Blog Question #1- What did you learn from your first week at your internship? Did anything surprise you or make you excited? Were there any challenges? Did you make any connections with co-workers? Did you engage in any code switching?
My first week of my internship was a lot better than what I really expected it to be. I definitely learned a lot more than I thought I would as well. One of the main things that really stuck with me is how much dedication is required to to really have your film bought by another company. Another thing that I also learned is that a lot of the down low kind of businesses are the ones that have better chances of being successful, which leads me to what surprised me. when I was first looking for the office I was supposed to be interning at I was looking for some huge building that I thought would be in the city, but what I found was no where near my expectations. Instead I found a house which really through me off but once I got inside it was very simple but you could tell there was a lot more going on than what you could see. The whole vibe about the place in general was really calm but seemed intense at the same time. My only challenge was that I wasn’t sure on how useful my skills as an artist would be to my supervisors company and that I didn’t really know a thing about film, but Mitch eventually explained that things like that wouldn’t be a problem because whatever I didn’t know I could learn. My coworkers, who also basically own their own business, were also around to help with anything that I needed if Mitch couldn’t help. Since the environment is so chill and people are more open with each other in a friendly way there wasn’t much code switching to do, but there were sometimes when I had to be more professional when discussing meetings and ways to contact each other. Other than that everything is pretty cool and I’m starting to feel more comfortable around Mitch and his team as I go since they’re just so cool about things, which makes things a lot easier for me. I’m definitely looking forward to the next few months here.
Blog 2: Networking
Begin by interviewing 2-3 of your coworkers with the following 3 questions (about 10 minutes of their time). Time allowing: feel free to ask them more questions to get to know them better. Following the interviews answer the questions below for Blog 2.
Interview questions:
- Did you study art after high school? Art or traditional college? Internship or apprenticeship?
- How did you get your first job in the creative industries?
- If you were in an intern in this field, where would you focus your learning during your internship? What is the most important learning one can do when beginning a career in this profession?
- (Time allowing) Is there anything interesting about you that is non-work related that you would like to tell me about? Hobbies or interests?
Blog Question # 2: What co-workers did you interview? Did your co-workers study art after high school either through higher education or internships/apprenticeships? What recommendations did they have for what you should try to learn as an intern in this field? Did they have any advice on how to begin your creative career? Did you learn anything interesting about your co-workers that was non-work related?
I interviewed my supervisor Mitch who has studied filming for about two years.
I interviewed my co-worker Tim who did start out studying some of film in high school, but because the path of an artist was a lot different back then compared to now it wasn’t something that he did after high school.
Blog Question #3 How do your actions affect your workplace? Are you able to be mindful and bring a good attitude when you come to your internship? Do you contribute positively?
Do you feel like you have a good work ethic so far? How do your co-workers actions affect your internship? Are you beginning to develop any work place friendships?
My actions so far seem to be positive and determined which seems to makes things easier for me since thats all Mitch really needs from me and the rest skill wise can be worked on. I don’t really feel like I have much of an affect on the workplace since my job right now is to learn how the business world for a filmmaker really is and what I can do better as a photographer, as an artist in general. Although sometimes it can be a bit draining having to take in just so much information because theres a lot of information to take in, but since its very valuable information its definitely worth sticking through.
Im sure I bring a good attitude and am being mindful. Since I really enjoy working here and its expanding my skills as an artist in ways I was not expecting it to, the least I can do is be mindful and have a great attitude. I’m also sure I contribute positively in whatever ways I’m able to help I will. I also a have a pretty good sense of business skills so seeing where my help can be needed also isn’t to much of issue for me either. I’m sure I have pretty good work ethic and working under Mitch is pretty cool because working isn’t something stressful at listen productions but it’s still intense.
My coworkers definitely affect my internship in a positive way because they normally help lighten the mood when everyones working or when theres a meeting. it’s really cool working with my coworkers because they don’t act as if they’re above me or better than me even though they have been in this field for years, I really respect them for that. I am starting be more comfortable at the workplace and opening up more to sharing my ideas as an artist, but like I said before a lot of my relationships is more master and apprentice which I don’t necessarily believe to be a bad thing because I just have so much to learn still.
Blog Question #4: Freestyle blog week. Write your own blog prompt about your internship, then answer it in 200-250 words.How far do you feel you have come as an artist since first starting your internship? Has your views as an artist changed somehow and if so how?
I feel that as an artist I have definitely improved. I am more driven and passionate like my goal as an artist has become clearer. Before I met Mitch I have always questioned where it is that I truly stand as an artist, but I am definitely more confident in that area. Im actually learning how to find my own flaws within the pictures that I take and just what I do as an artist in general. My inspired project, which is the deck Im creating for a film I might be able to make with Mitch, I thought it was going to be a pain and that it was pointless for me to learn. I eventually realized how much it was helping me on my skills in graphic design and honestly how interesting and challenging it was for me.
