field storytellers: If something is "beautiful" or "amazing" or "wonderful" etc., please just paint the picture (through your gestures, voice color, character work, as well as word choice) and don't use those generic labeling words. Your time with a listening audience is so precious and such a gift. Let them receive your view and react to it with their own specificity by you being specific also.
From the Ireland Reading
“A story only has only one master—its narrator; he decides what he wants his story o do. I know, I have always known, what I want my stories to achieve—I want to make people believe. Believe what I tell. Believe in it. Believe me. Belief is the one effect I’m always looking for, and I apply every device, every pause, every gesture, every verbal nuance and twirl to that end. To achieve it, I myself have to believe-- if I don’t, who will?”
“Quote, ‘Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate
their knowledge.’”
“Dawn came early…”
“Musicians know how and when to arrange the spaces between their notes. So should storytellers, I pause and let the audience watch me, and I wait for their minds to come to me.”
Teresa’s story telling page: https://www.pinterest.com/artseducator/simply-storytelling/
Naked Truth and Parable
Naked Truth walked down the street one day. People turned their eyes away. Parable arrived, draped in decoration. People greeted Parable with celebration. Naked Truth sat alone, sad and unattired, "Why are you so miserable?" Parable inquired. Naked Truth replied, "I'm not welcome anymore. No one wants to see me. They chase me from their door." "It is hard to look at Naked Truth," Parable explained. " Let me dress you up a bit. Your welcome will be gained." Parable dressed Naked Truth in story's fine attire, with metaphor, poignant prose, and plots to inspire. With laughter and tears and adventure to unveil, together they went forth to spin a tale. People opened their doors and served them their best. Naked Truth dressed in story was a welcome guest.
-- A Jewish tale retold as a poem by Heather Forest
Utah Associations for Storytellers
Story Crossroads https://storycrossroads.org/
Utah Storytellers guild https://www.utahstorytellingguild.website/
Life Story Library
Timpanogos Storytelling Institute
BYU Harold B Lee Library
Links to Events
https://storycrossroads.org/quicklist/
Utah County is the home of the Timp Tellers Chapter of the Utah Storytelling Guild. This chapter meets monthly on the 1st Thursday, 7:00 pm, at the Orem Public Library at 58 N. State St., Orem. DURING COVID WE ARE MEETING VIRTUALLY. SEE VIRTUAL CHAPTER FOR DETAILS. Contact Ginger Parkinson, Timp Tellers President, at [email protected].
The Ashoates Orange
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854576975628/
Doesn’t Fit In The Box
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854576975630/
Speak Confidently
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854572241505/
100 Different Voices
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVmAEezr6ao
Speak With Authority Hype Speach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCNIBV87wV4
Annoying Speech
https://www.debbiegrattan.com/blog/the-most-annoying-speech-patterns-you-hear-all-the-time-now/
Story Telling Games
https://www.thespruce.com/best-storytelling-games-4164626
Story Telling Institute Timp
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPttWrQfgl6UwID3C1gI_mA
Learning Through Laughter
https://www.middleweb.com/40188/how-laughter-can-lead-to-better-learning/
Dropping Hints
https://thewritingkylie.com/blog/dropping-clues-and-hiding-secrets-like-j-k-rowling-part-5-discrediting-the-witness
Double Negative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C1MA-u20tI&t=20s
Mountain Princess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U8oO0JhBKA
Cartoons talking to the Audience
https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=a1eRYUpYt
StoryTelling Tips
https://www.visualistan.com/2014/09/how-to-become-break-through-storyteller.html
Dropping Hints
https://thewritingkylie.com/blog/dropping-clues-and-hiding-secrets-like-j-k-rowling-part-5-discrediting-the-witness
Divert attention with action
Divert attention with jokes and ridiculous statements
Drop clues in dreams
Hide clues in lists of interesting things
Discredit the witness
Why we tell stories
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854568353112/
Using Crayon names as names in your story
https://confidencemeetsparenting.com/storytelling-activity/
Don't forget to season your tale with humor, especially if your topic is serious or dark, and with a pinch of gravitas if your story is silly, goofy or a tale tale.
Don't overstate. Let your story speak, and trust that the audience doesn't have to be directly told what to think or feel.
And here's my pet peeve with earnestly new to the field storytellers: If something is "beautiful" or "amazing" or "wonderful" etc., please just paint the picture (through your gestures, voice color, character work, as well as word choice) and don't use those generic labeling words. Your time with a listening audience is so precious and such a gift. Let them receive your view and react to it with their own specificity by you being specific also.
