Ryan is a Film and Media Production student at San Diego State University. Joining Intern Abroad HQ’s Media & Film Production internship in Sydney, Australia, he gained experience, enhanced his resume and built networks in a new cultural environment. Read on to learn what it all involves!
Hi Ryan, how was it like to be a Media & Film Production intern in Australia?
The Media & Film Production internship was an excellent experience from start to finish. My homestay family was awesome. My coworkers were engaging and interested in learning more about me, and in teaching me more about Australian culture as well as their own. I came for an internship and made new friends along the way.
When I first arrived in Sydney to commence this experience, I had very few expectations. When I interviewed with my host organization, my supervisor told me that they were a small company and often experienced busy and slow periods. He made no guarantees that there would be massive amounts of work when I arrived, but assured me they always have something to do.
It was extremely slow in my first week. I conducted research for the company to improve its website’s marketability, comparing it with competitors. In my second week, I was assigned to edit a project and I got to participate in my first shoot.
I would say that having few expectations was a major benefit, not expecting anything allowed me to have a positive attitude when given tasks I am not necessarily used to doing. We’re here for new cultural and workplace experiences. My advice to future interns would be to keep the minimal expectations and keep an open mind when given new tasks. Greet them with the same enthusiasm you would with experiences you enjoy!
What specific responsibilities and tasks did you handle during your internship?
As a Media & Film Production intern, I assisted with the setup and tearing down of production equipment, created contacts spreadsheet for business outreach, produced spreadsheet for upcoming film festivals, did video editing and also created call sheets.
These tasks benefited the host organization in many ways. Firstly, I assisted on shoots around the greater Sydney area, providing reliability and attention to detail for the host organization and their clients.
Secondly, I created a spreadsheet providing contact information of potential clients, so that the host organization can get in touch with them for collaboration on future projects. Another spreadsheet I was tasked with creating was to gather information on future film festivals the host organization can submit their works to in order to get more attention to their brand.
Thirdly, I was tasked with editing videos for a project that involved aboriginal land and traditions. Clients that have a positive impact on the community are important to the host organization and are their favorite to work with.
Lastly, I created call sheets for client shoots while my supervisor was out of office. Through timeliness, positivity, reliability, kindness, and attention to detail I believe I was able to benefit my organization, showing clients they maintain high standards.
The internship was an excellent opportunity to gain valuable international experience and I learned so much about the various aspects of the role when I was in Australia: budgeting, marketing, social media, editing and camera operations were all part of my experience. I’m very thankful for the knowledge that my supervisor and his team had shared with me.
Did you face any challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?
At the start of my internship, my supervisor was out of the office, finishing up a scheduled filming session. The problem this left me with was that there was minimal work to do since he was not around to give me any direction. However, he assigned me research work for the host organization.
I fully understood, as this is the nature of this business. It can be busy at times, slow during others. I compiled a list of future potential clients the host organization can reach out to for more work, along with a list of film festivals they can submit their work to. To ensure that I was on the right track, I kept in touch with my team leaders when they were out of the office. I checked in daily with my supervisor about projects to work on and also asked the others in the office what I could help them with. Patience paid off as work rolled in; I got several opportunities to edit and do videography.
I also did some proofreading work for their website and compared it with competitors. I don’t think this problem was related to any other issues or factors, since it was just a simple scheduling overlap between my arrival and an already scheduled project. The host organization was still able to keep me busy while my supervisor was out of the office. I was kept busy creating spreadsheets and looking into film festivals.
While it may not sound exciting or like part of the internship, it was related to the work the host organization does. To get eyes on projects, the host organization needs to be entered into festivals, which can help secure funding for films. This was one of the spreadsheets that I had created. I researched upcoming festivals, how to enter, and their deadlines. This was something filmmakers may overlook or just focus on major festivals. It opened my mind as to how many were actually out there and how early entry opens. It was good practice to create spreadsheets, as they are a useful tool for producers as well.
Through the work I have performed and the effort I have put forth, I feel more empowered to succeed in my field.
How did your supervisor and colleague’s mentorship shape your learning experience?
My supervisor taught and mentored me in every aspect that he could in the short amount of time we had together, and in the process, I absorbed all the knowledge I could and helped his business in any way possible. I appreciate that he made the effort to involve me in so many aspects of the business and was willing to teach me everything that he had learned over the years.
