I’m Kenzie Rattray, a Film & Video Rising Sophomore. It
was around mid-April when I started looking around for internships in the New
York City area. This was the same time I secured a place to stay within the
city for three days a week, and for the rest of the week stay with my uncle
upstate. With a slim but exciting opportunity I began my search by looking up
openings for internships with film and production companies who weren’t
exclusively looking for rising juniors or seniors – which unfortunately
narrowed my search quite a bit. I came across the listing made by Whiteboard
Pictures late in the game – around mid-May, on a day I spent applying to about
35 places with a newly designed and chic resume. I was interested in this
particular listing because of how open-ended the responsibilities of the
interns were. A day later I received an email from the Head of Production
asking to set up a phone interview with me. We talked a few days later about my
specialties and experiences, namely my drawing skills. At the end of the
interview it was clear we were both satisfied with each other, and I received a
confirmation email soon with details on how to proceed and when I would start.
Whiteboard Pictures is a small company run out of Brooklyn,
NY which specializes in small film productions and marketing commercial ideas.
My supervisor, as the head of productions, worked on the logistics of every
production. He worked to put together auditions for the actors, hiring
cinematographers, cameramen, audio recorders, etc. and most importantly, he
balanced the finances of each project. What I did within the company was work
directly with directors to draw storyboards, brainstorm on ideas to market, as
well as helping with productions. I could be asked to do anything from writing
up one sheet on an idea I pitched the day before to running to downtown
Manhattan to buy snacks at Trader Joe’s for the film crew.
Throughout my time with Whiteboard Pictures
I was asked to work directly with the director of a production to create storyboards. The first time I did this I was sent to the director’s office a
few streets away from our office in Dumbo, Brooklyn. I spent most of the day there next
to the director, responding and creating exactly what he had envisioned. I got to see my storyboards used on set, handed out to all of the crew and stapled to the schedule and call sheet, which I was very proud of. On set I was asked to complete any task that would help move along the production, such as carrying equipment or preventing people from walking through the set.
I was asked to work directly with the director of a production to create storyboards. The first time I did this I was sent to the director’s office a
few streets away from our office in Dumbo, Brooklyn. I spent most of the day there next
to the director, responding and creating exactly what he had envisioned. I got to see my storyboards used on set, handed out to all of the crew and stapled to the schedule and call sheet, which I was very proud of. On set I was asked to complete any task that would help move along the production, such as carrying equipment or preventing people from walking through the set.
The most valuable thing I learned from this internship was not directly related to the work
I had done there. Life in Manhattan – namely
my specific living situation – had so much to
do with utilizing my connections and being a good guest, as well as learning to take care of myself without relying too much on my host. The most valuable thing I learned is that I should always exhaust all of my options before settling for anything less than what I desire for myself.
I had done there. Life in Manhattan – namely
my specific living situation – had so much to
do with utilizing my connections and being a good guest, as well as learning to take care of myself without relying too much on my host. The most valuable thing I learned is that I should always exhaust all of my options before settling for anything less than what I desire for myself.
