<p>Hi--I posted this in Internships and Careers, but then thought maybe some parents could help, too. We could certainly use some advice: Son is a double major in film and history, most interested in a film career but realistic about the prospects. He has two offers, one unpaid Overseas Summer internship with State Dept., helping to make outreach/PR films (yes, he received security clearance; no, it's not a Pathways internship). The second internship, minimum wage, is with a major Hollywood studio. He is really torn. The money/travel are not determining factors; we will support either choice. He knows the State Dept. internship is competitive and prestigious, but he wonders if the movie gig would be his chance to get his foot in the door. He would do his best at either job; his main concern is which might give him the best chance at a film career.</p>
<p>Oooh what a dilemma, I feel for him! My son would kill for the State Department internship, but he’s an IR major. I think it might depend a little bit on how interested your son is in a career that might eventually involve travel and overseas contacts. Sounds like he can’t go wrong, but they might lead to different paths.</p>
<p>Both opportunities sound wonderful. My son would kill for the Hollywood studio internship! He is also a double major - accounting and film. He turned down a highly paid summer internship with a tier 1 accounting/consulting firm for a chance to make $10 an hour at a major TV network this summer. Someone interested more in prestige and money would have made a different decision. Like you, I support his decision and will help out with expenses since living in NY is quite expensive. Your son needs to spend some time really thinking through priorities - and writing them down. Best of luck to him in making his decision!</p>
<p>Why are you even asking this? If what he wants to do is to work in Hollywood, in any capacity, working in Hollywood in any capacity is going to be more helpful than working anyplace else (besides maybe New York City) in any capacity short of international superstardom. And it’s certainly going to be more helpful than making PR films for anyone, even the U.S. government. At least that’s how I understand it. It’s a relationship-driven industry, and you have to go where the relationships are formed.</p>
<p>Asking because son’s confused, especially after his favorite film professor said he thought the overseas government internship would be more “interesting and rewarding” than interning on a Hollywood set. Maybe I should clarify–it’s a Hollywood studio, but the filming will take place in the Midwest, not California.</p>
<p>Has he talked to the person who will be supervising him? Does he know specifically what jobs he’d be doing for each?</p>
<p>I’d worry less about the prestige of the position and more about the nature of the duties.</p>
<p>For the overseas post, yes, he knows he’d be helping to make films explaining the embassy programs, etc. Would have some creative responsibility. </p>
<p>For the studio, all he knows is that he’d be a set decoration intern. Supervisor is not too communicative.</p>
<p>Is there any way he can split it and do both?</p>
<p>Hm. What year in school is your son? Is he specifically aiming for art department/production design as his future career? And how did he land the film internship? I ask because there are dozens/hundreds of films / tv / music video / commericials / documentaries et al in production that use interns all the time, year-round. There is a good chance if he landed this one, he can land others in the future. However, the embassy film internship sounds like a very specific opportunity and may not come along again. </p>
<p>In the film industry, one usually needs to begin at the bottom and string together a number of lower entry level production gigs, one after the other. Meeting new people and networking is the key and each job is simply a short-term assignment, in many cases. One summer internship rarely leads to an offer of permanent employment so is most valuable for the experience and learning fundamentals of how the art department works. In this particular case, it may not mean working on the set at all, but a lot can still be learned. Just a few things to consider as he makes his decision.</p>
<p>Your son is very fortunate. This is a very nice problem to have. </p>
<p>My vote is leaning toward the movie gig. I don’t know why. I guess I just think it’s rarer than a government experience.</p>
<p>I would go for the State Department job. (That might be just me.) So long as the description of the duties is accurate, he’s going to have an amazing work product when he comes out. </p>
<p>My concern over the Hollywood gig, if it were me or my kid, would be that he could spend his entire summer fetching snacks for the people who work there. That could be fine, and it could lead to connections, but it could also lead to “Thanks for pouring coffee.” If it were that or scooping ice cream, obviously, go for Hollywood; but I don’t see the value in giving up such a neat project for that. </p>
<p>(Also, I’m cynical, and worry that your son could be getting an opportunity to take more dead-end, low-paying or no-paying jobs when he graduates. Google all the nightmare stories about interns in their mid/late twenties.)</p>
<p>The thing is, an amazing reel and $1 will get you a $1 cup of coffee. People who get traction in the entertainment industry generally have to start out by doing crappy, underpaid jobs in the entertainment industry, and networking themselves furiously from there. Maybe you can do an end-around if you are Lena Dunham or the Wesleyan kids in New Orleans – but they didn’t do it making PSAs for the government. If you make great PSAs for the government, you still eventually have to put in time as a gofer sucking up to assistant producers who may hire you for something else.</p>
<p>Thanks to all–glad to see we’re not alone in finding it a tough decision. I don’t think he could do both internships–a minimum 10 weeks is required for the govt. internship. Son is a rising senior, and he got the movie internship through an alum in contact with the college career center. Son is not an artist, more interested in writing and directing–maybe he landed the movie offer through strong GPA/writing skills, etc. He heard that only 20 kids applied, and they wanted someone his age, not someone about to graduate, or someone younger. He tried mightily last summer to get a film internship, no success. He’s willing to pay his dues…and tempted to flip a coin!</p>
<p>To the op and others who are double majoring in film and xxxxx,
Is your kid majoring in film production or film studies? I thought that film production majors were so time intensive that double majoring was not possible.</p>
<p>S2 is a film major and we vote for the State Dept. job. There’s a whole arena of film work that isn’t feature films, and it’s growing fast. Given the chance to actually have creative input and do some production work, as opposed to fetch-and-carry meaningless work? Not to mention the chance to travel, which always is a plus in job competition. But in the end, neither one of these is a bad choice at all. And if the alum got him this position, perhaps that connection should be nurtured.</p>
<p>Thanks again. YoHoYoHo, the major is just Film (it’s a small college); son has had both production and theory classes. It’s true, double major has been tough, but it’s common at his school. Son is leaning toward the State Dept. gig. They’ve been in touch with him and seem supportive. Yes, greenbutton, the alum connection is important. We can only hope alum understands, if son forfeits that opportunity.</p>