All Interns are required to complete a presentation of learning at the end of their internship to their high school advisor and the sophomores so that they can get a sense of what it is going to be like for them next year. I am sad to say that tomorrow will be my last day of internship. Although, on a good note, I will finally be able to present my final project that I have been working so hard on. Since there are a few other interns from High Tech High International who are also interning at the Media Arts Center San Diego, we decided to create a power point presentation all together. Here is the link to it:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1m4qu0zLBHOb-egy68mo1TMblcQa3NICXjClU7-Sb3DY/edit?usp=sharing
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While working as an intern, I developed many new appreciations. One of which has nothing to do with actually working in the office. I was driving to work like every normal week day and I was surprised to find a parking spot that was very close to the building. As I was getting out of my car, I noticed a man in a house in front of where I was parked stepping out onto his porch to tell me that I was parked in a section of parking that can't be parked in. I looked at him confused because the reason I had parked there was because there were two other cars parked there too. I then looked to my left and noticed a man getting out of a small car, starting to give those two cars tickets. I looked at the man who had saved me from getting a ticket with a relieved expression. I thanked the man and quickly got back in my car to find another spot. While doing so, I couldn't seem to find any other parking spots around the whole block, so I returned to the same street where I had almost gotten a ticket and found the man waving to me signaling me to wait. He then crossed the street and got into his car to give me the spot he had been parked in. All I could think of was that he must have thought I was running late (which I was) and was kind enough to find another parking spot so that I could take his. Again, this has nothing to do with my internship, but I felt it was necessary to share because It really opened my eyes and showed me that a simple act of kindness in the world can leave a lasting impact on someone no matter how well you know them. Some qualities or characteristics I saw in the people that I work with were how laid back and willing to help everyone they were. No matter what they were doing, they always had time to answer any questions I might have or give me feedback on my projects. I definitely want to develop more of that in myself because I usually tend to focus in on the task I am given at hand and not really consider what is going on outside of my little bubble. My view of life beyond high school has definitely changed because before I had a somewhat understanding of what I want to pursue in the future, but this internship has definitely influenced the direction of my life. I want to continue the path I will need to take in order to make my goal of obtaining a career in the film industry happen. Communicating and collaborating at work has also influenced my understanding of the professional work environment and I know that everything I have learned from interning here will help me in the future when handling adult situations. The Media Arts Center is such a relaxed and open environment to work in and I know I will be returning very soon to visit, volunteer or even take part in a camp. Here is an image of two of my fellow interns, Alana and Jasmine and I: Interning at the Media Arts Center has not only benefitted me, but the people I work around everyday as well. I have contributed to almost all aspects of this nonprofit in some way, like the San Diego Latino Film Festival, Video Production Services, Camps, Costumer Service, Financials, Operations etc. My work as an intern will be very meaningful to my education because I have learned a lot about problem solving, using time wisely, working independently, efficiently and professionally. This experience is also meaningful to me personally because I have realized so much about myself that I would have never known if I hadn't interned here. For example, the fact that I am capable of so much more than I think I am. I tend to doubt myself a lot and now that I've had the opportunity to really see what I am capable of all on my own, I have this whole new sense of confidence that I never knew I had. I really see myself obtaining a career in this field and I will do what I can to make it happen. The people that surrounded me throughout this internship experience have really shown me how many great people there are in the world. The first person is Alana, from strangers to close gals. I met Alana at MACSD when we were both interviewing for internship positions. I am so happy that we were both able to share this experience together because she is so sweet and talented. She is shy about showing the world what she is capable of, but I wish she wasn't because she is truly an amazing writer. I am going to miss seeing her everyday. The next person who made this experience a great one was Jasmine. She is the last puzzle piece to the three partners in crime, and also one of the funniest people I've ever met. Her laugh is so contagious and although I already knew her before interning here, we have formed a tight bond that I will always cherish. Now onto staff. Amanda & Lisa; my mentors and go to's. Amanda has been such a kind hearted person to have around in the office because she not only would show interest in our everyday projects, but our personal lives as well. Lisa has also been so sweet and approachable. If I ever need anything, I know I can go to her. Simon, has also helped me a lot through the whole process of my project from brainstorming, to film day, editing, etc. My video went from a broad concept or idea to what I think became an amazing final product. I had so much fun filming and it has inspired me to continue to make this kind of content so that I can gain even more experience and continue to grow. This is what it looks like when I am editing my video on Final Cut Pro: The top left is where the clips are imported into and then the bottom left is the timeline where all the magic (or editing) happens. The top right is what the frame looks like wherever the marker is on the timeline. The bottom right is where you can control the titles, transitions, music, etc. From working on this project, I have learned that Final Cut Pro is not as difficult as I thought it would be, always carry an extra sim card when shooting, lighting is EVERYTHING, music helps, and time management is key when it comes to video production. I have also learned that I am capable of producing, directing, filming, and editing a video all on my own within' three weeks. I have learned that you don't need to be rich to be able to make a quality movie and I have learned that a month goes by faster than you think.
