Media Networks Creative Intern Review

My main role over the course of my placement has been to create short promotional trailers for new TV shows and new seasons of existing shows on National Geographic and National Geographic WILD. I also remake and remaster existing promos so that they may air in a new region in addition to their existing one. No day is the same - occasionally I will focus on editing a promo, arranging admin, or collaborating with other teams to create the audio and graphical elements of the promo.

My scriptwriting, directing, and editing skills have all progressed significantly over the course of this placement. While promo-making and filmmaking are different arts and these skills have more precedence in one art than in another, I believe there are a lot of crossovers that I can transfer into filmmaking (which is my long-term career ambition). With regards to scriptwriting, the process of conveying information in an efficient and exciting way, and getting a target audience invested in something, are skills I’ve developed significantly. I feel I know the minds of the audience better – what excites or intrigues them, how they’ll respond to certain clips and script lines, and how much information they can take in in a certain period of time. These aspects are all vital in writing a film, and I believe that the variety in shows and promo durations, have significantly helped me strengthen these skills. In terms of directing, working with a multitude of different voice-over artists, especially virtually and with the possibility of technical difficulties, has taught me how to communicate what I need from them as clearly as I can. Additionally, working with many different personalities, some varying skill levels, and different preferences on how to perform, has allowed me to develop a malleability to easily adapt to different people. I always intend to ensure the artist is feeling comfortable, satisfied with what they’re doing, and clear on what’s expected of them. Working with some recognisable faces too has given me additional confidence with directing people and giving constructive feedback. These skills can easily be transferred to directing actors, and I believe I am a much stronger director than I was before. Finally, with editing, I have acquired a sense of pacing and knowing how to tell a story through the shots and clips I have edited together. I have a multitude of styles under my belt, and am much faster now than I was before. A large part of the promo-making process also rests on knowing which shots to look for, and which shots to pick in order to sell the TV show to the target demographic. Therefore, I feel that this will not only benefit how I edit my future films, but also how I shoot them and construct the story itself.

Yes - a LOT of responsibility! After a few months of initial training and getting used to the process, I was doing virtually the same job as the permanent creative producers around me. This meant creating real content that would be seen by the general public and would affect the ratings and performance of multiple TV shows on National Geographic. I was even privileged enough to co-lead the creative campaign for Sharkfest, one of the channel's largest and most popular events! I don't think I would have had this level responsibility anywhere else.

I never felt as though there wasn't someone I could turn to or ask for help. Everyone was willing to help, and would check on me to see how I was doing - my fellow interns, buddy, and line manager were especially good at this! I have learned a ton from all of them, and felt supported by them every step of the way. I was fully trained in everything by my buddy and line manager - they were always willing to offer help, and worked to the best of their abilities to make sure I felt confident and was enjoying the process

Very friendly, chilled, and measured. Even when things got busy and stressful, people remained calm, kept humour and morale levels high, and positive about the project as a whole. There were lots of opportunities to get involved in charity activities - it is a regret of mine that I didn't get more involved! I felt that diversity was a key part of day to day life, our team comprised of a multitude of different cultures, genders, and sexualities, and there were frequently several webinars and training sessions about the importance of diversity. COVID-19 has made it difficult to socialise within the company, however we have done so whenever possible!

I have loved virtually every moment of the internship. I have made more strides forward in my career than ever before - producing some exciting content that I am very proud of and meeting a load of like-minded people who I would love to work with in the future and stay in contact with. While COVID-19 has had a serious impact on socialising and networking events, the placement has been the best it could possibly be given the circumstances.

Yes

The most important aspect to consider when applying to Disney would be your attitude - competency, knowledge, and expertise will come with time and training - having the willingness to do your best, respect other, continuously improve yourself, and maintaining a optimistic outlook, are all really important and will prove that you're the right person for the job! It's very easy to get caught up by the prospect of applying to a huge company like Disney, but the people on the other side are all lovely and want the very best for whoever they interview - it's not as scary as it looks!