Going to Mitch’s meetings and watching him and his team film has really made me realize how difficult being a filmmaker can be and I respect it a lot more now. Im not so sure exactly on far into filmmaking Ill really be in the future because it takes a lot of dedication, but it is definitely something I love. Also while watching and talking to Mitch’s friends, who are also filmmakers and have done a lot to get to where they are in life, Ive been feeling more dedicated to my work
Blog Question #5 How do you feel like your internship is going so far? What are the highlights? What are the challenges? Do you feel like you are making connections with your co-workers? Are you using your internship inspired project as a creative connection between you and your supervisor? What can you do to improve your experience?
I feel that my internship is going really well and I feel really lucky to have Mitch as my supervisor because I’m learning so much and the advice he gives me is really helping me improve not only as an artist but also as an entrepreneur in general. Everything that I have been assigned to do have been extremely important so far whether its having having me take pictures every day of the same thing or its doing research for my own film, I’ve been pushed to see art in a whole new perspective. Sometimes I still have a hard time really believing that I’m getting the opportunities I’ve been getting lately.
So far the coolest thing I’ve done while working for Mitch is helping him with his latest film. It was a really cool experience and a very helpful one too because I got to meet very experienced people in the directing, producing, and filming field. Being around so many people who have been doing this for years and have experienced both good and bad days was really cool. The whole place had a vibe that just made me feel at home almost. I feel like lately I’ve been making pretty good connections with my co-workers. Tim is really helpful when no one else is really around. I basically see my co-workers as pretty much my other mentors because they’ve also been doing what they do for so long and are so experienced in their field I feel they deserve nothing less than that kind of respect from me.
The inspired internship project is going really well when it comes to knowing what its going to be but its not quite there yet for it to be considered almost done, but yes the inspired internship project is a great connection between me and Mitch. Because the project is a deck on the film I hope to be working on its a perfect connection in my opinion. Its been really pushing me to understand how to plan out a film as well
Blog Question #6 End of the quarter check- in. OK to do 150 words this week. Please do an inventory of your hours completed up until now and make sure your electronic time card is updated coming into the end of the quarter. How are you doing so far on completing your hours? Do you have the amount of hours complete that you should have at this point in the internship? If you are behind on your hours, what is your plan to make up the hours you are missing? How are you doing with the challenge of maintaining your intern work schedule? Are you using your google calendar to keep track of your intern schedule and homework assignments? Is there any other challenge you feel the Internship Program Director should be aware of at the end of the first half of your internship?
Blog Question #7: What is your favorite part of working on personal art projects? What challenges do you face on personal art projects? What have you learned about working in a creative business? What is your favorite part of working in a creative business? What is the difference between working on personal art and working in a creative business? *(Please read below now in preparation for Blog 8)
I think my favorite part of working on personal art projects is the feeling of inspiration and motivation. Lately I’ve felt inspirational with just about all the work I’ve been doing whether its for business or for fun, but whenever I work on something that’s a personal project I feel more inspired and motivated because I hold a much more connected feeling with it than anything else. Also its the proud feeling of know you got it done, but honestly that’s how I feel about anything I put hard work into. The biggest challenge I’ve faced is definitely starting the project because it’s something Im still unsure about until I get into it. I start off slow because I don’t know where or how to start, and most of all im never really sure if its something I would want to do because I would have so many other options I would want to try out.
Considering that I only have a little bit of experience in few creative businesses, which are photography, graphic design, and now filmmaking, I dont think theres much for me to say. The most I can probably say I’ve learned is that they are very enjoyable and although very professional it’s not as strict as many other businesses like a corporate company. This is something I really like since it gives me something to look forward to in life, because I know for a fact that I am not someone meant to work for a corporate company because I won’t be able to feel as free as I do working for a creative business. So I just enjoy being able to be creative and not have to be stuck to just one idea. I feel that’s one of the things that creative business and personal art do have in common is the creativity. they both require a lot of creativity, the difference is that for business it depends on how much creativity is need because for your own personal art the sky’s the limit I guess you can say. Creative business depends on your career or what you are assigned to do. For example if you are a graphic designer then 9 out of 10 you’re basically being assigned your project and whatever that project is it can either limit what you want to do or not. This only based off of my experience tho and like I said I don’t really have a lot of it yet.
No Blog Next Week- you will need to use the week to work on your Internship Inspired Project in preparation for blog 8. You cannot write blog 8 if you have not talked to your supervisor about your internship project. Make talking to your supervisor about the project #1 priority if that hasn’t happened.
Blog Question #8 :
How is your internship project going? Describe the progress of your project. How did the conversation about your project go with your sponsor? (If you haven’t discussed the project with your sponsor yet, how do you plan to do so?) Did they have good insights into how to improve or expand the project? How does your project bridge what you do at your internship and what you like to create for yourself? Has your relationship with your sponsor evolved as you have engaged in a creative dialogue about your project? Art there any challenges you are experiencing planning or doing your project?
Blog Question #9 What have you seen or experienced in your internship that has inspired you the most on your own artistic journey? Has this experience changed your artistic ambitions? How? Have you used this experience to diversify your skill set? What skills have you added?
Blog Question #10 : Has this experience been a rewarding one for you? Why or Why not (keep it positive, if you had negative experiences, focus on what you learned- make yourself look good!)? How has the reality of your internship matched or contrasted with your expectations? What is the most important learning you did during your internship?