First Week- January 21st, 2018
Beginning my internship, I started by attending youth groups at the Denver Open Media Foundation. In youth groups, I work with kids of all ages to create short PSA videos on current issues that occur daily. One of the challenges I have dealt with so far is helping to keep the younger girls more focused so I attempt to create different jobs and tasks to keep them busy. One of our latest projects was creating a public service announcement about cyberbullying. My group lost our footage so I had to compose a new video and edit it in an hour. I rushed and enjoyed producing and editing a new video on the spot. I believe that this will help me in the future because work is so unpredictable. Working in the real world, I will need to be able to think fast and on the spot when problems occur.
This week I completed my first shift at Denver Open Media. As an intern, I work in the equipment room. My job is to prepare and rent out the technology to members. On my shift, I met another intern named Phalon that had completed 3 shifts. I worked with her to clean and prepare all of the equipment. Unfortunately, I learned that she was working her last shift to pursue a career in journalism. It surprised me that I wouldn’t be working as much with the video editing programs at first. However, I discussed it with my supervisor and she is going to start giving me small projects to work on with my coworkers.
So far, I have noticed I haven’t been doing a lot of code-switching. The workplace at Denver Open Media is more laid back so I do not have to act much different than I usually do. Working at Jamba Juice, I am used to cleaning a lot while attending to customers’ needs. My internship is similar to this which makes me excited to be able to focus more on learning about video production industry.
2nd Week- January 29th, 2018
This week was an easier week as I am beginning to learn more about the environment in the workplace at Denver Open Media. The mentality is more laid back so it is easier to come to work with a good attitude and open mind. I contribute a positive attitude as well as efficiency in the tasks I complete. So far, I feel that I have a good work ethic. At work, I like to get things done and out of the way before I have too much to do. My coworkers right now affect me when they train me. By showing me how to complete various tasks at work, I gain more knowledge on the subject. I have a new coworker that I enjoyed working with. Her name is Malarie and she attends youth group meetings as well.
I have previously learned how to do scheduling for the DOM Channels. Doing the scheduling is significant because if I overlap the times of different shows, my supervisor will have to go back through and reschedule shows. My actions in the rental equipment room also affect how people receive their equipment. I have to make sure the rentals are charged and organized in the room. If the room is not organized, it is harder to locate the needed equipment when preparing a rental.
3rd Week- February 5th, 2018
I interviewed my coworker named Jesse Lockwood. He volunteers at Denver Open Media. He’s been studying art his whole life. He worked more with private instructors and online. His first job was at a recording studio in California. At DOM, he focused on how to shoot with a camera. From there he made his own films and found a liking for directing and learning to calm people down and get the filming done. He advised learning more about your self and what you like. He believes it is better to do something you enjoy versus what you might be told to do or are good at.
Jesse has extensive knowledge on the equipment and use of equipment at Denver Open Media. He assisted me in putting together and learning how to use a specific microphone I rented out. He’s also taught me another way to green screen using Adobe Premiere which is more time efficient.
4th Week- February 12th, 2018
How do you plan to apply your newly found skills to your projects or life?
One skill I have developed is learning to direct. In youth groups, we are working with younger middle schoolers so I have stepped up and taken a director/producer role in a lot of our videos. It is challenging and helpful because while I have to be a leader to the younger ones. I also have to keep in mind that I will need to edit the video as well so I have to constantly keep time in check. However, it can be helpful also producing and editing because I don’t have to have as much communication because I already know what I prefer in the video and have set ideas. Getting to do both is very similar to my news show at school in which I am typically the producer and editor. In school, I have used my skills in directing for directing my class music video. Being one of the main editors on the music video I am also learning to communicate with my other editor that is working on After Effects specifically.
In addition, I learned a new way to green screen through Adobe Premiere Pro so I will be using it in my music video because it is a lot faster than importing and exporting to after effects.
5th Week- February 19th, 2018
So far I believe my internship is going pretty well. I have established more connections with the people I am working with which makes shifts less awkward and more fun. One coworker I really enjoy working with is my friend Malarie who goes to youth groups with me. You will usually find her and I in the learning lab cleaning or completing scheduling for the channels at Denver Open Media.
