Interning as a grad student?

[Jace]

Are internships generally open to graduate film students? As an undergrad, I've only had one summer internship in a foreign country. I'll be going to USC this fall and I'd like to work part-time while pursuing the MFA, but was thinking I may need to intern first for the experience.

So... does anyone know about this? Or have any other general advice for a novice in the industry?

 

[DJ]

Yes, as long as you're in school, you can intern. You have to be earning school credit, otherwise it would be illegal for a company to have you work completely for free.

There are internships everywhere. Figure out what you're most interested in: being an agent / manager, film sales, distribution, development, reality TV, etc. From there, research what companies are at the top of your interest and check out their website. They will usually have an email address specifically for interns to apply.

I'm sure USC also has great connections for students seeking internships, so check with them as well. Good luck!

 

[Jace]

Yes, as long as you're in school, you can intern. You have to be earning school credit, otherwise it would be illegal for a company to have you work completely for free.

There are internships everywhere. Figure out what you're most interested in: being an agent / manager, film sales, distribution, development, reality TV, etc. From there, research what companies are at the top of your interest and check out their website. They will usually have an email address specifically for interns to apply.

I'm sure USC also has great connections for students seeking internships, so check with them as well. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice!
What kind of throws me off is that when I search for info on internships, under Qualifications, they seem to specify the applicant has to be enrolled in an accredited school and in their junior or senior year. Which makes me wonder if they would consider a grad student.

 

[DJ]

There are tons of MFA students at the schools in and around LA and most programs, if not all, require at least one internship. Companies specify junior or senior year because they don't want freshman and sophomores applying. Trust me, all these companies want free work.

People who claim not to be able to land an internship aren't trying hard enough. You can fall into an internship accidentally in LA -- they're everywhere. Grad students are even better in an employer's eyes because they are usually more mature and have some life experience, which makes them more useful. You won't have any problems finding an internship.

 

[TheArsenal1886]

Jace,

Check out the USC job board if you haven't already. Most of the things you find on should be at least semi-legitimate opportunities.

https://cinema.usc.edu/jobboard/