Film Studies Internships

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Cinespace- pt 3

Luckily, this week I was spared from any injuries (although even if I wasn’t, I am sure they would be just as on it as they were last time) anyways, this week was more inventory- we tested more LED lights, baby baby lights, Arri lights… by the end of this, I will be a lighting expert. We also tested a giant 18k light, and with the light the cables to find out which one wasn’t working- I joked about wanted to stand in front of the light for a little UV action and a possible tan, but my intuitive cost free idea was vetoed. (Perhaps for the best) also this Friday, I was able to come in at a later slot than usual, and work with the other two interns- that was great. It was awesome working with other students. That is always my favorite. Another successful week- I can actually feel myself getting stronger, which is super helpful.

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Sam Jefferies - Blog Post 1: Learning Objectives

This summer, I am interning with Cinespace Studios. Cinespace is one of the largest production companies in Wilmington and is home to some of the biggest studios and thousands of film equipment to make any production a successful one. I will be working within the lighting department for Cinespace which means I will help with orders, fix lights, check on their inventory, etc...

Overall I am extremely excited to get my hands on the new equipment as I am a hand-on learner and this is the best way for me to get the mostly experience with lights (a weak point of the film program). I am also excited to see how one of the biggest production companies operates on a day to day and what they need to do everyday to be productive. I can't wait to share what I have been up to soon!

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How’s it Going? (Wk3-06/01/26)

Honey Head Films

This week at HHF, I got to do a lot of hands-on work. Specifically, I attended an event hosted by Wilma magazine that featured some of the most talented and accomplished women in the Wilmington area. Being able to attend that event and help delegate the interviews was so much fun, and it was very inspiring to see such a large room of successful women from a diverse range of careers. My main role for the interviews was to hook each interviewee to a mic pack, which became easier as the evening went on. However, a challenge of that task was navigating the stunning and unique outfits the attendees had worn; each one posed a different challenge in how best to conceal the LAV.

The other large part of this week was meeting with some very talented women in the local Wilmington film industry, whom we hope to have work with us on the feature project HHF is currently developing. I made a general script breakdown of specific set pieces and prop call-outs to reference during the meeting, and we also discussed things that would be implied in building the world of our story, that may not be directly listed in the script. Being able to see two people, specifically, two women, who are successful in the production design aspect of the local film industry was reassuring. It reminded me that I am on the right path and that my drive and tenacity will hopefully get me to where I am now.

It’s hard to believe that my time with HHF is halfway over, and I am really excited to see where these connections take me as I stay in the local area for my career. I hope to keep in touch with all of the wonderfully talented folks whom I have had the privilege of meeting. As for what is in store for me next week, the status is TBD, but I will update everyone at the end of the week on what I accomplish! See you then.

- Eva C.

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Highland Film Group - Luke Johnson Post 1

(Week of 05/22/26)

This summer, Im interning with Highland Film Group. Highland is a studio based in Los Angeles that specializes in the independent film financing, production, worldwide sales, and global distribution for commercial films. I am fortunate enough to be interning under Highlands development department, assisting them with doing script coverage, sitting in on pitch meetings, and anything else to help out!

I'm extremely excited to see what goes into financing and developing a feature film, and seeing how projects are chosen to move forward from a business perspective. I'm also extremely interested in screenwriting myself, and am really looking forward to exposing myself to different material from writers who are known and unknown! I am really looking forward to the entire experience and can't wait to share more with you all soon!

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Shoe Money Productions | Ava Colucci | Blog Post 3 

I recently started my internship with Shoe Money Productions, and while I am only a few days in, I have already gotten a much better understanding of the development side of the entertainment industry. Since beginning the internship, my primary responsibility has been reading scripts and writing coverage. Coverage involves writing a synopsis of a script and providing feedback on its strengths, weaknesses, and overall potential as a project. It has been interesting to see how much thought goes into evaluating a screenplay beyond simply deciding whether it is enjoyable. Instead, I have been learning to consider factors such as audience appeal, character development, story structure, and whether the writer demonstrates a strong enough voice to be someone worth following in the future.