Something I believe I have grown in is scheduling. When I have the time in a shift, I am now able to complete 4 or 5 days for a channel as opposed to before when I barely completed 2 in a shift. My highlights would be working with scheduling with Malarie and editing in youth groups.
I find it challenging at times when I am editing in youth group because video production is so repetitive. Because I am one of the only people that know how to edit on Adobe programs, I am often the one who creates each aspect of the video. I think it would be nice to have another person who knows how to edit so that the process can go a lot quicker. However I usually love editing I think that sometimes after a 3 hour shift cleaning and organizing for the rental equipment room, I get more easily tired of attempting to keep all of my ideas together while directing the younger ones.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had as many opportunities to use my internship inspired project as a connection between my supervisor and I. Usually when I arrive for my shift she is in meetings so we have some interaction but she is mainly busy.
6th Week- February 26th, 2018
So far, I am completing about 9 hours a week at my internship so I should be ahead of schedule. I am doing fine with maintaining my hours at DOM because I have created a schedule in which my hours repeat consistently on the same days each week. I have been using my calendar to keep my hours. There should not be a change in my hours for the next quarter.
7th Week- March 5th, 2018
When working on personal art projects, my favorite part is being able to make it my own. Every artist has their own style and when I get to produce and edit videos, I am able to communicate my message to the audience through my style. I really enjoy filming and editing. On personal art projects, I struggle with working on time. With my schedule, it is very difficult to fit in time for my projects to film and edit.
From working in the creative business, I have learned that to stand out you have to take a leadership role. I have learned that in youth groups. In the beginning, I jumped in as an editor and producer. Becoming a main editor in youth groups, I also have taken a leadership role as a director and producer of the videos we produce. People take my ideas and what I say more seriously because I feel I have proven my self more.
I would say my favorite part of working in the creative business is the fact that there are no limits. In this business, there are no wrong answers. Instead, there are infinite amounts of answers. I think that this mindset is vital when it comes to thinking about how our society should be shaped today.
8th Week- March 19th, 2018
So far, I have recorded part of my song for my internship. In addition, I have scripted part of the video as well. I have been having trouble coming up with ideas of shots to go with the music. My plans are to go out with my friend who is on the track and look at the different sights to get the ideas for shots.
I discussed my project with my sponsor and assigned due dates. When first discussing it I told them I wasn’t sure how to start the video and how to organize the scenes. They shared with me a template that many of the producers at Denver Open Media use to create scripts and schedules for their videos. It included the shots as well as notes and equipment needs. They also helped me narrow down the different locations I wanted to film at. When I started, I had 4 or 5 different locations to film at but we agreed it would be too hard to capture the whole thing with so many locations and so little time.
My project is related to my internship in that I am given the creativity to come up with new and different shots for different styles of videos. I have gotten closer to my sponsor as I get to know them through the tasks they gave me. There have been a lot of issues with the project in general. Finding the time has been really hard with everything that has been happening in high school, college, and volleyball. I felt I have also had issues working with other people and getting them to comply with due dates.
9th Week- March 21st, 2018
One of my favorite moments in my internship was when I got to learn about the studio in youth group. I learned how to use the TVs and control boards to move the cameras. In the control room, I am able to control what people see on live television. Another experience that has inspired my artistic journey was discussing the issues of school shootings on live television. These have inspired me because I have learned to love the whole process of video production. I have had the privilege to learn about scripting, filming, editing footage and live TV. Before, I was not very comfortable with being on camera. This year not only in my TV news show class but also in my internship class I had more opportunities to be on camera to not only act but also do interviews. In terms of my skillset, I have added the studio skills as well as some editing skills.
10th Week- March 28th, 2018
This internship has been helpful but at the same time been very hard to manage with my other jobs and school. I have really enjoyed getting to know the people that I work with. I went into the internship not expecting to learn a lot because I realize you have to start somewhere. I was a little disappointed because I hoped to learn a little more about editing and different techniques than I did. However, I really enjoyed learning how to schedule TV shows, use Photoshop and Illustrator, and studio production. Overall I believe this internship has really helped me diversify my skillset in video production and I have made great connections.