I am sad to say that I only have one week of internship left. I have learned so much and I don't want to leave! Although, to make my high school experience more like my internship experience, I have a few elements and ideas that my teachers can apply to their classrooms. For example, incorporating more projects that allow for each student to choose how they would like to present it. I believe that those kinds of projects make the best exhibitions because there is a greater variety of displays and every student has the opportunity to incorporate whatever they are passionate about in some way. I think high tech's go to projects are usually set in groups, but from interning, I have realized how important working independently can be. It helps us become familiar with what we are capable of on our own because in the end, that's all we really got. Another idea is having students take part in more adult related tasks. Here at my internship, I have been treated like an adult, therefore I act like one. When I answer phone calls, I try my best to talk professionally so that the caller has no idea I am an intern. This can be applied to the classroom by doing projects that put students in a typical adult situation. For example, speaking to professionals, pitching ideas, writing outlines, etc.
Some new skills that I will be bringing into my student practice to improve my academic performance are brainstorming to the point where I know exactly what I am going to be doing before I do it. Normally, I tend to dive into big projects having a somewhat idea of what I want it to look like, but end up getting lost throughout, and wasting time. I will also apply my new found ability to communicate with people more efficiently. Answering phones was so nerve-wracking at first, but now I enjoy it because of how easily it comes to me. Today, I checked out a backpack with all of the necessary equipment that I will need for filming this weekend. The backpack contains a DSLR Canon Camera, an Audio Zoom and microphone to attach to the kid's clothing. I am excited to finally get all of my footage so that I can begin editing next week! Stay tuned for Monday's blog! As you may know, I am not the only one participating in an internship this January. In fact, for juniors at High Tech High International, it is a requirement for graduation. Many of my fellow classmates and friends have been interning at very interesting places and I am going to share with you all what I took away from reading their blogs.
The first one I read was Kalista Hayes' Blog. She has been interning at Fido & Co. Canine Country Club which is a daycare for dogs! Kalista has been socializing with the dogs, taking care of them, participating in staff meetings where they discuss changes that need to be made, etc. She has yet to start her project, but she will possibly be making a manual on dog behavior since she has been spending so much time observing the dogs and playing with them in the daycare department. When reading her blog, I could easily see her passion for animals and how much she enjoys herself when working with them. I know that if she ends up obtaining a career in this field, she will never want to miss a day of work. The second one I read was Ashley Price's Blog. She had the opportunity to intern at a daycare center in Ecuador! Ever since Ashley told me she would be interning out of the country, I have been so eager to read her blogs. I love looking at all of the pictures of her engaging with the children. Her project is so cool. She designed and redecorated a "Rincón de Salud", which means "Health Corner". That is the cutest name! I have known Ashley since she was very little and I know how much she enjoys being around children, but for those of you who don't know her like I do, you can easily tell she is passionate about working with them by reading her blog. I know she will have a bright, bright future. I am so excited to see what she does! The last blog I read was Jacob Fine's blog. He is interning at the California Innocence Project. The CIP exonerates wrongfully convicted prisoners. They hear out their cases and write memos saying why they either rejected or decided to look into the cases. He is mainly in charge of going through mail, responding and answering to clients, answering phone calls, etc. From reading, I can tell he has learned a lot about law. I hope this experience has given him the experience he didn't have before this internship and hopefully reassured himself about wanting to obtain a career in this field. I am back!
