As mentioned

This would be a secondary, for your resume and education, internship project. It's open to both my students and also my former students who are looking for a project. Former students will remember Ken as the screenwriter who's been a Genre Matters panel respondent for the past two years.

WANTED: “Viral Marketing” Interns for film company startup.

WHO: Bella Fe Films (www.bellafefilms.com)

YOU ARE:
1) “plugged in” to Facebook, mySpace, Bebo, Hi5, digg.com and/or other blogs and online networking venues.
2) Film Student and/or "filmie" looking for resume fodder who regularly spend lots of time on the web.
3) Willing and able to work from home under minimal supervision.
4) Possed of organizational skills, command of the English language, and a great work ethic.

I need people very familiar with today’s “viral marketing” venues to help spread the word for the upcoming CG Animated spoof of Dirty Harry films - “Magnum Farce”

ABOUT THE MAGNUM FARCE PROJECT:
- The Trailer:
To be premiered on mySpace video in February.
- The two-part webisode:
To be premiered, in two parts, exclusively on FunnyOrDie.com
- The Short:
Currently in postproduction, will be submitted to film fests nationally and internationally this year.
- Securing of feature funding:
The ultimate goal is to generate a huge buzz that will enable me to fund the feature version.

HOURS:
Ideally, I’d like you to spend at least two hours a day, at least four days a week acquiring and responding to blog “friends” and driving folks to the www.MagnumFarceMovie.com website, to mySpace, youTube, FunnyOrDie, etc. for at least four months.

WHAT YOU GET:
1) A cool-sounding job title like 'Associate of Viral Marketing, Bella Fe Films'
2) Upon successful completion of your four month tour, a glowing letter of recommendation from Ken Mora, Executive Producer.
4) Mention, by name and job title, in at least one national press release, this year.
5) When the short is qualified, a credit by name and job title on IMDB.com
6) A credit on the closing credit reel of the film-fest short.
7) A chance to accompany the Magnum Farce entourage at Los Angeles venues, and film fest near your home town.
8) A friend in Hollywood, and you’ll have a leg-up for a position at Bella Fe Films should this whole crazy venture take off.

CONTACT ME:
Wow me, Ken Mora, with your enthusiasm via mail at: intern@bellafefilms.com, please include your phone number.

Internship

I got a call on this yesterday. Sounds like it's worthy of inquiry/research for those still looking.

Industry Entertainment in Los Angeles is accepting applications for positions in their 2009 Spring Internship Program. We are currently holding interviews.

Formed over 20 years ago, Industry Entertainment is a leading feature film and tv management/production company. Some of Industry's feature film and TV credits include FEAR ITSELF, HOPE & FAITH, THE FINAL CUT, 25th HOUR, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM, EVE'S BAYOU, QUILLS, THE PLAYER, DRUGSTORE COWBOY and SEX LIES AND VIDEOTAPE. Industry also manages an elite group of entertainment talent, including feature and television actors, writers and directors.

During their tenure, interns will learn first-hand about the entertainment industry. Interns will receive training in reading screenplays critically and in writing script and book coverage. They will also receive one-on-one reviews of their writing, and will have the opportunity to meet with executives and attend certain company meetings. Other responsibilities will include project research, desk floating, and administrative tasks for all departments.

ENROLLMENT at an accredited institution is mandatory for participation in the program. Schedules are flexible, although the more you can commit the better. General knowledge of computers is essential. Candidates who can work throughout a whole school semester are preferable.

To apply, email your resume to industryinternship@yahoo.com Attn: Internship Program. Please also indicate availability per week along with start/end dates. Applicants of interest will be contacted directly. NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. Thank you.

Overbrook internship opp.

If you haven't selected an internship, I got a call from Holly at Overbrook expressing interest in Duke interns -- because of the great experience they had last year with Clarence and Tom. I cannot recommend this company enough.

Internship Opportunity

I had breakfast this morning with Jack Pan, from marketing at Summit Entertainment -- they just released Twilight, so he was in a pretty chipper mood. Anyway, Jack is a long time friend of the program, and Duke alum, and he says Summit would be glad to have a Duke intern this semester. There's room in production, finance and maybe even marketing. Jack's going to mention us to the director of human resources there, so let me know if anyone's interested. It sounds like a great opportunity to me -- and Twilight is going to be huge. We're going to try to have a dinner out with Jack some time this semester.

Meeting/Opportunity

This morning I met with Stephen Zapotoczny, the vice president of Wheelhouse Entertainment,
Randall Wallace's company. For any that don't know, Mr. Wallace is a duke alum (as is Steve), who wrote Braveheart and Pearl Harbor. He also wrote, directed, and produced We Were Soldiers and The Man in the Iron Mask. For his work on Braveheart, he received the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay as well as Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

There is a possibility of an internship with Wheelhouse for spring or summer, depending upon their shooting schedule.

