by Sally O'Quinn

Created on: June 28, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2011

Internships in the entertainment industry are a great launching point for those people with little experience wanting to "break in" and learn more about the field. As a prospective entertainment/media intern, let's assume you have reached the end of your educational experience and are now ready to put yourself "out there" to be evaluated by industry employers. There are literally thousands of internships available, so how should you decide where to apply?

Begin your search by looking online or in trusted trade publications to find out exactly what kinds of positions the industry has to offer. If you are not sure which area of entertainment appeals most to you this preliminary research will help you decide how to proceed.

Obviously, your particular field of education is a deciding factor. Have you attended a technical school whose emphasis is on lighting and sound maintenance and programming? If so, look for a field that will offer an opportunity to further this training. Television, motion picture and music industry employers all need people with a background in lighting and sound, and even some resorts and cruise ships will keep a staff of production technicians on hand. If you've steered your education more in the direction of screenplays and/or news writing, look into major movie studios or even your local television stations and newspapers as a possible choice. Narrowing your focus to a specific area of interest is your first step.

Next, decide about location. If you are lucky enough to live near Hollywood or New York City, your choices are practically unlimited, but if you are a prospective intern from Smalltown, U.S.A., your future career is probably going to involve relocation. How far are you willing to move or how much road travel are you prepared to undertake? Touring productions may be a choice, but they involve many, many rapid load-ins and tear-downs in cities from coast-to-coast. Again, some of the most useful experience may come from your local television and radio stations or a local newspaper office.

Perhaps the most important question a prospective intern should ask themselves is "How much do I expect to get paid?" Many internships are unpaid, or pay very little, as the experience gained is considered the true reward. If you are paid a salary or stipend, expect it to be small, based on your lack of experience. And don't expect to jump right in to your chosen career without doing a lot of "grunt work", such as running errands and doing some

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