From the Ireland Reading
“A story only has only one master—its narrator; he decides what he wants his story o do. I know, I have always known, what I want my stories to achieve—I want to make people believe. Believe what I tell. Believe in it. Believe me. Belief is the one effect I’m always looking for, and I apply every device, every pause, every gesture, every verbal nuance and twirl to that end. To achieve it, I myself have to believe-- if I don’t, who will?”
“Quote, ‘Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate
their knowledge.’”
“Dawn came early…”
“Musicians know how and when to arrange the spaces between their notes. So should storytellers, I pause and let the audience watch me, and I wait for their minds to come to me.”
Teresa’s story telling page: https://www.pinterest.com/artseducator/simply-storytelling/
Naked Truth and Parable
Naked Truth walked down the street one day. People turned their eyes away. Parable arrived, draped in decoration. People greeted Parable with celebration. Naked Truth sat alone, sad and unattired, "Why are you so miserable?" Parable inquired. Naked Truth replied, "I'm not welcome anymore. No one wants to see me. They chase me from their door." "It is hard to look at Naked Truth," Parable explained. " Let me dress you up a bit. Your welcome will be gained." Parable dressed Naked Truth in story's fine attire, with metaphor, poignant prose, and plots to inspire. With laughter and tears and adventure to unveil, together they went forth to spin a tale. People opened their doors and served them their best. Naked Truth dressed in story was a welcome guest.
-- A Jewish tale retold as a poem by Heather Forest
Utah Associations for Storytellers
Story Crossroads https://storycrossroads.org/
Utah Storytellers guild https://www.utahstorytellingguild.website/
Life Story Library
Timpanogos Storytelling Institute
BYU Harold B Lee Library
Links to Events
https://storycrossroads.org/quicklist/
Utah County is the home of the Timp Tellers Chapter of the Utah Storytelling Guild. This chapter meets monthly on the 1st Thursday, 7:00 pm, at the Orem Public Library at 58 N. State St., Orem. DURING COVID WE ARE MEETING VIRTUALLY. SEE VIRTUAL CHAPTER FOR DETAILS. Contact Ginger Parkinson, Timp Tellers President, at [email protected].
The Ashoates Orange
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854576975628/
Doesn’t Fit In The Box
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854576975630/
Speak Confidently
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854572241505/
100 Different Voices
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVmAEezr6ao
Speak With Authority Hype Speach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCNIBV87wV4
Annoying Speech
https://www.debbiegrattan.com/blog/the-most-annoying-speech-patterns-you-hear-all-the-time-now/
Story Telling Games
https://www.thespruce.com/best-storytelling-games-4164626
Story Telling Institute Timp
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPttWrQfgl6UwID3C1gI_mA
Learning Through Laughter
https://www.middleweb.com/40188/how-laughter-can-lead-to-better-learning/
Dropping Hints
https://thewritingkylie.com/blog/dropping-clues-and-hiding-secrets-like-j-k-rowling-part-5-discrediting-the-witness
Double Negative
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C1MA-u20tI&t=20s
Mountain Princess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U8oO0JhBKA
Cartoons talking to the Audience
https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=a1eRYUpYt
StoryTelling Tips
https://www.visualistan.com/2014/09/how-to-become-break-through-storyteller.html
Dropping Hints
https://thewritingkylie.com/blog/dropping-clues-and-hiding-secrets-like-j-k-rowling-part-5-discrediting-the-witness
Divert attention with action
Divert attention with jokes and ridiculous statements
Drop clues in dreams
Hide clues in lists of interesting things
Discredit the witness
Why we tell stories
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/171136854568353112/
Using Crayon names as names in your story
https://confidencemeetsparenting.com/storytelling-activity/
storytelling_file.docx | |
File Size: | 6 kb |
File Type: | docx |
TMA 392 - Children's Media
Course outcomes common to all sections of TMA 392
- To survey the history of children's media, its various forebears (children's literature particularly) and components (film, television, interactive mult-media), and to consider some of the theoretical and practical implications of same; to study both texts and authors, signal moments and broad movements; to attend not only to conventional issues relating to production and criticism, but to also give special consideration to audience: reception, phenomenology, appropriation and the likening of outside material to one's own life and circumstances; to identify techniques by which teachers, parents and children together can make media an abiding part of an abundant relationship.
Discussed themes of morality, spiritualism, critique, experimentation, adventure, and nostalgia within the medium of children's media
For my final I put together a treatment of a project pitch.
The Project
The Project
- 10-15 Minute 2D Animated Short
- Based off of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30
- Themes include Morality and Nostalgia
- Audience for Children
View my Final Project |
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TMA 399R - Academic Internship
Course outcomes common to all sections of TMA 399
- Because of the individual nature of the internship course, students work with their advisor to list at least three (3) objectives they hope to achieve that are in line with the program level learning outcomes.
