Film students intern with Sony
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Cinematic arts majors intern with Sony Provident Films over the summer on the set of “Mom’s Night Out”
Action! — Students receive hands-on experience working with professional cameras and equipment in the new Zaki Gordon Center for the Cinematic Arts. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
Students in the new Zaki Gordon Center for Cinematic Arts had the opportunity this summer to put their skills to the test working directly with production teams on various feature films.
According to Sarah Zimmer, a senior in the School of Cinematic Arts, included in the lineup was “Mom’s Night Out,” a feature-length film to be released by Sony Provident Films in 2014. The filming took place in Birmingham, Ala. and lasted six weeks. While on the set, each of the students worked alongside the Provident professionals as members of the production team.
Assistant Professor of Cinematic Arts Scotty Curlee said the opportunity came to the students at the film festival last year, which was hosted by the School of Cinematic Arts.
According to Zimmer, the facilitator of the internships, multiple production companies, such as Sony Provident Films, attended the event and were so impressed with the work of the students involved that they asked who would be interested in summer internship opportunities.
Although Curlee was the one who helped several of the students make the proper connections, he said both the students and the production companies sought each other out at the film festival.
Sarah Zimmer, a senior in the School of Cinematic Arts, said she was one of the students who had the opportunity to work on “Mom’s Night Out.” As a production assistant, Zimmer was primarily responsible for assuring that the talent was ready on time.
“It was a great way to learn about set etiquette in a professional environment,” Zimmer said.
According to Zimmer, she was grateful to be treated as one of the professionals by the rest of the production team and not as just a student intern.
Kristin Taylor, another senior in the cinematic arts program, also worked as a production assistant.
“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Taylor said. “Working with professionals as a student was such an amazing opportunity.”
According to Taylor, she too felt that she had been treated as a professional by the rest of the production crew.
Taylor said this was not the first time these students had worked together on a set. In a production called “Letting Go,” they had become a team, and therefore, it was easy to work together again on “Mom’s Night Out.”
Zimmer and Taylor both plan to graduate in May of 2014 before going into the filming field.
The School of Cinematic Arts’ goal is to create opportunities for working along-side industry professionals in order for students to become better equipped for the rest of the world.