A summer internship can look like a traditional office job — cubicles, business dress and coffee runs. But for University students concentrating in the arts, a summer internship could look like operating a giant puppet, cutting a roll of 70mm film or photographing an Olympian. Hailing from a variety of disciplines — studio art, music, theater, arts administration and film — this small but driven group of University students are charting their own professional paths in creative industries, returning to Grounds equipped with invaluable experience, skills and connections in their chosen creative fields.
As a post-production intern at the IMax office in Los Angeles, fourth-year College student John Barnes previewed blockbuster hits before their global distributions to IMax theaters. He recalled watching the Spanish version of “Despicable Me 4” and seeing frames of the original film strip for “Oppenheimer.”
“A big portion of my job was just watching movies every day and basically making sure that the subtitles were correct,” said Barnes, who did quality control, or QC checks, on IMax films. “It was really cool to be in a private screening room, watching these movies that wouldn't be coming out for a few weeks, and making sure that they're up to quality with subtitles, sound, picture.”
Outside of the screening rooms, Barnes was able to attend networking events with other film professionals and had the opportunity to sign up for free movie premieres. He even met leading actor Glen Powell in the bathroom at the premiere for the movie “Twisters,” which Barnes described as “the highlight of [his] summer.”
Barnes said that earning a spot at IMax took a combination of careful planning and luck. After submitting a cold application, Barnes followed up with an acquaintance familiar with the company — a friend of his father’s client — who helped Barnes secure his initial interview. Barnes shared that it is common for jobs in film to not be posted to the public, so securing one often takes an industry connection.
“The biggest thing I learned, which people have told me for years, is always talk about your interest to everyone, because you never know if an opportunity might arise and they'll think of you,” he said.
Similarly to Barnes, fourth-year College student Domenick Fini also landed their dream internship working as an art and photo intern for NBC News. After years of building technical skills, experience and a professional portfolio, Fini also cold-applied for the NBC position — beating out thousands of other applicants — and relocated for the summer to New York City, where he photographed famous subjects like Olympian Jordan Chiles and actor Justin Baldoni.
Fini’s assignments included graphic design, photo editing and independent photography projects. They said they appreciated working on real NBC projects rather than menial intern work.
“I felt like I was being given the work of an actual full-time employee,” Fini said. “It was all something I felt like was respectable. And I think that was really exciting for me to feel like I was being treated like a full-time hire.”
For one of his projects, Fini photographed members of the New York City-based dance ensemble Queer the Ballet. He said he aimed to capture the personalities of his subjects through the camera.
“Being able to tell their story in a real and genuine way was often focused on the small, detailed moments and personal moments,” Fini said.
While Barnes and Fini traveled to major cities for their arts internships, others found opportunities right in the Charlottesville area. Second-year Engineering student Will Conrad spent his summer at the Virginia Theatre Festival, where he worked as a General Electrician.
Formerly known as the Heritage Repertory Theatre Festival, VTF stages professional productions in the University Drama Department’s theater spaces every summer. This summer’s three-show season included “50 Years and Counting: A Musical Revue,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and “The 39 Steps.”
“We had so many students involved, which is awesome because we're all trying to find out what our professional careers are going to be, and exploring that right in our backyard,” Conrad said.
According to Conrad, the summer offered him opportunities to learn from his fellow technicians — a geographically and professionally diverse group that included a Broadway lighting professional and college students from across the country.
Conrad said that his co-workers helped him compile a list of regional theater companies, which he plans to reference as he applies to future summer jobs. Much like Barnes and Fini, Conrad highlighted the value of networking as a young professional in the arts.
“As you build your network and you get to know more and more people, then people start knowing you,” he said. “And then that turns into more gigs and more people know you. And then suddenly you're building into better and better gigs.”
Fourth-year College student Mary Hall also joined the Virginia Theatre Festival this summer, working as an actor and puppeteer in the musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” directed by Jeffrey Meanza.
Most of the company of “Little Shop” were actors of color, said Hall, and they worked to stage a more socially and politically conscious production of the campy, science fiction musical. Hall said that being an African American and African Studies and Drama double major helped her connect to the material, blending critical analysis with craft.
“I was able to put on my scholar hat as well as my actor hat,” Hall said. According to Hall, the internship allowed her to take what she’s learned in class at the University and let that material inform her acting performance in the production.
While some students are able to secure an internship through a cold-application, Hall argued that the University should do more to guide arts students towards professional resources.
“They know that they have the resources, and they just kind of expect students to ask for it, but they have to let the students know what they need to be asking for,” she said.
When the University fails to provide financial and career support for the arts, individual professors and student organizations fill in the gaps, said Fini. Fini credits the student-led arts magazine V Mag at UVA and professors Kevin Everson and Anna Hogg of the art department with helping them build their professional toolkit.
“A large contribution to my professional experience was due to the work of students, not U.Va. employees,” Fini said.
According to Fini, the University does not provide sufficient funding to arts departments, making it difficult for students to access the resources needed to get ahead in their careers.
Even when University resources fall short, Fini encourages students to find meaning in their work, and to continue pursuing careers that align with their creative passions despite the challenges on Grounds.
“You should be interested in pursuing what you love, not what you think is profitable,” Fini said. “You will make it worth it for yourself. U.Va. does not have to make it worth it for you.”
For Hall, as for many student artists, the rewards of working in the arts outweigh the risks.
“It is definitely something that I want to continue pursuing,” Hall said. “I love it, and I'd rather do something that I love for the rest of my life.”
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