30 November 2012

Getting Ready to Leave

It is crazy to think that the semester is almost over... just two papers (well one, since I already finished one -- yea, go me!) to go and that's it. Besides the "emotional" reaction to the end of the semester and leaving LA, everything has been normal the past few days -- continuing to discuss relevant topics in class, familiar routines at my internships, and still dealing with the worst public transit system in the nation.

As stated, I am still doing familiar tasks at Authentic (transcribing interviews, logging chyron sheets, creating VO scripts, researching various this for the Development department, etc) and CONAN (sorting and distributing mail, writing late night and research summaries, running on equipment errands for crew, answering phones, etc).

Friday evening/night (it gets so dark, so early!) was Authentic's annual Christmas party; complete with festive music, yule log on the monitors, egg nog, Christmas tree (sorry for the bad picture quality), and just overall fun times!!


22 November 2012

Thanksgiving Week

As many of my fellow ICLA friends went home, traveled, or simply took off work, I went into my internship office at Authentic for the full day of Monday and Tuesday. Since CONAN was on hiatus, there was no need for any interns to sit in the office.

Monday and Tuesday were odd, since I generally do half days (since I have class the other half), I was not used to staying in the office for two full days after the other at Authentic. Even though it was days before a major holiday break, there was plenty of tasks for me to do; mainly transcribing more interviews for various shows, one of which was being worked on as a pilot about the cake-making business (it made me really want a cake). For Game Boss, I was assigned to find pieces for their new set -- which was being built over the following weeks. Although my time at Authentic is winding down, I got really excited about the opportunity to help out on a makeshift-studio shoot in the next week or so.

Since some of the ICLA kids stayed back in Los Angeles for the holiday break, the program coordinator helped us organize a group potluck Thanksgiving dinner. Although I had plans with a close friend for a traditional Thursday turkey dinner, my roommate and I stopped into the program's potluck dinner Wednesday night and enjoyed delicious food, drinks, and company with some awesome people.

16 November 2012

Week 13: Authentic Fun + Weird CONAN Schedule

Authentic has been good lately, been able to see more of the post-production work of various shows -- mainly My First Home, Geek Love, and The Next Game Boss (GBS). For Geek Love, I continued logging b-roll footage and transcribing event interviews; for MFH, I was assigned to create a "blur list" (where the editors blur out parts of logos, faces, license plates, etc) as well logged more production stills, created the VO script, and Chyron log. The Next Game Boss is a new show I started working on, as part of the new IGN line up Authentic is doing. Much of the pre-production and pre-interviews have been completed, now I am reviewing the interviews and logging important topics, while transcribing it at the same time.

CONAN shows for Wed and Thur have previously been taped; Conan was not in the office, nor was half of the staff. Some of the staff are at a TV conference and the staff on site are working on various segments for online or future episodes; us interns have fewer things to do, because of the lesser staff in the office. One of the tasks, I haven't done in the past, is completing a guest summary for the research department. For this task, we have to review the past show tapes of an upcoming guest and summarize the interview -- so they know what to talk about on the guests' next Conan appearance. Since the show is on hiatus next week because of Thanksgiving, the staff hass slowly but surely headed out of town -- leaving the office pretty much completely empty!

11 November 2012

Week 12: MFH Lock Cuts and Visitors

Monday and Tuesday went by quick -- completing VO scripts and chyron logs for the air-ready episodes of My First Home, such episodes are the "locked cuts."

Wednesday came around and as part of the fun non-academic programs of ICLA, we were given the opportunity to win something on The Price is Right. Unfortunately, I did not win anything, but it was so much fun to be a part of the studio audience! Because of TPIR taping, I was unable to go into my internship for CONAN.

Later on Wednesday, I picked up a friend at the airport who came into town for the rest of the week and full weekend... I turned into a tourist and took her around LA/Hollywood, we had a great time catching up and relaxing throughout the weekend.

Now, back to work -- four weeks of internship, two research papers, and one presentation until ICLA ends :(

02 November 2012

Week 11: Meeting the Owners + Fun times at CONAN

This week was has been fun -- at Authentic, I got to (along with the other interns) meet the founders and owners of the company and ask them anything I wanted about the media industry and their company! That was a really cool and interesting opportunity; the only downside to this was: they preached to us, the interns, the basic advice and tips on "breaking into the industry" -- which, personally, I already knew and am sick of hearing it. The more interesting aspect of the discussion was the part when we were able to ask about the company they created and have seen evolve over the past decade -- with changing technologies + audiences + staff + programming and everything else about the company. Following the discussion with the owners, I got back to work updating VO scripts and Chryon logs for My First Home, also logging more b-roll footage of Comic Con for Geek Love.

CONAN was the same 'ole stuff -- on Wednesday, I was assigned to the talent entrance where I checked talent guests' in and escort them to the green room, where they hang out and watch the show. On Thursday, I had an worth-while morning; I discussed the TV industry and the opportunities around it with one of the veteran stage managers and it was great so hear how she has seen the industry change in her time. I then wandered the stage and ended up sitting in the control room chatting with some of crew and other intern for part of music rehearsal, it was cool to see a different side of the production. I was able to sit in the audience during the taping; as usual, it is quite fun to watch the show from the seats -- a whole different perspective.