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Los Angeles is a mecca for entertainment industry wannabes trying to break down the Hollywood barriers. The “industry,” as its known around town, is one of the most fiercely competitive businesses in the world.
Picture for a moment the frenetic energy of Wall Street under a glare of superficiality and a corporate caste system so strong that only the strongest stay in the game long enough to see upward mobility.
College is primetime for testing career waters, as many students hope to venture into the entertainment machine after graduation. During the summer, local undergrads are gaining firsthand experience from the Hollywood trenches. Though University of Southern California and UCLA’s prestigious film programs give their students clout as the industry’s up and comers, several Pepperdine seniors are already making headway and are on the verge of joining the industry’s ranks.
Behind the glossy exteriors and award-show cleavage are the people who know all too well a side of Hollywood that is anything but glamorous. They are the unsung heroes. They are the interns. “Dream internships” in Hollywood are a rarity, corporate outings and company barbecues are not commonplace for these young ingenues. One is often considered privileged to stand in the graces of America’s most lucrative export despite the fact that interns often work for free and log long hours doing some of the most undesirable of tasks.
Telecommunications major Stephen Williams knows this all too well as he has already racked up a series of internships to his name that any college graduate would envy. Williams has worked for television programs including the “Dr. Phil Show,” Miramax, “The Bold & the Beautiful” as well as the WB’s series “Smallville,” where he is currently interning. Though filmed on location in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Superman prequel show maintains an office in Studio City where producer Tollins/Robbins is based and where much of Williams’ days are spent.
“It’s rather exciting, I get to sit in on writers’ meetings,” Williams said. During his run at his previous internships Williams learned that, “You have to think on your feet, be an individual and self-starter or you’re just going to fall by the wayside.”
Senior Lauren Farmer spent this past summer with producer Linda Obst (the female force behind chick flick staples “Sleepless in Seattle” and “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days”) and tackled the rigors of the studio system head on. She is currently doing time at the production company behind indie favorite “Rabbit-Proof Fence” where she must cover various scripts daily.
Coverage consists of compiling a detailed synopsis of submitted screenplays, which often run up to 120 pages. In addition, a thorough opinion and comments section analyze plot, dialogue, and the script’s marketability among other things. Farmer views the long hours and demands as “a learning experience” that is sure to help her in her Hollywood endeavors.
Senior Brittan Maassen agrees with Farmer. Maassan currently holds a lucrative post at MTV. Here she devotes a great deal of time to their Production Events department helping to handle the rigors of concert touring. Maassen can barely withhold her smirk, “We’re getting a lot of flak about the boob right now,” referring to Janet Jackson’s exposure at the Super Bowl.
The Colorado native and aspiring actress got her start at Warren Miller, a boutique production company specializing in extreme skiing. She said, “Being in these places is great for networking in the future, but it’s certainly not as glamorous as one would think.”
Interns often have to test their patience and endurance in the face of some rather uncomfortable situations. During his tenure at one company, Williams said, “I had no where to sit. They gave me no place to sit, and when I was given a chair, I sat in a doorway that was frequented by the president who would sigh as he passed cause he thought I was in the way.”
Williams looks back with amusement, “It’s funny. You spend all this time creating a resume. You send it out, hoping that they realize you. You have to go in and convince them to let you work for free, then they treat you like they’re doing you a favor for working for free.”
Business major Steve Lyle can attest to this sentiment after his internship at the management firm Hoffland/Palone, where he was told he “couldn’t look the president in the eye, and I was hardly ever acknowledged by any of the high executives. I even had an elevator ride in silence with one of the partners whose office I sat right outside of,” Lyle said. Experiences like this might break the faint of heart but these interns know it takes an iron-clad skin to achieve their Hollywood dreams.
Williams stresses that interning is definitely one of the most valuable things to do in preparing for the workplace, although the jobs can be tedious and tiresome.
“Someone tried to explain how to staple things, the intricacies of how to staple paperwork together,” he said. “A lot of times interns are treated as idiots.” However, often some interesting situations can arise that make for a rather memorable experience. During his sophomore year, Williams began his internship with “The Bold & the Beautiful” and was able to be on the show and get paid for it. At one point he found himself “opening mail with gloves” during the anthrax scare.
Lyle described his most surreal moment with laughter.
“I was fielding a call from Cybill Shepherd, and Sally Field called and interrupted. Meanwhile I had to wrap a gift for Alan Rickman and make sure that he had a ride to Morton's Steakhouse that evening,” Lyle recounted. “All this while making sure that I duplicated and bound six scripts in perfect order without missing a page and hand delivering them to CAA (Creative Artists Agency) in a half hour."
There’s no telling what might await these young neophytes in the future but rest assured that through interning they are certainly a bit wiser and hip to the game that is Hollywood.
Submitted February 26, 2004
MALIBU, CA
