Studying media has always been a fascinating experience for me, especially in writing and producing content for different platforms. Media encompasses so many aspects! From radio, television, cinema, newspapers, magazines to Internet-based websites such as blogs, education and so much more (Butcher, 2014). All those aspects of media makes it hard to choose which path to take. Luckily, I’ve found an internship with the Business Co-Design (BCD) team, as a student media producer. I am learning about media, while developing my skills and learning from experienced producers and editors. You can find out more about the internship program in this blog post BCD Media Internship Program (Past, Present, Future).
To better understand what I mean, here’s a sneak-peek of the exciting things I get to do. I call it a day in a life of a student media producer.
9 AM: Daily media stand-up
Isn’t it a nice way to start the day with smiles and greetings from everyone? The daily meeting isn’t just for discussing ideas, projects, and deadlines. But also to check in and see how the team has been doing (of course, more on the former – but you get the point. Right?).
Since some staff prefer to work from home, the meetings are conducted through Zoom. The media team uses Monday.com to plan and track work progress – which makes it easier for communication and collaboration within the team.
10 AM: Technical rehearsal
I don’t know about you, but I get energised when I get my tasks for the day lined up and organised. So, we are all set!
Today, I am assisting with the technical rehearsal for a workshop at the DIY Studio. It is an awesome place where you could shoot your own videos by yourself (watch out for a separate blog post on this).
12 PM: Lunch
The BCD office is located at the Abercrombie Building. It is a few steps from Cadigal Green, which a perfect place to move away from the screen and get some sun! There’s a 90% chance you’ll find me there after a good twenty minutes of choosing what to eat.
1 PM: Mentoring
I am back at the DIY Studio! Because it was a busy morning earlier with the technical run, I hadn’t had the chance to learn about everything in detail. But, I am fortunate be working with a wonderful team of producers and editors who make the time in their busy schedule to mentor me and the other interns.
2 PM: Short-term projects
As interns, we are expected to contribute to the team’s recurring business as usual (BAU) projects and tasks. These range from – writing guides and blogs (like this!), to editing videos and podcasts. We usually work with Adobe Creative Cloud apps, especially Premiere, Rush, and Audition. Since we work on real projects, I get the opportunity not only to apply what I already know but to also upskill in software I’m not too familiar with.
Our voice is also valued a lot here. For instance, today, we will review and give feedback on the recent character animator videos, which will be a new technique piloted for educators to present in avatar form. Cool, right? I am constantly amazed by the projects done and the equipment used in BCD (unbiased, promise!).
4 PM: Long-term project
I wasn’t kidding when I said I do exciting stuff. The day isn’t over yet!
One of the special things about being a student media producer in BCD is that they encourage you to work on projects that you are passionate and interested in. For me, it’s podcasting. I am currently at the conceptual stage and have just sent a pitch to the team. Hopefully they’ll like it! Once this is finalised, I will start producing my own podcast with our DIY kits and in the podcast studio (again, more on that in other blogs soon) which I am thrilled about!
5 PM: End of workday
Depending on events and meetings, we pretty much have the freedom to work independently and create our own schedule for the day. As long as we meet the deadlines, of course.
As you can see, it’s been a jam-packed day! That’s what’s fun about being a student media producer in BCD. No two days are the same! But one thing’s for sure: you’ll come in and leave the workplace with a smile. Because you get to learn something new and create something different every day, alongside wonderful and talented people.
This internship is preparing me for work-life and it is helping me develop realistic expectations (Barnett, 2012).
Anna Jenica has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and is currently on her last semester of her master’s degree in media practice at the University of Sydney. She has extensive experience in content creation and production, and is now enjoying exploring the world of audio and podcasting.