by Courtney Keskinen

Created on: June 28, 2008   Last Updated: January 31, 2012

For as long as I can remember, nothing has excited me more than films and television. I have had a longstanding fascination with films and television, often watching my favorites over and over again. As I grew up, that fascination carried over into a true appreciation for the people behind the camera. The inner workings of how a production came together to become the final product viewers see onscreen was truly a wonder to behold. That was when I knew that the art of film and television production was a craft I had to learn!

I moved to Wilmington, North Carolina in 2000 and while attending college there, I managed to make contacts and snag an internship at Screen Gems Studios. It was to be the best internship experience of my life! I had done my research before moving to North Carolina and learned that Screen Gems is the largest production center east of California and countless commercials, films and television series had been filmed in the area. However, despite the studio's impressive resume, it is not as publicized as other studios and many do not even realize it exists.

Upon getting my internship, I learned that I would be working in the Art Department for the television series "Dawson's Creek". The majority of my time was spent assisting the Art Department Coordinator and her assistant with work in the production office. I would have to file corporate clearances to notate that we had permission to show a certain brand or product onscreen. I would also be privy to the Art Director's plans and set designs for various scenes. I was able to assist with on-set work as well, such as props and set dressing. I delivered various props to the sets that were needed in a particular scene.

One exciting moment for me was to copy text from the script into a letter that was supposed to have been written by one of the character's mothers. One actor had to read the letter in the scene and there was even a shot of the letter, in my handwriting! I found out years later that props had been auctioned off on ebay after the series ended, including the letter I had written!

It was truly a wonderful, educational and fascinating experience. I loved every moment of being a part of the process of making the scripted word come to life on the screen. I would highly recommend an internship for anyone wanting to learn the "ins and outs" of the industry. It's an invaluable experience that allows one to make contacts that very well could lead to your first paying job!

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