One of the most exciting parts of the experience so far has been learning about the various writers whose work we may read throughout the internship. Before this experience, I mostly thought about the finished films and television shows that audiences see on screen. Now I am getting a glimpse into the early stages of development, where companies read countless submissions in search of strong stories and talented writers. It has given me a new appreciation for how many projects are being considered at any given time and how much work goes into them long before a project is ever produced.

Because my internship is remote, I have also had the opportunity to connect with other interns based in Los Angeles. Even though many of us have not worked together extensively yet, it has been great meeting people who share similar interests and career goals within the film industry. Hearing about everyone's different backgrounds and experiences has made me even more excited for what is ahead. One of the coolest parts of working remotely is the flexibility to read scripts from almost anywhere. I was even able to work on script coverage while staying at a Disney resort this weekend, which made for a pretty unique office setting! At the same time, I'm excited about the opportunity to spend some time in Los Angeles later this summer and experience more of the industry firsthand.

Although I am still at the very beginning of my internship, I am already learning valuable skills in script analysis and professional coverage writing. I am looking forward to reading more submissions, improving my ability to evaluate stories from a development perspective, and continuing to learn about the process that takes place before a project ever reaches the screen.

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First Cut Productions | Noah Taylor | Blog Post #3

This week at First Cut, I was brought along to help out on the set of a commercial shoot for a construction company in New Bern. This was a really exciting opportunity for me, as it was my first time being a part of a commercial production (and my first non-student set). I shadowed Marc from First Cut, who had been hired as a grip for the day by Wil from Guerrilla Productions. The shoot originally had two locations (New Bern and Emerald Isle), but a third was added at the client’s request. This additional location required Wil, Marc, and me to alter/adapt our shooting schedule to make sure we finished getting the footage we needed of the different properties before sunset.

Luckily, the shoots were fairly simple. They wanted interviews and B-roll of workers at their main office and an active construction site, as well as confessionals and B-roll of two homeowners who lived in one of the company’s recently built homes. With Marc’s guidance, I set up sticks, lights, and flags at each of the three locations. It was really cool watching Wil direct and interview the employees and homeowners. Getting a behind-the-scenes look at how an average talking-head/confessional-style commercial is made was super interesting.

I wouldn’t say that grip work is what I would naturally gravitate towards, but doing it on this set was actually pretty fun. I was lucky that Wil and Marc were both patient and very willing to help me get the hang of it. This experience was something new and different for me, and while I had a basic understanding of the G&E world, I definitely learned a lot that I would have only been able to learn from being on set and getting hands-on experience.

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Actor's Arsenal | Blog Post #3 | Kaylen McDow

On Sunday I worked with Megan Petersen and the beginner acting class. They started off doing a chemistry read for a three-person scene. This was the class's first time doing a three-person scene, which they found exciting but a little difficult. Afterwards all the actors circled around, and we did a table read for the entire pilot episode of the show Severance. I read along as well, in place of an absent student. After the table read, we watched the pilot episode of Severance and took notes on similarities and differences that were in the script. Lastly, we watched their chemistry read tapes and gave feedback. They were also able to compare their tape to the real episode. 

On Tuesday I worked with Ron and the advanced class. They came in with a scene from the show Succession memorized and ready to use for an audition tape. This was a two-person scene, and the actors were able to choose which character they wanted to read for. The other intern Kendall and I took turns reading the other part for the actors. Afterwards they were able to watch their tapes and the class provided feedback on their performance. We talked about what went well in the scene and what subtle things would enhance their performance.

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Jacob Castles, Port City, Post 3

This was a very fun week for my internship. I got to work on a narrative film in the G&E department, and it was a super great experience. I got to work with titan tubes and primarily aperture gear, with a few light mats. The shoot went from 3pm Sunday to 3am on Monday, and I had a blast working with everyone. It definitely is some of the most fun I’ve had on a set in a while.

This is the Grip Truck ->

Was on Fire Watch, and it was really pretty outside ->

Outside of that, I helped with prep for a shoot coming up this Monday, got to really talk with more people who work with Port City, even had time to shoot some hoops with some different people, and play around with the Easy Rig and FX 6.