Emmalisa Horlacher
TMA 399R Kyle Stapley
April 19, 2022
TMA 399R Kyle Stapley
April 19, 2022
Internship Final
I worked at Harmon Brothers, a marketing agency that creates hilarious ads for customers. More than just ads, they help their customers to be successful marketers themselves by talking to them about their brand and product reviews. My position within the company was that of a creative intern, which meant that I helped the creative team with whatever tasks needed to be done. I also had the opportunity to help the office manager with many of her tasks as there was a big move and many office tasks needed to get done to help with the move. In working with the creative team I got to be a Production Assistant on set and help with some assistant editing projects.
To be able to get this internship I had to be very proactive. I had always heard my dad say that to help get a job, you call up the company you want to work for and ask them what type of people and experience they look for when hiring. I did that with Harmon Brothers as their commercials and products were the types of things that I wanted to create. By doing this they reached out and gave me an interview from which I was offered the internship. I was not able to take it that Fall semester so they worked with me to be able to start in Jan when Winter semester started. This process taught me about the positive benefits of being proactive to be able to get what you want.
In my position I can very much say that I am just about the bottom of the company ladder, even so, there are things that I can do and accomplish that will help the company succeed and grow to be better. While my position isn’t “glamorous” by any means it is important in the way that I get done all those little things that people don’t have time for but still absolutely need to get done. In many cases my contribution just ended up being another hand in the task to be able to accomplish it faster. While that might not seem like too much, in the world of film, time is money and the faster you can get something done the better off you all are. So, while it can be said that I am at the bottom of the ladder, a person still needs the bottom to be able to climb to the top.
In my future profession I see myself with the possibility of doing many different things, some of which include running a business, creating original media content, and/or being an entrepreneur/investor. In my current internship I have been able to be a part of an environment that inspires investors. Constantly people are sharing things about current economic events and different opportunities available. It is refreshing to be a part of a group of people who go after similar goals that I share.
In the company I have been able to see slight glimpses of what it looks like to run a business. I’ve seen company heads meet with building contractors and pick out flooring to create the right work environment. This has shown me that a lot of behind the scenes work had already been done. Someone had to look up contractors, contact them, get a quote and then hire the contractors. There had to be money but away so that the contracting could be paid for. Similarly with the flooring, they had to find different samples then pick the ones that they liked and with the best quote. The next step is the process of installing the flouring and such which will inhibit the company’s ability to walk on that flooring for a time. In running company errands I’ve seen big buck checks being deposited in bank runs that came from extremely high paying customers. From there I’ve been able to see the process of how that money is then turned into an experience for the client. They are involved in the creation of their ad campaign and the training of their company marketing. As the clients move on it’s been fun to see how the company still checks up on them and sees how they are doing. One of our clients, Purple, was doing a lot of layoffs so our company reached out to a few of those people to see if they were interested in a job. On the flip side of client relationships I’ve been able to see our creative directors talk about their interactions with clients. Some of the clients are easy to work with while others make many demands that the CDs need to debate to make a project more realistically producible. I’ve been able to notice how CDs get ready for phone calls with clients and watch as they pace the rooms in deep conversation. I’ve been able to watch different problems arise and watch as the heads figure out solutions for them. It has been really fun to be a part of the celebration aspect when a project is done. So many people congratulate the CD and the editors and tell them “good job.” It’s overall a very healthy work environment.
I’ve also really loved to be a part of the creative team. In doing this I’ve been able to gain experience and meet a lot of new connections. The creative team is in charge of all the content creation. From pre production to post production and delivery, they do it all. The producer is the one who specializes in getting things all set and ready for the shooting days. I’ve been given great opportunities to be able to help in small ways, like compiling feedback, collecting props, getting paint, and moving sets. I’ve also gotten to notice other aspects like what it takes to hire actors and how to solve the problem if an actor bails on you. Those are all things producers handle and things I’ve been able to help with in small ways.
It has also been enlightening to watch the actor’s job as I’ve noticed it is something I have taken a small interest in. For the most part, their job is fairly straightforward but can be very taxing. You have to be able to vary your performance while still doing the exact same actions every single take. You have to remember what your position was and when you performed certain things and with certain words. Then you might have to do multiple takes with multiple passes until the director says you can move on and each pass needs to be done with a large amount of energy and focus so that the quality never diminishes, only the style is what changes.
