Eleanor Levine ’18
Major: Film and new media
Internship: Auspicious Phoenix Productions, LLC, Somerville, Mass.
Funding source: Wheaton Fellowship Program
Early decision: “From the age of 9 I’ve been making my own movies with my older cousins, friends and anyone else I could get to act for me. It’s something that I’ve always loved and always known I wanted to do, so that’s why I chose the major.”
Playing many roles: “As an intern at Auspicious Phoenix Productions, I had a number of different duties, which made for a very interesting and engaging summer. My jobs included working as a production assistant, taking script notes on set, syncing footage, creating sound designs for projects, hooting for a few films and even starting my own project. I also managed emails daily and, for casting calls, kept the space neat, built sets and helped run auditions.”
A quick study: “I was constantly learning on the job, especially on set, which was definitely challenging but crucial. When you need to know how to do something with only a minute to spare before the camera rolls, you will know, because you’ll have to. It’s the best way to remember things like equipment names and strategies for setting up.”
The wow factor: “I’m learning that I can do all these things I hoped I could do for so long. I kept stepping back from the scene and saying to myself, ‘wow, I’m actually here working on a movie!’ It was the coolest feeling. It just reassured me that I’m doing what I’m supposed to do in life.”
More than movies: “At a certain point I realized that I was not only learning tons about filmmaking and actually doing real work, but I was also making friends and learning to work within a large group of people who all have the same vision. On the last day of shooting, I hugged everyone goodbye, and it was actually kind of sad because you don’t realize how close you get with these people (some of whom you won’t see again), working long days and nights to accomplish something great.”
Camera ready: “Wheaton prepared me for a lot of what this internship entailed. Courses like ‘Digital Editing’ and ‘Production I’ were extremely important. Before I came to Wheaton, I knew nothing about cameras, let alone about how to write a plot.”
A multifaceted story: “I know I want to work in film or TV, but right now I’m interested in many different aspects: editing, cinematography, and even comedy writing. So, this internship—through which I learned all different components of movie making—will be really crucial to my career later in life.”
More about Ellie
Read about Levine’s documentary being accepted into a film festival.
More summer internships
Wheaton students gain essential career skills at sites throughout the country and around the world with support from internship funding. These opportunities are part of the college’s commitment to experiential learning formalized through the Wheaton Edge. Return to main page.
