Internship Experience with Useful Media
Over the past few months, I was given the opportunity to intern as a production assistant learning from Ruth Korver and Vanessa Patea. Interning at Useful Media has been one of the most valuable experiences in kick-starting my film career. I have experienced working first-hand with directors, producers and other industry creatives on various projects at different stages of production.
Filming at Manawa Karioi in Island Bay.
Internships have received a bad rap for doing unpaid busy work such as getting coffee and doing all the cleaning, etc. This was not my experience at all. During my time at Useful Media, I was lucky enough to have worked on two documentary projects and one virtual reality experience. The absolute privilege of working at a smaller production company is the diverse nature of work that I have experienced across these projects.
I’ve been a production assistant, a production runner, a website designer, a writer and a post-production assistant. I’ve worked with directors and camera operators on shoots, sat in on colour grading and sound mixes at a post-production company, and worked with the Useful team to deliver a project to the end. I’ve worn many hats and gained invaluable skills.
Camera assisting while filming at Manawa Karioi in Island Bay.
Through this experience, I have discovered that there are roles and tasks that I didn’t even know existed in filmmaking.
Ruth has taught me how to get things done which is a much harder task than you would think when there are a million things to do and people to track down. Her impressive spreadsheets and ability to keep everybody on track is something to be admired.
From Ness, I have learnt that passion can guide you through a project. The care she took with Te Reo Rangatira and her understanding of the stories told fed into every single decision made to the end.
Finally, working with fellow film graduate, Matilda Boese-Wong, has helped guide me to all the possibilities awaiting me at the end of my degree and I am appreciative of her keenness to share her experiences.
My time here and with these people has made me appreciate even more the amount of collaboration and coordination of talented people it takes to see a project through to its end.
Sitting in on a sound session for Te Reo Rangatira at POW Studios.
As a young, aspiring filmmaker, choosing the projects I want to work on and discovering the stories I want to tell has been a huge part of the process of finding myself as a creative. What initially interested me in Useful Media is their adherence to telling important stories, especially Māori and female-led projects that shed light on different communities and individuals in Aotearoa.
Working here, I have felt inspired to approach each project that comes my way with care, passion and consideration for the stories we tell as filmmakers and to give justice to the people willing to share them with us. This is something that I will carry with me in all my future endeavours and I am thankful to the Useful Media team for taking the time to share their stories with me.
Written by Caitlin Robinson.