Another job on the creative team that I hope to incorporate into my future profession would be that of editor. They truly are the ones who put together the final story. Editors need to be fast and knowing the tools available to them really helps them to increase their speed, such as all the shortcuts on premiere pro. They also need to have a large ability to focus, to give attention to detail and have a great intuition to be able to pick the right takes and passes that will help tell the story in the best possible way. Sometimes certain clips don’t have quite the right flow for the edit you’re looking for. As an editor you have to work with what you have and figure out a way through it. It’s like a constant stream of problem solving and it’s been really fun to be able to see the footage that I was there on set for and watch it become an actual product that the client can then use to market their company.
The creative team has many different jobs all of which must work together to make a final product for the client. Each job comes with it’s own trials and strengths. The ones that interest me most would be producer, editor, and actor. In each role there is a level of creativity but also focus and determination. A producer must meet deadlines and make the CD’s vision happen. An actor needs to be able to stay to the script while having each take feel fresh and vibrant. An editor must collect and consolidate all the footage to tell the final story. I love storytelling and it has been really fun for me to be able to see how different jobs affect the overall story.
In this internship I have had the chance to develop multiple skills and abilities. I’ve gained office management knowledge as well as learned about what’s expected to run a set and what’s expected to deliver a project. Many of the skills I already possess, such as organization, being a quick learner and doer, and communication have been expanded over the course of doing this internship.
Before this internship I had very little experience in what real life work situations were like. If anything I have learned that in the professional world things are actually a lot less professional than what I had always thought. As a student I always expected that professional things would be strict and unchanging. Specifically things like deadlines, prices, and meetings. Now, having worked in the field, I've learned that things get done because of negotiation, not this strict view of "professionalism." It is through negotiation that deadlines are made and decided. It is negotiation that wages and payment are set. While many times people have a "set" price, that set price was decided because someone negotiated to themselves how much their service/product was worth. In truth, the only reason I get paid as much as I do is because someone decided that was as much as they could pay me and then I agreed to be paid that amount. A company has a specific amount of meetings for specific purposes. They don’t just have meetings just to say they are having a meeting like how in school we have class just to say we had class. There are needs that must be met and you have a meeting to meet those needs. And oftentimes, the meetings themselves are also negotiable. The specific things you do at meetings and how often you have a meeting. There’s no absolute perfect way of doing things and it is evident that the people in charge are doing their best to have the right amount of meetings and such but the truth is that there’s just no way to define what the “perfect” amount is or what the “perfect” way to handle a situation is. I had thought that in the professional world people had rigid and set schedules and plans but it turns out that people are just trying to “figure it out” and “make it work.” Everything is a lot more messy than what I had originally thought.
In this internship experience I got to learn about office management. Those drinks in the big fridge for everyone, someone has to refill that fridge. The trash bins that keep getting full, someone has to take out the trash. Printer ink, bathroom supplies, vacuumed floors, organization of office supplies; all these things are things that the office manager must be aware of. The office experience is what the office manager creates, making sure that it's a safe and comfortable place to be for all the employees. These are just parts and pieces to what creates a work environment and can greatly sway it to be positive or negative.
One of my goals was to gain a basic understanding of the whole production process and to accomplish what is asked of me in good and efficient time. I feel like I was able to accomplish this as I watched and developed a small understanding of what is expected to run a set. First off a project needs a script. At HB multiple scripts concepts are presented and then the client chooses the one they like best. From there the script is finalized and the producer and CD (creative director) then begin the process of rounding up the necessary crew to make the script become a real video. On set there must be a crew with the specific jobs outlined and accomplished. While many times people can hold multiple jobs it is generally a good idea to have them separated when you can. On set you need someone to make sure that consistencies are kept accurate and to take notes on specific takes or passes that are made on set. That is the job of a scripty aka script supervisor. You need someone to man the camera and make sure that the shots are in focus, that the subject is centered correctly and that movement is solid and flows. They or an assistant might also need to make sure the camera has batteries and fresh mags. The person who runs the camera is usually the DP. It is a good idea to have a DIT (digital image technician) on set to upload all the data as soon as it comes off the mags from the camera. Of course you need actors for the script and having crafty helps to raise the morale and endurance of a crew and makes sure they are taken care of. Other positions like AD help to let the crew know what is going on and then there is lighting and sound to help the quality of the production improve. These are all things that help a set run smoothly. Being a PA I have been blessed to learn set lingo and about first crew and second crew. In all these different observations I was able to learn a little bit about what it takes to run a set.
As far as post production goes I was able to learn about delivering a project and the amount of work it takes there. If there are special effects you want but don’t have the team for you might have to contract out special effect guys to make it happen. Also, you might have to test the effects before the film shoot so that when you film the project, it will be doable when it comes to editing time. I got to observe many times when a project was due that the editors had to stay up extremely late in order to deliver the project on time. I was able to watch as projects went from organization of materials to actual editing. From there the editor puts together a product that the CD then looks at and gives feedback. From that point they implement the feedback then take it to the client and finalize any last changes until at last, the product is delivered. These steps also vary depending on the product/project. Regardless of the project, we deliver when we say we will deliver and keep our company’s promises.