Come to think of it, that footage probably would have been great for this blog post, too late now, lol.

But yeah, I have really enjoyed my experience here, and have had such a good time getting to know everyone.

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Cameron Art Museum - Brad Scott, Blog #3

This week I continued editing social media posts to promote the Museum Cafe. Tuesday I worked on adding footage of the cafe food items that I filmed the prior Thursday and Tuesday filmed a tomato artwork in the museum gallery to use in my edit. This Thursday was a slower day where I was asked to "research" other museum social media's and trends for inspiration. Being someone with limited knowledge or interest in copying or emulating social media trends I found it difficult to find inspiration or ideas from watching TikTok's as I was instructed to do. I made my task more productive by creating a list for my superiors of technical suggestions related to social media tags, unique and original approaches to media creation, and filming styles that could align with the museum's art focused image. Given my experience with editing and creating social media content I believe my technical knowledge would be significantly more helpful. I do find it a bit disheartening that I'm given little guidance or creative direction by my superiors. I have the technical knowhow but I can only do so much when my instructors are vague with what they want.

Later in the day Thursday I got to meet Claire Helen Ashley, an artist based in Chicago who's work is being displayed at the Museum, and I was asked to capture her working on it. It was a pleasure meeting Claire who was very kind and also passionate about her work. I filmed a lot of creative shots and angles that I felt properly complimented her piece; the Harris Via Oban Hot Rocks: Sea Urchin. I also filmed her working on the piece as instructed and was able to briefly chat with her. I unfortunately had not captured many photos of Claire and her work which I later found out is what my superiors specifically wanted for a potential image social media post. The rest of my day Thursday was spent salvaging stills from my footage and touching them up in photoshop. I will admit this week I once again forgot to take photos while I worked but I do have some photos from the social post I was editing.

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Rei Cal Summer Camp, Ally Mace, Blog Post 3

Continuing on with the sketch process this week, I met with my supervisor, Reilly, at the dreams center in downtown Wilmington. There, we went over some logistics, like who will help with the sketch and what equipment we will have access to. We also toured the space and mapped out where we would film. Throughout the week, Reilly continued working on the script. 

Today, we met over zoom to go over the script and work on the shot list that’s pictured below. I was also made aware that plans for next week have changed a little. Rather than shooting the sketch over the course of the next week at camp, the filming day has been moved to a later date. As far as next week goes at camp, I’ll be meeting the kids, helping them rehearse for the upcoming filming day, and shooting b-roll. I’m so excited for the next couple weeks, to really start bringing this sketch to life by rehearsing, filming, and editing it!

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Dalton Barie | Port City Films | Blog Post 3

I had a bit of a longer week with going on an extra day but it didn't make my time here any less enjoyable. The main project I have been working on the past couple days is editing together the “Varsity Line” theater play at Thalian. This definitely was an interesting project getting to work with multi-cam editing within premiere pro. When editing, it feels like I am watching a movie, but I get to choose the camera angles. I have also had a great time watching the play and watching the comedic story; I recommend watching it. I also ran tests to check and see which cables were the fastest to make sure files on hard drives transfer quickly. It was also someone's birthday this week. For lunch, the entire Port City Films family went out to eat for lunch and got ice cream to celebrate. 

I also conducted an interview with a professional filmmaker for the main semester assignment. I interviewed Simon Carey from Cinespace. He works in the equipment department and is usually an electrician in a lot of the movies filmed in Wilmington. I think it is a very valuable conversation. He has a lot of experience in the industry and many stories about working on movies or tips to have a better on set experience. We talked for over two hours and I didn’t feel like I was conducting an interview, just a conversation about movies. I also got to meet some of the interns at Cinespace so I got to learn about what they’re learning there and what they do. Overall, I think this week was fun as always and very productive.

