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Ali Nelson-Smith
Role: Working at film and TV companies
Length of time: Two placements, ten weeks EACH
WHERE: 1) EAGLE PICTURES, ROME 2) DISCOVERY CHANNEL, MILAN
Discovery Channel, Milan
HOW
Ali’s godmother, who works at Discovery Channel Italy, gave her the company’s Human Resources email to apply for an internship. These internships are usually six to nine months and you can apply online. English language fluency is very valuable as the company has a lot of international links with English-speaking countries. Due to budget constraints, Ali applied for, and was given, a ten-week placement instead.
WHAT
Intern in the programming department at Discovery Channel Italy
As the channel covers all kinds of programmes, being much larger in Italy than in England, Ali looked into various shows and whether they were suitable for the Italian market. This involved making comparison lists and compiling a lot of spreadsheets which would draw from a choice of five similar films or shows made in the last five years and comparing their success in Italy. The programmes are chosen from wide range that had been aired in other parts of South Europe and it is then considered if they would be worth airing in Italy and if Discovery Channel has the rights to it.
BEST PART ABOUT THE WORK
Ali was involved in a commission to do Italian Take Me Out for Real Time and got to go on the set. This was brilliant, hilarious and so much fun. It also provided an insight into the staged and scripted side of Reality TV.
LIVING IN ITALY: ROME AND MILAN
Ali found an apartment in Rome; it is a cheaper city with really friendly people, a lot of culture and it is very easy to get around. Milan, on the other hand, is also very cultural, with amazing shopping opportunities but is much more expensive. Similar to London, it is more fast-paced and the people can reflect that.
WHY GO
These jobs gave an opportunity to travel to new places and, in living there, to get a unique feel for the cities. If you want to work in the film and tv industry, experience abroad is great as it shows you are very adaptable in a variety of environments with different people. Her time abroad even enabled Ali to a job in London in summer at a TV production company. On a practical level, gaining experience is always useful to know people and contacts abroad. If you work hard and are good at the job, great references will also help you a lot in the future.
Eagle Pictures, Rome
HOW
Since age of sixteen, Ali has done two weeks work experience every summer at Working Title Films. You can apply for this online and work in any of a number of different film houses. Send them a really good personal statement and CV and do not be afraid to send multiple emails to stand out.
After contacting the Head of Development at Working Title about her interest in working in the Italian film industry, Ali was given an email for Eagle Pictures. She asked if anything was available and sent several emails. This resulted in an interview in London. Her ability to speak Italian and English was very valuable and contributed to her getting the job.
WHAT
Personal Assistant to Maria Grazia, Eagle Picture’s second-in-command
This involved drawing up her calendar and schedule. Ali also logged and read scripts, adding comments and a short synopsis so the company heads could decide whether they should read them. She kept a hot list up-to-date which included confirming the title, director and cast of the project as well as the details for the premier. This meant calling to chase up information across the world and therefore some late hours when calling somewhere like Los Angeles. She also assessed the suitability of the film project for the Italian market.
BEST PART ABOUT THE WORK
Ali was able to go to Cinecittà Film Festival for free which was an amazing opportunity where she got to see a huge variety of different films.
Ali’s advice:
If you are moving to a new place, find someone your own age as it will make the transition easier and you will have some friends from the start.
There are lots of apps for every city: take advantage of them and use them to meet up with people at gatherings like wine and cheese meets.
Research: look at where you are going, how you need to budget accordingly and secure your job before you travel abroad.
Try to live in an Erasmus student area, near a university, so you can easily meet people in a similar situation to yourself.
If you want something, go for it. Be persistent: speak to people on the phone, send repeated emails and chase people up, stand out with a great CV and keep trying.