In this internship I was able to apply my skills of being organized, detailed oriented, fast learner with good communication to whatever project I was working on. As I practiced my skills I was able to get faster and more efficient in them. I was also able to learn a few of my own weaknesses, such as my lack of understanding in visual space and my ability to reach out and talk to many different groups of people. I am good at talking to people about projects but when it comes to developing friendly relationships it can be a lot harder for me. I am so often a work work work focused person that I forget it is important to meet people on a personal level as well. This internship has helped me to recognize weaknesses as well as given me a chance to develop my strengths.
Another one of my goals was to network. In working this internship I’ve been able to see the effects of networking. Many of my fellow PAs have gotten their jobs because of hearsay. They make good relationships on one job so they then go and get hired to do another project because of someone that they know. For myself however, I have not gotten any phone numbers or told many other people my availability so as to get hired in other aspects. I have slowly been developing relationships and showing my skills as an editor. Mostly, it comes to taking advantage of opportunities presented and enjoying what is given to you.
One of my last goals was that of developing an expertise. I had wanted to try out different areas and find something that fits me the most. After getting to experience being a PA and being involved in the production and preproduction aspect I can say that I am most interested in being a scripty and/or producer. Even more than those however, I still have an extreme love and desire to be an editor. I have absolutely loved learning all I could about editing and the different ways in which they use the tools they have. I’ve loved seeing the film clips that was made and seeing how they are then turned into a narrative structured ad. It always amazes me how just a few clips pasted together can turn something silly into a story and I absolutely loved getting to do it. Yes, editing can be very tedious at times but I just enjoy it. This is definitely something that I’ve been able to cement since working at Harmon Brothers.
In my future profession there’s a lot of need for flexibility, adaption, being bold and working with people. These are definitely skills that I would like to improve upon but I know that I have been able to develop some of these while working at HB. While I still don’t know what I’m doing a lot of the time I do feel like I have a fairly decent grasp at knowing why things need to get done and then, when I’m asked to do something, I am able to accomplish it more efficiently because I understand the need for the task. For instance, as I learn about slating I now understand why there is a need for slating as it is for editors to be able to more easily find the clip and attach it to the audio. Knowing this I can be a better slater by knowing that the slate needs to be readable and placing it in the right place so that it will get picked up by audio and by camera focus. In these ways I have enjoyed learning about lots of different aspects of production, especially since each project that a person may work on will differ from the last for various reasons. It’s important to be able to have a read on whatever job a film person may find themselves on.
Overall, I have absolutely loved being an intern for Harmon Brothers. I have been very rewarded in the things I have learned, the environment I’ve been a part of and the experience I’ve been able to gain. My tasks as an intern were various and diverse but they helped the company in ways one might not have originally recognized as needed yet were.
I know that what I did helped the company as I did a lot of the work to get them set up the new building. Because I was there it was able to get done faster. Everyone was very busy with work so a lot of things got put on the backburner and prioritized later. Those things were often the things that I was given to work on. It’s safe to say that HB is an extremely fast growing company and there is more work to do than workers available. It’s been really cool to work with so many people with growth mindsets. People give feedback constantly and are not afraid to tell what they think. It’s an amazing atmosphere that fosters creativity. As an employee, even though I was on the lower end, I felt appreciated for my work and never felt like less of a person or worker just because I got assigned the more manual tasks. I still get treated as a full member of the company and can go to parties and be a part of company lunches if I so choose.
Now I know that not everyone is going to have a similar experience as me. I recognize that I am definitely the type of person who likes to look on the bright side and find meaning even in the most grueling type of work. I find experience, no matter what kind, to be valuable as it teaches life skills and lessons. Much of the experience I gained in this internship relates to the field I would like to work and it has been an excellent place to start from as I have literally come from almost zero experience. It’s also been very good to see how a company functions. Now, again, much of my experience is shaped by the way I choose to see it but I do believe that by allowing myself to have a good attitude I am able to gain more from my internship.
I feel like the overall experience has been rewarding. There are things in this internship that I would not have been able to learn anywhere else. I feel good about the things I’ve accomplished, the people I’ve met and the relationships I’ve developed. I am proud of the projects that I’ve been a part of and I get very excited when I see those projects come to fruition. I know that I will be able to take what I’ve learned here as an excellent beginning stage to spring off of. My work has been most rewarding as I do something that I know will help someone else. When what I have done helps another person in some way shape or form, I feel that what I have done was worth doing.
