Students in the Department of Theatre and Film are strongly encouraged to explore Internships as a way of broadening their skill set and strengthening their resumes while they are pursuing their degree. Internships need to provide one of the following: fair compensation, significant training in the profession and/or building valuable relationships in the field, and/or noteworthy public service/outreach for a registered non-profit. In general, for-credit internships: Must be supervised by a working professional currently active in, and with considerable experience directly related to, the work performed. Must be committed to providing interns with meaningful experiences in and activities related to the media industries. Must be performed at an established place of business, not a home office. Must be hold sufficient business and liability insurance to cover interns, both on-premises and off-site, as needed. What are the guidelines for companies who are offering the internship? The host company needs to meet the following requirements as outlined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers: A learning experience with a real-world opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or replace the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. Learned skills and knowledge that are transferable to other employment settings. A defined beginning and end that is mutually agreed upon and consistent with institutional sponsor guidelines and schedules. A position description with clear responsibilities and required/desired qualifications. Clearly defined learning objectives/goals supportive of the student’s academic program goals and institutional requirements. Direct supervision by a professional(s) with relevant expertise and educational and/or professional experience who provides productive feedback, guidance, and the resources and equipment necessary to successfully complete the assignment. For our students, internships must be: Performed at an established place of business, not a home office; allowances can be made for remote-work arrangements. Equipped with any hardware or software needed to complete assigned tasks; students cannot use UGA property or licenses Bonded and/or hold sufficient business and liability insurance to cover interns, both on-premises and off-site, as needed. Student internships need to provide one of the following: fair compensation. significant training in the profession and/or building valuable relationships in the field. noteworthy public service/outreach for a registered non-profit. Regarding unpaid internships: We strongly encourage companies to offer paid internships. Companies should consult the US Department of Labor Fact Sheet for information on student internships and the Fair Labor Standards Act. The National Association of Colleges and Employers on internships has a position statement on the problem with unpaid internships, along with general information about internships. Additional resources regarding internships and compensation: While unpaid internships are not uncommon in the film industry, this article describes the need to treat unpaid interns well and provides a reminder that internships should primarily be for the benefit of the student intern. American Theatre has also written about the problem with unpaid internships in theatre. The New York Times has described the continuing problem of unpaid internships for college students in a variety of fields. How do I find an internship? Students must be proactive in seeking internships and summer work, which is a crucial skill post-graduation as well. They should be advised that this list does not entail endorsement of any company or position. It’s a good idea to research these places and find out what experiences others have had if you can. The most common and effective method of obtaining an internship in Theatre or Film: During your advising appointment with departmental academic advisor Dina Canup, you should be discussing your interest in an internship. She will share resources including an extensive list of film production and theatre internship/job listings to search. Make an appointment with a professor in your area of interest. Let them know you are interested in an internship. They will help you narrow your focus and develop your letters, resumes, and other materials for a search. Get letters of recommendation from at least two people who know your work. Use the recommendations from the Career Center in your search, and contact companies you are interested in. Work with your career advisor at UGA’s Career Center to refine your materials and prepare for interviews. How do I get class credit for an internship? If the internship lasts more than a week or two and you are a theatre or film major who believes it meets our guidelines for class credit above, contact a theatre or film professor in the appropriate area to discuss it. Please note that if you are getting class credit for it in another major prefix, you cannot also get credit for FILM or THEA 5700 for the same internship. At the end of an internship, you should have gained a fuller understanding of roles, career paths, and workplace expectations in the relevant field and their fit (or lack thereof) with your professional goals and plans. You should have gained an enhanced understanding of professional norms and expectations in the relevant field. You should be able to evaluate your own work performance (including work product, demeanor at work, and work relationships) and identify strengths and areas for improvement – and receive this feedback from your supervisor as well. If an internship is granted, obtain a written description of the job duties, tasks, and hours required of the internship. Your supervisor should email your professor of record directly with verification of internship placement and agreed-upon work along with hours, schedule, and duties. At the end of the semester, they will send the professor a brief evaluation of your performance including work quality, reliability, and professionalism. Once an internship is obtained, ask the professor to create a section of THEA 5700 or FILM 5700 so you can get credit. If the professor agrees that the internship