Changing Perspectives

            The workplace culture is something I hadn’t been immersed in, and seemed like a strong contrast coming right from my freshman year. Over the course of the internship I was able to regain my professional skills and mindset. I have always been good at talking to adults but I refined that skill in a different setting. Now I am more familiar with certain professional cues and communications.  

            In regards to a change in perspective within my time at Burke, there was one time that I saw the facility in a totally different light. Burke Rehabilitation Hospital is located on a phenomenal campus that is a target for many production location scouts. These scouts, who want to film either movie or film scenes on campus, contact Richard frequently. More often than not though Richard has to decline because their requests usually include scenes in the hospital space. That would be simply too invasive and disturbing considering all the space at Burke is being used everyday.

            However, one production was permitted to use the basement and front entrance of the administrative building because there would be no patients there at night. This was the HBO show, The Leftovers, which will be premiering soon. There were only two very short scenes to be filmed yet there was crew setting up for 3 days and about 80 people in attendance at the 5-hour shoot. I was permitted to observe with Richard and met a lot of people in the industry and learn about production.  I was shocked to see how much effort goes into each brief clip but also turned away from the industry as a whole. I could not imagine working for something so time consuming and tedious. We were there until 1 am, which are certainly not ideal “work day” hours.

            Ultimately, this was a great opportunity to gain perspective on Burke’s multi-purpose facilities. It was great to see that working in an office doesn’t only mean sitting behind a desk.