Before this internship I did not know much about business, marketing or the film industry. I knew what I had learned from my production class but that was it. With such a small start and with the skills that I did possess I was able to take what I had and give it in meaningful ways and effective ways. As I gave, I grew and I was able to learn more. Overall, I feel very grateful to have been able to be apart of this internship.
To be able to get this internship I had to be very proactive. I had always heard my dad say that to help get a job, you call up the company you want to work for and ask them what type of people and experience they look for when hiring. I did that with Harmon Brothers as their commercials and products were the types of things that I wanted to create. By doing this they reached out and gave me an interview from which I was offered the internship. I was not able to take it that Fall semester so they worked with me to be able to start in Jan when Winter semester started. This process taught me about the positive benefits of being proactive to be able to get what you want.
In my position I can very much say that I am just about the bottom of the company ladder, even so, there are things that I can do and accomplish that will help the company succeed and grow to be better. While my position isn’t “glamorous” by any means it is important in the way that I get done all those little things that people don’t have time for but still absolutely need to get done. In many cases my contribution just ended up being another hand in the task to be able to accomplish it faster. While that might not seem like too much, in the world of film, time is money and the faster you can get something done the better off you all are. So, while it can be said that I am at the bottom of the ladder, a person still needs the bottom to be able to climb to the top.
In my future profession I see myself with the possibility of doing many different things, some of which include running a business, creating original media content, and/or being an entrepreneur/investor. In my current internship I have been able to be a part of an environment that inspires investors. Constantly people are sharing things about current economic events and different opportunities available. It is refreshing to be a part of a group of people who go after similar goals that I share.
In the company I have been able to see slight glimpses of what it looks like to run a business. I’ve seen company heads meet with building contractors and pick out flooring to create the right work environment. This has shown me that a lot of behind the scenes work had already been done. Someone had to look up contractors, contact them, get a quote and then hire the contractors. There had to be money but away so that the contracting could be paid for. Similarly with the flooring, they had to find different samples then pick the ones that they liked and with the best quote. The next step is the process of installing the flouring and such which will inhibit the company’s ability to walk on that flooring for a time. In running company errands I’ve seen big buck checks being deposited in bank runs that came from extremely high paying customers. From there I’ve been able to see the process of how that money is then turned into an experience for the client. They are involved in the creation of their ad campaign and the training of their company marketing. As the clients move on it’s been fun to see how the company still checks up on them and sees how they are doing. One of our clients, Purple, was doing a lot of layoffs so our company reached out to a few of those people to see if they were interested in a job. On the flip side of client relationships I’ve been able to see our creative directors talk about their interactions with clients. Some of the clients are easy to work with while others make many demands that the CDs need to debate to make a project more realistically producible. I’ve been able to notice how CDs get ready for phone calls with clients and watch as they pace the rooms in deep conversation. I’ve been able to watch different problems arise and watch as the heads figure out solutions for them. It has been really fun to be a part of the celebration aspect when a project is done. So many people congratulate the CD and the editors and tell them “good job.” It’s overall a very healthy work environment.
I’ve also really loved to be a part of the creative team. In doing this I’ve been able to gain experience and meet a lot of new connections. The creative team is in charge of all the content creation. From pre production to post production and delivery, they do it all. The producer is the one who specializes in getting things all set and ready for the shooting days. I’ve been given great opportunities to be able to help in small ways, like compiling feedback, collecting props, getting paint, and moving sets. I’ve also gotten to notice other aspects like what it takes to hire actors and how to solve the problem if an actor bails on you. Those are all things producers handle and things I’ve been able to help with in small ways.
It has also been enlightening to watch the actor’s job as I’ve noticed it is something I have taken a small interest in. For the most part, their job is fairly straightforward but can be very taxing. You have to be able to vary your performance while still doing the exact same actions every single take. You have to remember what your position was and when you performed certain things and with certain words. Then you might have to do multiple takes with multiple passes until the director says you can move on and each pass needs to be done with a large amount of energy and focus so that the quality never diminishes, only the style is what changes.
Another job on the creative team that I hope to incorporate into my future profession would be that of editor. They truly are the ones who put together the final story. Editors need to be fast and knowing the tools available to them really helps them to increase their speed, such as all the shortcuts on premiere pro. They also need to have a large ability to focus, to give attention to detail and have a great intuition to be able to pick the right takes and passes that will help tell the story in the best possible way. Sometimes certain clips don’t have quite the right flow for the edit you’re looking for. As an editor you have to work with what you have and figure out a way through it. It’s like a constant stream of problem solving and it’s been really fun to be able to see the footage that I was there on set for and watch it become an actual product that the client can then use to market their company.
