4) Changing Perspectives

A shot of the stage during a rehearsal for the first annual Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports Awards

Hey Everyone,

As I begin to approach the last month of my internship my impressions of my workplace and Los Angeles as a whole have changed greatly.  I have begun to notice what a sprawling place L.A. is and how it is difficult to commute so far to work every day.  Right now my commute is about 20 miles but can take anywhere from an hour to get home on a given day.  I think next year if I return to an internship in the Burbank area, I would try to live somewhere a little closer to the studios.  However, on the other hand it is nice not to live too close to work as it forces me to explore other areas of the city that I might not otherwise make the trek too. 

My perspective of my workplace environment has also changed as I have gained more experience at Conan.  I have learned a great amount from my coworkers on how they made the transition from an unpaid intern to a paid employee.  Many of my coworkers have stressed not only that is it important to be a hard worker but also how it is crucial to be someone who is fun and easy to be around.  This is where I think the entertainment industry might differ from other industries in which social skills are less vital.  From what I have gathered a crucial part of success in television depends on how well you get along with people and your ability to connect with others in your respective field.  Also I learned how important it is to always be aware of your surroundings.  You don’t want to loudly talk to your friend about an actor or television show you dislike because you never know who could be around the corner.

As far as preconceived notions that have changed, I think I now see the importance of being open to trying new things within film and television.  I think before and during the beginning of my internship, I was very anxious about what area of television I wanted to work in. I was unsure of whether I wanted to work booking talent, to working in distribution, to being a writer.  After talking to my mentor and seeing the flexibility in my coworkers’ careers it seems that many people do not have a set career path. 

Another important thing I have observed at my internship is the opportunities to freelance that arise even while working a steady 9 to 5 job.  As many television shows can have weeks or months long hiatuses where they are not filming or coming into the office period, I have learned that many of my coworkers take jobs on the side.  One of the stage managers helps run award shows and I was fortunate enough to work on an award show for her as a talent escort.  I worked as a Talent Escort for Kevin Durant at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Sports Awards, which was an overwhelming and great learning experience.  The experience really taught me that when working with talent you must be confident in your ability to lead them from place to place and make sure that you are simultaneously meeting the demands of their publicists, assistants, and agents. 

This has been the best summer and I am very excited for what the next month has in store. 

Best,

Kathleen

Standing at the Talent Entrance at Conan.  This is where the guests enter before going on the show.