qualifies for departmental credit, be sure you both agree how many hours of credit it should count between 1-3 (a 3-hour internship credit will count for a THEA or FILM elective course; internships at 1 or 2 credit hours will go into general electives). The professor will need to send your 81# to Steven Carroll in the business office along with the semester during which you will receive the credit, which should be the semester in which you are doing the work or the one immediately following. Steven will create the course for you, but you will need to register for it and select the appropriate number of hours when registering. Some internships will require a letter from the professor or advisor confirming that you are taking the class for credit. What will the professor require for my grade on the internship credit? When taking the class for credit, most professors of record require that students write a one-page expectation paper of what they hope to gain from the internship. After completing the internship, the student writes a two-page reflection paper on the skills and knowledge gained through the experience. Keeping a daily journal during the internship can be invaluable and assist you in preparing your final reflection paper, which should include: Your duties / activities: What were your responsibilities and/or what did you accomplish? Be sure to clarify just who you worked for (corporation, organization), your duties (and usual hours and sort of assignments), and the name(s), contact information, and job description of the person or persons supervising your tasks. Explain what this experiential learning internship opportunity allowed you to learn that would not have been possible in a normal course and/or what insights and professional connections it provided. Include any new skill sets or opportunities you have gained and how this experience may help shape or influence your future professional plans. The write-up should show that you completed concrete work responsibilities and that it helped you learn and employ new skill sets or provided new experiences that proved valuable personally and/or professionally. In the past, some students have learned from their internships what they did NOT want to do in the future; that is productive as well. Note: Please be sure you know what additional expectations or deadlines your professor of record may have for you to receive a grade for your internship. If you could use some additional prompts for your final write-up, you can consider the following: What do you hope to achieve at the internship in terms of your future career goals? What is your job description, and are you fulfilling it? What obstacles or challenges are you encountering at the internship? What strategies are you using to address them? What kinds of support are available at the internship to achieve your goals and address any challenges? What skills are you acquiring at the internship? What insights are you gaining about networking, building professional relationships, and collaboration? What was your favorite experience at the internship? What was your least favorite experience at the internship? What happened, and what was your role in what happened? What was the outcome of the situation? What, if anything, would you do anything differently if given the opportunity? Has your perception of the field changed due to the internship? If so, in what ways? These reflections can also help you in future interview situations where you will be asked about your past work experience. Upon completion of internship, the student’s administrator at the company should complete an in-person review or a written assessment of the student’s work, and should email a brief evaluation of your work quality, reliability, and professionalism to your professor of record. Do you have any advice for me as an intern or employee? Yes! Here’s Some useful advice on film sets, theatre, and other workplaces: Working on a Film Set (recommended by alumni in the film industry) The Seven Arts of Working in Film What Everyone Does on a Film Set Grown Up Theater Kids Run the World – this article in the New York Times describes the successes not just of theater kids who grow up to be theater adults, but former theater students who found that their background contributed a great deal to their offstage success in impressive ways. General workplace advice that is helpful on stage, set, and beyond: Being a good person – this can make you more hirable, especially in the small worlds of theatre and film. We have heard this from our alumni as well. Communication do’s and don’t at work – great advice for students and recent grads, from email etiquette to professional behavior and more. Succeeding at work if you’re neurodivergent – many creatives are neurodivergent, and respondents to this post give each other advice. Ask a Manager is full of a variety of workplace advice as well. Early Career Advice for your first job after graduating – Harvard Business Review lays out a plan for your first 100 days, to set you up for success. Regarding resumes: The Career Center has good advice, and here are a couple of resources for our majors: Theatre resume tips Film resume tips How to I watch for scams and bad workplaces? They’re out there. The Career Center has excellent advice about job scams, as this is a real problem. There are bad actors out there wanting to take advantage of young people with big dreams. This is far from an exhaustive list of advice, but a place to start. Summer job listing red flags How to spot a casting scam Acting agency red flags Protecting yourself as an actor Spotting fake film festivals Indie film red flags Avoiding film job scams and more scams Red flags in a job interview How to tell if a workplace is toxic Is the Career Center helpful? Very! Their website is full of useful information. You should: Take advantage of their many events and workshops Make a Handshake Account so you can register for events and make appointments with a career coach and connect with your Career Consultant Consider pursuing the Arch Ready Professionalism Certificate (it's not a large investment of time) Look for an Alumni Mentor Graduate student? They have resources for you as well.