It is now time to get back into the groove of things and start talking serious because there are only two more weeks of internship left and my project has become my main priority. I have a pretty solid plan for my project. I will be conducting interviews with little kids and asking them questions regarding today's gender roles and stereotypes. I predict they will say that boys have a certain way of living and girls have a certain way of living and neither can live like the opposite gender. If I get the responses I want, I will be able to show my audience how children of today's society view gender roles and possibly encourage parents, teachers, and even children to stop putting the people of the future in boxes and allow them to express themselves freely without feeling out of place. I personally chose this topic because it amazes me how limited children are nowadays regarding things that have absolutely nothing to do with their sex. For example, clothing, sports, toys, etc. If a boy wants to wear a dress, why is that so looked down upon in society? What I hope this video does is open the eyes of society and show them that they have the capability to change the future, by simply giving our children the space to learn, grow and play however they may choose to. I have also always been fascinated with how children view the world with such a creative perspective. It truly amazes me what some of these children can analyze and come up with based on what they learned from just observing the world around them. I planned a day for filming this weekend where all of the children will meet up at my house. You might ask, where I got a hold of these children. My family has so many friends that have children and luckily, a few of them agreed to participate in the video. I will also be interviewing a few of the parents asking them questions about the same gender roles/stereotypes their children are usually limited to. Since I have a pretty solid idea for my video, my next steps are working on a story board, which is a clear and concise way to organize the "plot" of a screenplay or this case, a 2 minute video and filming of course! After shooting, I will only have about four days of editing and finalizing. I am on quite the tight schedule. That means I have to get all of the necessary footage on the camera on the shoot day. I have no retakes later on in the week after that. That is why it is very important for me to be organized and prepared for whatever issues may come my way. For example, the camera losing its battery, children not behaving/not giving me the responses I want, I am unable to transfer the footage onto a hard drive, etc. The possibilities are endless and I must be prepared for it all. This week, I will spend double or triple checking all of the necessary components of the shoot day to make sure there are no missing pieces on the big day! Since there are two more weeks until I have to go back to high school, let me touch on the differences between the Media Arts Center San Diego workplace and High Tech High International. One of the main differences I noticed was the noise. At MACSD, never have I experienced such a quiet place to concentrate and focus on the task at hand. Another thing is how independent you become. Not only do I mean working on tasks independently, but also the lifestyle is a lot more independent. I haven't seen a lot of my friends in a long time and it feels strange to not have their support there when I get out of class or at lunch. Although, I have made friends with the other interns here and have become closer with people who I had been previously been just acquainted with. My responsibilities here allow for me to work towards my passion, which is filmmaking. Whereas, at school I am mainly working on subjects that don't grab my attention as much as cinema does. I work about the same amount of hours that I go to school but I have found that the work week goes by a lot faster than the school week and I think that is because what I do here interests me a lot more than the tasks I am given at school. Interning at the Media Arts Center San Diego has not only influenced me to pursue my dream of obtaining a career in the film industry, but also gave me experience in an adult workplace, which I know I will encounter in the future. Transitioning from internship to school will be difficult, but I know that I will be able to use what I learned from the workplace like communicating better with people from answering phones and working with adults. Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post! Day Four: January 11th: Today was the most exciting day so far at my internship. The other interns and I got the chance to learn how to use real, professional film equipment, such as a DSLR camera, fancy lighting and audio equipment. Simon, the media expert spent half of the work day teaching us about most aspects of the video making process. We learned how to properly set up an interview set, using the correct lighting, camera positioning, etc. We were able to put ourselves in the roles of what a regular crew might look like on set. I was in charge of snapping the slate which was a pretty big deal to me even though it is such a simple task. After the camera person says "camera rolling" and the sound person says "audio rolling", I was in charge of saying the production name, "Take one" and "Marker?". Saying "Marker?" is used to check with the camera person that the slate is in the frame. Once they give you a nod, you can snap the slate! Did you know that the snapping of the slate is not only used to help the person who will be editing by giving them the exact scene and take of each clip? It is also used to make syncing audio and video easier for the editor. While editing, they can easily distinguish a split second snap of sound by looking for a perfectly vertical line in the audio track. Once they find that, they can match it up to the video by syncing the sound of the slate's "snap" to the visual moment of the "snap". Here is an image of me snapping a slate in front of Alex, who was our subject for this sample interview: Simon also taught us about the enemies of video recording. The enemies are auto focus and auto exposure. The reason why is because filming a video with auto focus or exposure will result in a video with light constantly changing and adjusting itself depending on how the subject changes. Here is a picture of the DSLR we used today for filming an interview. If you look closely, you can see where it says "AF" and "MF". These two stand for "Auto Focus" and "Manual Focus". You must always make sure it is set as "MF" for all video recording purposes. I was also able to learn about an Audio Zoom. A Zoom is a device used to record and control the audio. It has a microphone attached, but you can also connect it to a microphone with a wire that can be attached to an article of clothing. This device controls the volume of the subject's voice and also allows for the sound person to be able to hear all sounds in the room. If there is ever a sound issue, he/she will be able to hear it through the headphones connected to the Zoom. Here is what it looks like: After recording our sample interview, we were taken back to our work space so that Simon could go over basic editing when using Final Cut Pro: We learned how to import audio and video, synchronize them, add text, transitions, etc. After that, we were asked to try and come up with an idea for our video projects. They have to impact the community or you personally in an informative/inspirational way. I did a lot of research and realized that I am leaning towards maybe doing a project that involves children. I have always been good with kids and their opinions truly fascinate me. I am not sure what exactly it would be about, but when I figure it out, I will let you know! Day Five: January 12th Since most of you do not know what my internship looks like, let me give you a digital tour of the Digital Gym. When you are standing outside of the building, this is what you will see: Inside, there is a front desk and a very nice lounge area where people can work on projects. When you go down the hallway, there is a studio where people can film videos using a green screen and fancy lighting. Passing that, there are stairs that lead to where the interns and staff work. For interns, a typical work day usually involves most of our time being spent on the computer. Today, I had the chance to work at the front desk! My shift was from 11:00am to 1:00pm. I was in charge of answering phone calls and transferring them to staff members depending on what each call was regarding. When answering the phone, I would say, "Hello, Digital Gym, this is Abril speaking. How may I help you?" After completing my shift at the front desk, I continued brainstorming for my video project. I will be incorporating children in my video and have a pretty solid idea of what my topic will be. I have decided to focus on children's perspective of gender roles. Hopefully their opinions will portray the message I am trying to get across.