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Cinespace Studios- Andrew Warren, Blog 3

This week we continued to do inventory of the shop as well as working with new lights. My two favorites that we looked at were Gemball lights and some nicer LED lights. I enjoyed getting to test the color settings of the LED lights and the Gemball lights were really fun to set up. Another fun experience that I had this week was getting to ride around the studio in the back of a golf cart to go to the sound stages. One final thing that was really cool this week was we got to see one of the soundstages that had partly been rigged. I enjoyed this because it was cool to see what work goes in to make the soundstages suitable for filming. I have noticed that I am starting to feel more comfortable around all the different types of lights and I can differentiate why they are different. One of my big worries at the start of the internship was that I wasn't going to be able to retain everything but I am glad to have proved myself wrong. We have a lot of orders to fill next week so I hope I can put my new knowledge to the test. But overall everything is still going great and I am really enjoying getting to work at Cinespace!

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Lighthouse Films: Lucy Chiozza, Blog Post 3

This week at Lighthouse, I had the opportunity to really begin diving deeper into the post-production side of things. Admittedly, this has always been the area I struggle with the most and sometimes find editing programs to be overwhelming to learn. The post-production team at Lighthouse completely changed my mindset on this. I discovered how collaborative the editing process can be and got to use DaVinci’s editing program for the first time. For the first part of my week, I went through several collections of videos and made first-round selections to be passed forward in the editing process. This was a fairly simple editing task and gave me ample time to familiarize myself with the platform. Erin, Paul, and Jon were all so patient and helpful, it made post-production become a lot less intimidating for me. I also got to work on developing talent reels and learn about color grading later in the week which were both new experiences for me, and I enjoyed learning more about the process behind this. 

Keeping my interest in production and business in mind, Lighthouse has continued to provide me with the opportunity to meet with their Executive Producer, Tyler, to learn more about an upcoming project they have been developing and have just begun production on. I got to see the more last minute, knit picky necessities of pre production and the level of planning that goes into a production of their size. We had a long discussion of the differences between preproduction depending on genre, production scale, and budget and how he has learned to prepare for each specific project type. These conversations are one of my favorite parts of the internship as he is so passionate and knowledgeable. I have loved getting to learn from someone so experienced in what I hope to do one day. 

Finally, my favorite thing I got to do this week was attend the final pass of the shoot that I got to be a PA on at the start of the internship. This project was the first one that I have gotten to see of theirs in each stage of development, and I loved getting to see how the production had turned out. I also loved getting to hear the team members' opinions on what worked and didn’t work in each shot, and making their selections based on this. Once again, everyone was so collaborative and I enjoyed getting to work hands-on on the project and with everyone at Lighthouse. This was such a full circle moment and has continued to make this internship such a special experience for me.

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Blog Post #3 Liam Shopmyer

This week I got to help with two shoots for FOX and edited for one project. The first shoot was on Monday at Novant Health at 1:00. I got there at around 12:45 and helped get everything set up! We were just using two BM cameras and only two LED lights, so overall, not a lot. Filming there wrapped in about twenty minutes, and we were headed back to the office by 2:00.

The second shoot was at 4:30 on Wednesday at some private club in Wilmington. And even though the shoot was at 4:30, it was still really hot outside. I shot some B-roll while the background actors arrived, and then we filmed a few specific B-roll scenes with them. Thankfully, we also had some of the shoot take place inside, and so that was a nice break from the heat.

Other than those two shoots, I also got to do a bare-bones edit of the footage from shoot one. It was just a bit of cutting between cameras and some color grading, but hopefully I'll get to finish it fully next week!

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Hendy Street | Lainey Faye | Blog #3

This week at Hendy Street Productions, I got the opportunity to mess around with all of the audio equipment; this was a dream for me as a current audio engineer. Since our set got cancelled due to band time conflicts, I worked primarily in the office this week.

On the first day, I reorganized the corner of our equipment room to be able to access the C-stands and sticks more efficiently. Further, we got a new chord wrapping kit, so I wrapped many of the various chords we had in our studio; this was super fun because Harry taught me a very fast, easy, and efficient way to wrap cables, which will definitely help on future sets! After that, I was tasked with solving a problem with one of our wireless lavaliere microphones that kept transmitting a ticking/tapping noise. I tested every cable with it as well as the working one and ruled out any external problems. Then, I did research on the specific lavaliere microphones we were using and learned that many problems can be caused by a lack of updating them as well as interior issues. After calling the support team from the company of our mics, I learned how to update the microphones as well as the receivers and updated them to the newest version; this worked and the mic was working better than ever!

