After catching up with my peers and fellow students, I learned that not all internships are what they’re cracked up to be. I discovered that most students accepted their internship based on the name and reputation of the company or organization. However, they didn’t put a lot of time looking into what exactly their duties would be. Many were surprised to find out that they weren’t going to be on camera reporting live or busting down the doors at a crime scene. Instead, they got real familiar with how staff members took their coffee, making them feel as if their internship was at Starbucks.
Fortunately for me, the times I did get coffee was in between breaks during a long day of shooting. When it came time to share my experiences at Double R, everyone’s eyes lit up. I always start off by explaining that my second day on the job I was working with Vernon Davis, tight end from the San Francisco 49’ers, at a video shoot.
At Double R Productions, the team treats its interns as full-time members and President Rosemary Reed refers to us as “production assistants” rather than “interns.” One of the great lessons I am walking away with is: if you have questions, just ask! I encourage those looking for internships to just ask what their position entails. During my internship, I was doing real work at interesting places, with bosses who took a genuine interest in my career and will continue to serve as mentors for me in the future. A special thanks to the Double R Productions team for this unique experience, and dispelling the myth that interns just make coffee and copies all day.
— Erin Doherty