Tomorrow, Thursday and Friday (January 13th, 14th and 15th), I will be absent from my internship because I will be out of town. I let my mentor know I would be absent before starting my internship so that we could figure out when would be the best time for me to make up the hours. We came to the conclusion that I would simply work about an hour extra every day. So, my typical Monday through Friday work day begins at 9:00am and ends at about 4:15pm with a half hour lunch that can be taken whenever I'd like. The other interns leave at 3:00pm. This schedule works perfectly for me because it gives me an extra hour every day to work on my blog, video project, etc. I will be blogging again next week on Tuesday, January 19th because Monday is Martin Luther King Day and all interns have the day off. Stay tuned! Today was my first friday interning at the Media Arts Center! It was a busy day. I started my day by getting trained to work the front desk. Each intern there has five different shifts they need to complete throughout the course of the month. My first one is next week on tuesday! I am nervous but I am excited to be able to learn that skill because it will help me in the future when communicating with people, or any job that involves costumer service. People who work the front desk are also expected to greet people when they walk in and make sure no one enters without consent. This is enforced because they have kid's camps going on a lot of the time. I was also given the task to create a cheat sheet for people who work the front desk, giving them a clear and concise guide on things like what to say, what number extensions each department is, directions to our location, etc. Then, Alana and I met up with Ryan again and he told us a little bit more about Video Production Marketing and we were asked to come up with specific goals, benchmarks, target audiences, strategies, tactics for marketing our video production services. After that, I helped Ethan, the executive director photoshop and print new certificates of completion for the winter camp kids who had their exhibition today. I also took pictures of the kids as they were receiving their certificates. Overall, it was a very productive day. I can't wait for next week! Stay tuned!
Day One: January 6th Today I arrived at the San Diego Media Arts Center at 9:30am. I was greeted by the friendly staff and was given my first task which was to go on the SDMA's website and get familiar with it so that when clients ask what we do, I am able to respond with enough information. Then, I was given the task to add on to a spreadsheet that one of the staff members, Moises called "The Bible" for the San Diego Latino Film Festival. I was asked to find out how long each listed movie was, find their directors and the countries they were from. I did this by using IMDb Pro or simply googling the films. I was then given the task to find local organizations that could be potential clients for our Video Production Services. I found many organizations such as the San Diego Dance Theater, Artreach, the International Humanity Foundation, etc. I was also given a super cool name tag: Overall, I had a great first day. I am exhausted but in a good way. It feels good to work in a real work environment. Day Two: January 7th Today, one of the other High Tech High Interns named Alana and I had a meeting with Ryan, who is in charge of the Video Production Services at MACSD. Alana and I pitched why we thought the potential clients we found would be good candidates and Ryan gave us feedback on details like making sure the non profit organizations were authentic and giving us tips on how to research an organization in depth. Some examples of the things we had to look for were the sponsors that invest in the non profit to make sure that they are able to afford our services, their primary contacts, previous video links, etc. Ryan then gave us the task of continuing to work on the potential client list, although this time, we were challenged to try and find top list non profit organizations that would not only be a good match for us, but be in possible reach. I found organizations like Helen Woodward Animal Center, Social Advocates for Youth San Diego and The Alpha Project. Ryan also gave us a link to a video on how to film an interview, because most of our videos for clients are in that format. Here is the video: We were then also given a page out of "Movie Maker Magazine: The 2016 Complete Guide to Making Movies" The article is titled "The Building Blocks of Story" by Joe Gilford. It was about the building blocks of screenwriting. Ryan told us that this not only applies to 2 hour feature films, but our 2 minute videos for clients as well. These are the screenwriting musts that I learned from reading this page:
Some new skills that I have to work on are being more appreciative of the process that comes along with Filmmaking because before you can make movies, there is so much you have to organize and take into consideration. Without those prior steps of the process, you are not going to have a good filmmaking experience. Also, asking more questions because Amanda, my mentor was telling me that a lot of previous interns regretted not asking questions in the beginning of their internship because they would have gotten more out of it. So far, I like that I have my own quiet workspace where I can fully concentrate and give my 100% attention to the task I am given. One thing I would change is the amount of time spent on the computer. Although, I know that later on in the internship, I will have a more variety of tasks. Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog post! Tomorrow is the big day: Day one of my internship at the San Diego Media Arts Center! I am most excited about being in a professional environment, because this will be my first time doing so. I also know I will be doing a lot of costumer service jobs such as answering phones, welcoming guests, etc. I am nervous about that because I am not as familiar with the San Diego Media Arts Center as the staff members who work there. I am worried I will not know what to say when I answer the phone. I will be back tomorrow to tell you about my first day! Wish me luck!
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