We are also going to try very hard to get Mr. Wallace to come to class at some point, as keynote for the conference if his schedule permits, or at some other point in the semester. We want Steve to participate as well.

It's shaping up to be a very exciting semester.

Meeting/Opportunity

This morning I had a terrific meeting with Duke alum Mike Macari. Mikle has been actively developing, packaging and producing numerous studio and independent film and television projects and served as an executive producer on both The Ring and The Ring 2. He recently produced the dramatic thriller The Invisible; and his current project is the horror thriller The Shelter.

Macari was previously at Fine Line Features/New Line Cinema where he was responsible for overseeing the development and production of projects for Fine Line Features. He also covered various domestic and international film festivals and tracked independent feature films at all stages of production for potential domestic and international distribution.Prior to joining Fine Line, Macari was an agent trainee at United Talent Agency.

Mike would love to have one of you as an intern and I think it would be a great experience. His company is committed to relatively low budget genre pictures -- one of the best places you can learn. Mike did warn, however, that if they have something in production out of state next semester, then it might not be the best time -- summer might be better and we could perhaps work out something for anyone staying on after the spring semester.

On a more certain note, we are definitely having Mike come to address the class on genre/horror film making.

Read former Duke in LA'er and blog contributor Janet Wu's Chronicle interview with Mike from last year here.

The Film Department - internship

Sara, our former contact at the Film Department, is no longer there. If you're interested in interning there, let's go though last year's intern extraordinaire -- Tiffany Lu, who I'm sure will be posting her thoughts and other information below very very soon!

Internship opportunity

I just had a drink with:

MARK VAHRADIAN who is currently president of production for di Bonaventura Pictures (Transformers, Shooter, Stardust, 1408), which has a deal with Paramount. Previously, Mark spent eight years as a film executive at the Walt Disney Company and three years as president of Jerry Weintraub Productions (Warner Bros.). In addition, Mark has worked on such films as Snow Dogs, Enemy of the State, Con Air, Gone in 60 Seconds, Remember the Titans, Miracle, Flight Plan, Annapolis, and Nancy Drew.

Mark is a Duke alum and is very interested in placing an intern with di Bonaventura. It's a super active production company with lots of current projects and a good chance to actually see some film making. They're doing TV projects as well. Mark seems like a great guy who wants to upport the program. Based upon the projects they're putting together, I think one of the really film focused students should give this strong consideration. Contact me for more details.

Definitely a place where you could extend your intership over to the summer as well.

Internship opportunity

I just met with Eric Fritschi, a Duke alum who's director of marketing for Nettwerk Music Group. Their Hollywood office space is great, and it looks like it would be a great place to intern, if you're interested in music, talent management, or in marketing. They also have a graphic design department and he's going to get back to me as to whether there's an intern opportunity for that as well. Let me know who's interested. This looks like a good opportunity.

Secondly, Eric is going to put us to work at some point, where we'll help prep for a concert at their offices, and then hang out. Sounds like there'll be some other fun opportunites too.

E-mail me about internship interest and read about Nettwerk at the link.

The Film Department

I'm repeating as post from last year that you should consider, I'd definitely give this a high recommendation:

For those of you who wanted internships in finance departments and other spots more business than creative focused, this sounds like a great opportunity [they have creative positions also]:

The Film Department is a new independent movie finance, production and
international sales company founded by former Warner Independent and
Miramax Films president Mark Gill and former Miramax executive vice
president and Yari Film Group COO Neil Sacker. The company plans to
produce six films per year budgeted between $10 and $35 million. In
its first five years, total production value is expected to reach $725
million. The company will fully finance its films and license them to
domestic and international distributors through an in-house sales
unit. It plans to make star-driven, commercial pictures at the high
end of every genre that appeal to a worldwide audience (notably
thrillers, dramas, comedies, romantic comedies, action and horror
films).

E-mail me via my e-mail address and I'll give you the contact info for the human resource director/Duke alum. Their offices are in West Hollywood.

Overbrook

I want to strongly recommend Overbrook for their internship program -- they expect a lot from you, but it's a great company to get in on early. Just ask Clarence Hammond from last year. Let me know if you're interested.

For those of you interested in Overbrook, the internship coordinator would like to start interviews very soon and have commitments by early December. Here's the official announcement:

Overbrook Entertainment in Beverly Hills, CA is currently seeking
development interns. Responsibilities for an internship with Overbrook
include both administrative work (phones, Xeroxing, and filing) and
development (reading, script coverage and research). Students will also
have the opportunity to work closely with several members on the
development team to identify and develop ideas in both a mentoring and
learned capacity. We have also recently started having students
occasionally attend film department meetings. Candidates should be
enthusiastic, professional, and have a desire to learn. This is an
unpaid internship so all applicants must be eligible to receive college
credit. Please send resumes and cover letter to OEinternship@gmail.com
or fax (310) 432-2441

Overbrook hires five interns each semester but because it is an unpaid
internship, students must be eligible to receive college credit. We are
hoping to have each intern be able to put in about 2 full days a week
but understand the constraints of a college schedule and are willing to
be flexible. This would be a great opportunity for students to learn
about film development from a high profile production company. Please
feel free to contact me if you need any additional information. Thanks
again.