The day after, I came back to the office to reorganize the audio kit to my liking as well as test old audio cables/adapters/zoom attachments we had plus the sound board in our studio room! I had a lot of fun testing the equipment because I learned new audio cabling adapters (i.e. TRS end to different Jack connectors). However, I had a problem with the TRS end adapting to the H6 input with the Boom on a set -10db, which is normal for boom sound mixing (especially the brand we have which has -10, +20, +150, etc.) Weirdly, the TRS end would only work with the H6 zoom when the boom was set to +20 decibels! After much research, we found out that TRS ends need a higher gain to overcome the weak connection/sound (even when Phantom is on!).

Next, I found out how to connect a camera, laptop, and phone to our sound board for clients/set use! Lastly, I charged the lavaliere mics for our set Tuesday! I had a lot of fun this week being able to test new and old audio equipment as I learned more about cable ends, audio adapters, and sound board controls!

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Actor's Arsenal - Kendall Truscello Blog Post #3

This past week was more of the same at my internship regarding my daily tasks. This week started a new session of classes, with some new people joining the groups and some familiar faces staying for the next month. The structures of the classes stayed the same.

On Tuesday, we had a little bit of a smaller class, only five people, so we ended class early. The actors read a scene from the TV show "Succession" between the characters Cory and Bella. One actor would come in and do an initial tape of the character they chose, then our instructor, Kaylen, and I would give notes and redirections if needed. Then the actors would tape one or two more times, and it would be the next actor's turn. We then watched all the actors' tapes as a group and discussed. For the past two weeks, Kaylen and I haven't read off camera for the other actors, but this week we had the opportunity to; we switched off every two actors or so, reading for both characters. I found this very fun since we haven't read with this group before, and it was overall good practice for feeding off other actors and to figure out what casting directors look for in certain scenes.

On Wednesday, we had a larger class with a lot more new people, and it was great to meet them. We had the same structure as my Tuesday class minus watching the tapes, but Dalton and I switched reading after every other take, and sometimes our instructor Renee would call in another actor to read for the taping. After each take, we would each give one note to the actor and call in the next one to tape. I don't know what this scene was from, but it was some British sitcom that i have never heard of. It was a change in genre since the actors have typically done more serious scenes, so it was fun to see them do something out of their comfort zones and open up.

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Blog Post 3- Riley James w/ Cucalorus

This past weekend, I was able to volunteer for the Silver Pride Cinema Festival hosted by Cucalorus at Jengo’s Playhouse. I got to be a Projectionist Assistant for the first time, and my main task was to operate the lights. I had to control the lights for an emcee to introduce the movie, which was ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’, and then the transition into the screening. My other task as Projectionist Assistant is making sure the audio and video are running smoothly throughout the screening, which means I got to watch the movie! I also learned how to assemble and disassemble an outdoor, blowup screen. It was very interesting to learn about projection for both indoor and outdoor screenings.  

Working Front of House, I’ve made lots of popcorn. Checking people in for events has allowed me to get to know so many different people. I have been learning how to navigate Eventive, which is the platform Cucalorus uses for events at Jengo’s. Eventive is used to sell both tickets and concessions, so over the weekend, I was able to sell a fair share of both.  

Along with the usual attending staff meetings and changing the marquee, I got to do some new tasks! This week, I started to organize the DVD collection, which contains both mainstream media and past Cucalorus archive films. I finished organizing the mainstream BluRays and DVDs in alphabetical order, and I added them into a spread sheet (there was 218!). I’ve also had the opportunity to do some graphic design work for the Cucalorus Instagram! I designed some posters for screenings coming up.  

Overall, this has been a great experience for me. I’ve learned so much and met so many cool people. It's hard to believe my internship is almost over. I have had the best time interning with Cucalorus.