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Details

Describe the intern's responsibilities.

I worked in the Publicity department at the Hallmark Channel. When I first arrived, we were taking care of last-minute preparations for the bi-annual Television Critics Association (TCA) Press Tour, so my responsibilities around that included copyediting endless press materials, developing and formatting talent bios, organizing a gift for talent, and anything else my superiors (i.e. everyone) threw at me. When the press tour was finally over (and thankfully so), my main responsibilities became developing press kits for screenplays Hallmark was producing currently or in the near future. I also attended photo shoots and spent time on the sets of any movies they were shooting.


Why the internship was successful.

What were you most apprehensive about going into your internship?
After I had been selected, all I could worry about was whether or not I would be able to live up to their expectations. Did I know enough about PR to go head first into doing publicity for a top-ten cable network? Would the entertainment industry swallow me and spit me out before I even knew I was in Los Angeles? I was able to put my apprehensions aside, as friends and family convinced me they would not have chosen me for the internship if they didn’t believe I was qualified.

What did you hope to gain from your internship experience?
I really just wanted a real-world experience of PR, and that’s exactly what I got. I started my major thinking what I ultimately wanted to do was advertising/PR, and up until my internship started I had gotten industry experience in every aspect of my major other than that. This internship was so much more than I had expected.

How did your internship experience influence your academic and career interests/goals/plans?
After only being there a month I knew I wanted to move out to California after graduation. Maybe it’s cliché, but I think I really belong out here. I really love the West Coast.

What were the most challenging aspects of your internship?
I’d say my biggest challenge was learning how to professionally interact with celebrities. For instance, our talent included stars like Candace Cameron Bure (D.J. from “Full House”), Cheech Marin (of Cheech and Chong), Mark Consuelos (husband of Kelly Ripa, the only celebrity I adore), Florence Henderson (Mrs. Brady), and a bunch of others I couldn’t wait to meet. However, even though I wanted pictures with all of them and was more than tempted to act like the average star-struck fan, I was a Hallmark employee. I had to contain my excitement and remain professional. Also, the coffee machine there was really complicated.

What were most rewarding aspects of your internship?
Honestly, I could not have asked for a better internship. I loved my job and the people I worked with, and my boss treated me wonderfully. I had my own huge cubicle, a comfy chair, my own computer and phone, and my own stapler. I even had a jar full of candy to share with the people who rarely visited my desk.

Did funny/ embarrassing things happen during your internship?
Too many to list. But I guess I’m just a funny/embarrassing person.
On the set of “Love Takes Wing,” (premiering on Hallmark in April – everyone should watch it), I sat down backstage with former Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson – “Love Takes Wing” is his first film. We talked a bit about getting into the business and how some day I will be famous… he may or may not have believed me about that. I asked him about the Backstreet Boys, and, after he answered, I told him I was always more of an NSYNC fan, to which he responded something along the lines of, “Oh, you’ve hurt my feelings so much – I’m so crushed.” Cute and sarcastic – who would have known? During TCA, I had to escort Mark Consuelos from the green room to meet with photographers from MSNBC. Now, keep in mind, if I could do anything for a career, I would be Kelly Ripa (or, I guess, have Regis’s job on “Live!” – then I could work with Kelly). All I wanted to tell Mark was “I want to be your wife” (because I do, but it has nothing to do with marrying him) – but that seemed a bit too forward for having only just introduced myself. Instead, I went with “By the way, if your wife ever decides to take a vacation, I am totally down to fill in for her.” He laughed. What’s with these celebrities not taking me seriously?

What advice would you give to students to help them make the most of their internship experience?
If you’re going somewhere you’re not familiar with, either buy a GPS or learn the main streets like the back of your hand (unless you are not familiar with your hand or do not have hands, in which case, choose something you are extremely familiar with and use that as your simile).
Also, insert here whatever cliché advice everybody gives: be early, overdress, ask questions, keep busy, and consider no job to be below you (after all, you’re the intern – you’re lucky people even remember your name)… those are all really good ideas.