The creative team has many different jobs all of which must work together to make a final product for the client. Each job comes with it’s own trials and strengths. The ones that interest me most would be producer, editor, and actor. In each role there is a level of creativity but also focus and determination. A producer must meet deadlines and make the CD’s vision happen. An actor needs to be able to stay to the script while having each take feel fresh and vibrant. An editor must collect and consolidate all the footage to tell the final story. I love storytelling and it has been really fun for me to be able to see how different jobs affect the overall story.
In this internship I have had the chance to develop multiple skills and abilities. I’ve gained office management knowledge as well as learned about what’s expected to run a set and what’s expected to deliver a project. Many of the skills I already possess, such as organization, being a quick learner and doer, and communication have been expanded over the course of doing this internship.
Before this internship I had very little experience in what real life work situations were like. If anything I have learned that in the professional world things are actually a lot less professional than what I had always thought. As a student I always expected that professional things would be strict and unchanging. Specifically things like deadlines, prices, and meetings. Now, having worked in the field, I've learned that things get done because of negotiation, not this strict view of "professionalism." It is through negotiation that deadlines are made and decided. It is negotiation that wages and payment are set. While many times people have a "set" price, that set price was decided because someone negotiated to themselves how much their service/product was worth. In truth, the only reason I get paid as much as I do is because someone decided that was as much as they could pay me and then I agreed to be paid that amount. A company has a specific amount of meetings for specific purposes. They don’t just have meetings just to say they are having a meeting like how in school we have class just to say we had class. There are needs that must be met and you have a meeting to meet those needs. And oftentimes, the meetings themselves are also negotiable. The specific things you do at meetings and how often you have a meeting. There’s no absolute perfect way of doing things and it is evident that the people in charge are doing their best to have the right amount of meetings and such but the truth is that there’s just no way to define what the “perfect” amount is or what the “perfect” way to handle a situation is. I had thought that in the professional world people had rigid and set schedules and plans but it turns out that people are just trying to “figure it out” and “make it work.” Everything is a lot more messy than what I had originally thought.
In this internship experience I got to learn about office management. Those drinks in the big fridge for everyone, someone has to refill that fridge. The trash bins that keep getting full, someone has to take out the trash. Printer ink, bathroom supplies, vacuumed floors, organization of office supplies; all these things are things that the office manager must be aware of. The office experience is what the office manager creates, making sure that it's a safe and comfortable place to be for all the employees. These are just parts and pieces to what creates a work environment and can greatly sway it to be positive or negative.
One of my goals was to gain a basic understanding of the whole production process and to accomplish what is asked of me in good and efficient time. I feel like I was able to accomplish this as I watched and developed a small understanding of what is expected to run a set. First off a project needs a script. At HB multiple scripts concepts are presented and then the client chooses the one they like best. From there the script is finalized and the producer and CD (creative director) then begin the process of rounding up the necessary crew to make the script become a real video. On set there must be a crew with the specific jobs outlined and accomplished. While many times people can hold multiple jobs it is generally a good idea to have them separated when you can. On set you need someone to make sure that consistencies are kept accurate and to take notes on specific takes or passes that are made on set. That is the job of a scripty aka script supervisor. You need someone to man the camera and make sure that the shots are in focus, that the subject is centered correctly and that movement is solid and flows. They or an assistant might also need to make sure the camera has batteries and fresh mags. The person who runs the camera is usually the DP. It is a good idea to have a DIT (digital image technician) on set to upload all the data as soon as it comes off the mags from the camera. Of course you need actors for the script and having crafty helps to raise the morale and endurance of a crew and makes sure they are taken care of. Other positions like AD help to let the crew know what is going on and then there is lighting and sound to help the quality of the production improve. These are all things that help a set run smoothly. Being a PA I have been blessed to learn set lingo and about first crew and second crew. In all these different observations I was able to learn a little bit about what it takes to run a set.
As far as post production goes I was able to learn about delivering a project and the amount of work it takes there. If there are special effects you want but don’t have the team for you might have to contract out special effect guys to make it happen. Also, you might have to test the effects before the film shoot so that when you film the project, it will be doable when it comes to editing time. I got to observe many times when a project was due that the editors had to stay up extremely late in order to deliver the project on time. I was able to watch as projects went from organization of materials to actual editing. From there the editor puts together a product that the CD then looks at and gives feedback. From that point they implement the feedback then take it to the client and finalize any last changes until at last, the product is delivered. These steps also vary depending on the product/project. Regardless of the project, we deliver when we say we will deliver and keep our company’s promises.