My coworkers complimented me on being one of the best interns they’ve worked with thus far. They said I was the first intern they were able to hand a camera and come back with usable footage with very little instruction. They complimented me on my framing and composition. I was early every day, navigating public transit to locations sometimes three hours away. All while fulfilling assignment requirements outside of work for my internship.
What stands out as your favourite memory from the internship?
The Media & Film Production internship greatly expanded my knowledge of the film industry. I learned about marketing aspects through business promotion, editing, and being on location for a shoot. All of this was a great experience that I can take to another company or try to launch my own production business.
Learning that one of the filming locations I worked at was featured in the film “The Matrix”! We did a corporate shoot for the Australian Institute of Company Directors, in Martin Place. While waiting for talent to show up, one of my coworkers and I were talking about films, and he mentioned that some of the film was shot at the location we were at and at the fountain just across the street. I picked up a free souvenir by taking a picture of the staircase and the fountain. It was our second time there, and I would’ve had no idea if he hadn’t mentioned it. Very cool!
How did you expand your cultural intelligence through interning abroad?
While interning in Australia, I had the pleasure of interning with a host organization that promoted the Muslim community, working with clients to make a positive impact. A few of the employees are Muslim, and we got along great. I enjoy learning about others’ cultures.
My coworkers were very respectful and inquisitive towards me and where I am from. There is a mutual respect between us all despite our different cultural backgrounds. This internship gave me a unique opportunity to learn more about Australian, Bengali, Moroccan, Turkish and Muslim culture. Everyone was kind, sharing and caring. Anytime someone leaves the office for a coffee, they offer to pick one up for others.
A client came in to chat with management one afternoon and offered to buy everyone a coffee. I politely declined, to which he replied, “When a Turkish man offers to buy you a coffee, you don’t turn him down,” so I obliged and got one with the group. I typically stick to a one-cup-of-coffee morning routine but the Turkish client returned to the office and he was very kind and talkative with me.
We ended up having some great discussions and I feel like I had made a friend, all by letting my guard down and accepting a coffee from a stranger. Had I not accepted the coffee, I may have offended him, and things could’ve turned out differently. Sometimes it’s ok to make an exception to your own rules!
What advice would you offer someone else planning to intern abroad?
Try new things, even if it’s just once. You never know if you’ll like something until you try. Mind your manners and be polite - a little bit of kindness goes a long way. There will be situations where you may feel uncomfortable; that is normal. It’s part of stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something new. It may be tempting to fall into habits from home. Explore your surroundings. Get out and learn about new places and culture, you never know when the next opportunity to visit may come.
What are your next steps, to continue progressing your career?
After this intern abroad program, I will return home to complete my last year at San Diego State University. I will update my resume to reflect the experience and knowledge gained while completing my internship. I plan to get my drone pilot certification to increase my chances of finding a career after graduation.
I will keep in touch with the friends I made here in Australia, keeping the door open for future employment opportunities!
FAQs
To join the Media & Film Production internship in Sydney through Intern Abroad HQ, you must be a student or recent graduate with at least one year of relevant college or university study in fields like screen arts, visual media, journalism, or communications. (For example, past interns have joined while completing Film and Media Production degrees). You are required to hold a mandatory travel insurance policy that includes personal liability coverage and must be available to intern for a minimum of 6 weeks.
Your day-to-day responsibilities will immerse you in the Australian multimedia industry, providing a mix of hands-on technical work and pre-production logistics. Because the film industry naturally experiences busy and slow periods, tasks will vary based on current projects. Interns who keep an open mind and remain proactive during slower periods gain the most multidisciplinary experience!
Interns have scope to be placed with a variety of dynamic host organizations across the greater Sydney area, including media companies, production agencies, NGOs, start-ups, and in-house marketing teams. These placements offer a highly collaborative and multicultural learning environment.
The Media & Film Production internship in Sydney is a fully hosted experience that includes both your accommodation and select meals. Interns typically live with local host families in a homestay arrangement. Staying with a homestay family provides a welcoming, supportive environment and serves as an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in Australian culture. Alongside building your professional network at work, living in a homestay allows you to make personal connections and forge lifelong friendships outside of your daily internship duties.
360+ internship programs across 28 countries
Placements tailored to your academic requirements or career interests
Exclusive experiential learning curriculum
We help you develop and articulate the soft skills most favored by employers
Most affordable & flexible
We organize everything, including local accommodation, from only $1129 USD