Best,
Holly Brown
Film Department Coordinator
Overbrook Entertainment
450 N. Roxbury Drive, 4th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 432-2406 ofc
(310)432-2441 fax

Lions Gate

Lions Gate might be a good place to intern this spring if you're looking for hard work and lots of responsibility. They just laid off 41 employees, which means they'll be chaotic (join the club), but might let you do things that normally would be beyond internship duties. Might at least be worth the inquiry. Read about it here.

Tips

First of all, some of you have said they've had problems finding contact information for internship providers. One resource you might try is Visual Net.

Secondly, one thing about internships is that you should research who you might be working for before interviewing. There's two components to that research:
1). Know the company's recent product.
2). Know what's been happening on the business side.

For example, if you are want to work for New Line, you should know what has happened to them in the past year. Use your research tools and use me.

For example, if you asked me about the specific state of New Line today, I would tell you to click here. In fact, to understand the state of the business today, you should go back and click that link. The coverage by the Thompson/Bordwell blog in this piece is predictably perfect.
Every one of you should read this piece -- it may directly impact your approach to internships.

Thirdly, read Wikipedia before the interview. Then go to Variety.com and search the company. Do the same for Hollywood Reporter. They're both linked in the the border under Hollywood Matters. Read the recent coverage. This is a business decision where you'll decide to intern -- you should know how your "employer" is doing.

Hope this helps.

Internships

So I'm meeting with several Duke alums next week who are interested in offering internships for the Spring. Keep watching this space as there should be some interesting opportunities.

Meanwhile, I'd like to get a status report from everyone at this point as to what they've been doing.

IMPORTANT -- INTERNSHIP POSTS ON BLACKBOARD

I'm not going to name names here BUT some of you are posting regularly on blackboard, under the journal section, about you're internship and some of you are not. In fact, a few of you have not made a single. If March 1st hits, and you have not posted at least two entries, i.e. covering two weeks, you will not be eligible for an A in your internship. This would be silly. Please get your posts done. Thanks.

Internships

It is my understanding that every single one of you now has a full internship for the spring semester, that you all have started or will be starting next week at the latest, and that said internship is scheduled to go through the last week of April at the earliest. If any of these "understandings" are erroneous then you have a duty to let me know immediately. If two weeks from now I find out that someone still hasn't gotten an internship, or hasn't correct any of the above impressions, it will impact your grade -- This is the time to update me, so that I can help you and so I can assess your progress at this point. Thanks. This also means it's time to go to the media internship course on Blackboard and start making your weekly posts.

internship opp.

I just received this interesting internship opportunity. Any interested parties should talk to me on Sunday.

In Neil's own words:

This is Neil Williams from the 2005 DULA program. Sorry that it's taken me
so long to get back in touch with you.

I know that the 2008 Duke In LA program is gearing up to start in the next
week and i wanted to extend my willingness to help with this program as an
alumni or point of contact to current students.

I'm presently working with Adam Collis, film director and '91 Duke graduate,
and we're looking for interns who would be interested in getting a hands-on
glimpse into the pre-production of a feature-length film entitled "The Long
Blue Yonder." This film is being produced by Camelot Pictures, producers of
Garden State, and will be going into production in April of 2008. The
interested intern would be given a chance to follow Adam as he prepares for
the film and would also be given an opportunity to see various departments
prepare for the April shoot.

Are there any students who may be interested in interning or still need to
find internships for the semester?

You can reach me at this e-mail (creque@gmail.com) or call my cell at
336-413-8884.

INTERNSHIPS

I'd like to get a sense of internship progress. I know that Maggie, Lauren, Imade, Clarence, and Tom all have internships. I know a couple of you others also have ones but I don't have time to look up who. There are also some of you who I haven't heard anything from. I'd therefore like everyone to post here if you have an internship, if so where, and if not, give me some direction as to what you want. I can help you if you let me. If you don't respond, and you don't have an internship after the first two weeks, it will potentially cost you an A in the course. Don't let that happen -- work with me on this starting that first week of January -- I can be doing things while you're packing and getting on the road.

Miramax Internship

A former Duke in La'er, Rio Pierce, is currently working for Miramax, which would be a great spot for an internship. We can shortcut some of the application hassle by you directly contacting their creative executive, Lauren Levy. Her e-mail is
lauren.levy@miramax.com.

Also if you don't have any leads at this point, it wouldn't hurt to give me a call and see if we can move things along a bit.

BET

I just got a follow-up e-mail from BET.
Here it is:

Hi James,

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. We're currently looking for interns for the Spring semester. We should have an ad up on entertianmentcareers.net next week; however, if you have interested candidates they should submit their résumés & cover letters to la_internships@bet.net