In this internship I was able to apply my skills of being organized, detailed oriented, fast learner with good communication to whatever project I was working on. As I practiced my skills I was able to get faster and more efficient in them. I was also able to learn a few of my own weaknesses, such as my lack of understanding in visual space and my ability to reach out and talk to many different groups of people. I am good at talking to people about projects but when it comes to developing friendly relationships it can be a lot harder for me. I am so often a work work work focused person that I forget it is important to meet people on a personal level as well. This internship has helped me to recognize weaknesses as well as given me a chance to develop my strengths.
Another one of my goals was to network. In working this internship I’ve been able to see the effects of networking. Many of my fellow PAs have gotten their jobs because of hearsay. They make good relationships on one job so they then go and get hired to do another project because of someone that they know. For myself however, I have not gotten any phone numbers or told many other people my availability so as to get hired in other aspects. I have slowly been developing relationships and showing my skills as an editor. Mostly, it comes to taking advantage of opportunities presented and enjoying what is given to you.
One of my last goals was that of developing an expertise. I had wanted to try out different areas and find something that fits me the most. After getting to experience being a PA and being involved in the production and preproduction aspect I can say that I am most interested in being a scripty and/or producer. Even more than those however, I still have an extreme love and desire to be an editor. I have absolutely loved learning all I could about editing and the different ways in which they use the tools they have. I’ve loved seeing the film clips that was made and seeing how they are then turned into a narrative structured ad. It always amazes me how just a few clips pasted together can turn something silly into a story and I absolutely loved getting to do it. Yes, editing can be very tedious at times but I just enjoy it. This is definitely something that I’ve been able to cement since working at Harmon Brothers.
In my future profession there’s a lot of need for flexibility, adaption, being bold and working with people. These are definitely skills that I would like to improve upon but I know that I have been able to develop some of these while working at HB. While I still don’t know what I’m doing a lot of the time I do feel like I have a fairly decent grasp at knowing why things need to get done and then, when I’m asked to do something, I am able to accomplish it more efficiently because I understand the need for the task. For instance, as I learn about slating I now understand why there is a need for slating as it is for editors to be able to more easily find the clip and attach it to the audio. Knowing this I can be a better slater by knowing that the slate needs to be readable and placing it in the right place so that it will get picked up by audio and by camera focus. In these ways I have enjoyed learning about lots of different aspects of production, especially since each project that a person may work on will differ from the last for various reasons. It’s important to be able to have a read on whatever job a film person may find themselves on.
Overall, I have absolutely loved being an intern for Harmon Brothers. I have been very rewarded in the things I have learned, the environment I’ve been a part of and the experience I’ve been able to gain. My tasks as an intern were various and diverse but they helped the company in ways one might not have originally recognized as needed yet were.
I know that what I did helped the company as I did a lot of the work to get them set up the new building. Because I was there it was able to get done faster. Everyone was very busy with work so a lot of things got put on the backburner and prioritized later. Those things were often the things that I was given to work on. It’s safe to say that HB is an extremely fast growing company and there is more work to do than workers available. It’s been really cool to work with so many people with growth mindsets. People give feedback constantly and are not afraid to tell what they think. It’s an amazing atmosphere that fosters creativity. As an employee, even though I was on the lower end, I felt appreciated for my work and never felt like less of a person or worker just because I got assigned the more manual tasks. I still get treated as a full member of the company and can go to parties and be a part of company lunches if I so choose.
Now I know that not everyone is going to have a similar experience as me. I recognize that I am definitely the type of person who likes to look on the bright side and find meaning even in the most grueling type of work. I find experience, no matter what kind, to be valuable as it teaches life skills and lessons. Much of the experience I gained in this internship relates to the field I would like to work and it has been an excellent place to start from as I have literally come from almost zero experience. It’s also been very good to see how a company functions. Now, again, much of my experience is shaped by the way I choose to see it but I do believe that by allowing myself to have a good attitude I am able to gain more from my internship.
I feel like the overall experience has been rewarding. There are things in this internship that I would not have been able to learn anywhere else. I feel good about the things I’ve accomplished, the people I’ve met and the relationships I’ve developed. I am proud of the projects that I’ve been a part of and I get very excited when I see those projects come to fruition. I know that I will be able to take what I’ve learned here as an excellent beginning stage to spring off of. My work has been most rewarding as I do something that I know will help someone else. When what I have done helps another person in some way shape or form, I feel that what I have done was worth doing.
Before this internship I did not know much about business, marketing or the film industry. I knew what I had learned from my production class but that was it. With such a small start and with the skills that I did possess I was able to take what I had and give it in meaningful ways and effective ways. As I gave, I grew and I was able to learn more. Overall, I feel very grateful to have been able to be apart of this internship.