Some words from Sophie

My time as an intern at Useful Media has been some of the most invaluable months of my film journey. As somebody who is quite fresh to production, interning as a production assistant was extremely eye-opening, with something new to learn each day. 

At the beginning of my internship, I was apprehensive about what to expect. I didn’t know if my prior knowledge would suffice when entering a professional film workspace. These feelings did not last long, as my mentors, Vanessa Patea and Ruth Korver, immediately put me at ease. 

I quickly learnt that a day in the Useful office is ever-changing and never boring, with there always being a different production to work on. The nature of filmmaking means there is constantly a myriad of tasks to complete, and a small team results in its members becoming multitalented and cultivating diverse skills.

Sophie in the Useful Office in Miramar.

Over the last three months, I have been involved with the wrap-up of the Vista Foundation 48Hours 2024 Competition where I gained experience in social media content creation for the 48Hours social media channels, ushering for the Wellington City Finals, and live camera operation for the Grand National Finals. As a long-time follower and past competitor in 48Hours, jumping onto the backend of the competition production was such a treat and helped me realise the amount of work that goes into making the competition run smoothly across the country.

Event Volunteers Michael, Sophie and Lena at the photo wall - Vista Foundation 48Hours

I also worked on production for multiple newly released and upcoming documentary and narrative series, where I learned how to complete archival research and footage sourcing, proofread funding requests, curate music cue sheets for a series, and even got to sit in on a podcast recording session! Alongside this I fostered my skills in general administrative tasks, helping to update the Useful Media and AWA Films websites, and got to build my communication skills through making connections with the multitudes of people who are in touch with the Useful Media office.

At the Vista Foundation 48Hour Wellington Finals.

I learnt many things from my time at Useful Media, but my key takeaway is to always be kind. This is especially important in a small industry where everyone knows everyone, and Ruth and Ness are prime examples of how to run efficient and effective operations while keeping a kaupapa of respect and safety at their heart. This was shown throughout the entire office, with production assistant Matilda Boese-Wong and intern-turned-production assistant Willem Koller, always being there to answer a question, give advice, or even just have a happy lunchtime chat.

As I come to the end of my MFA degree and (hopefully) head into the big scary world of employment, I will strive to bring with me the lessons that the Useful team has passed on along the way. As a young Māori filmmaker, I admire how Useful Media carefully curates which stories they will create and put into the world, often focusing on Māori and female-led projects. Like them, I want to pursue projects that will inspire me and others around me, and create in a way that maintains the wellbeing of everyone involved. I can’t wait to see what Useful Media will create in the future, and I can’t thank them enough for all of their teachings and support.