Becca Alberts just returned to Mankato from a summer in Hollywood where she completed a visual effects (vfx) internship with film studio Paramount Pictures.
Tell us about your responsibilities as an intern in the VFX department.
I mostly dealt with loaning assets (hard drives, printers, keyboards, etc.) to film production teams—logging them into our database when returned and preparing them to be shipped to various locations all over the world. One of my other responsibilities was to help put descriptions from scripts into “shot breakdowns” that allowed the team to determine the VFX side of a film’s budget.
What was the most rewarding part of the experience?
The atmosphere of a film studio is different from a college campus in that everything is much more fast-paced, and it was great for me to learn to work in that kind of environment. I got to see firsthand what happens in a studio when things go wrong, and it was also great to see how everyone worked together to solve the problem. I was given a renewed appreciation for teamwork.
What did you learn about yourself during your internship?
This internship gave me a better idea of what direction I’d like to go in the creative industry. I loved having the opportunity to learn the business side of everything, but I also learned that I need to be doing creative work in order to be truly happy at my job.
How has your internship prepared you for your future?
I feel more comfortable networking with others, something that’s stressed at Bethany as well as in Paramount’s internship program (and all over the industry). Plus, it looks great on my resume!
What were your goals going into the internship? Did you achieve these goals?
My primary goal was to have a better understanding of what area of design I’d like to pursue (achieved). Other goals included being more comfortable in a professional workplace (achieved), making great connections (achieved), and to feel like I’ve made a difference to the people I worked with (achieved—my boss told me on my last day that my contributions in those 10 weeks saved him months of work had he been alone).
Would you recommend your internship site to others?
Absolutely! Paramount hires 70-100 undergraduate interns every summer, so it’s a great place to work where you never feel alone. It’s in a great location with incredibly friendly people who do amazing and well-known work!
