Preparing for film production career
Christina Smith ’19 sharpens editing skills at news service
Hometown: Cranston, R.I.
Majors: Film and new media studies, creative writing and literature
Winternship: Production intern with “The Legal Edition”
Funding source: The Blakely Fetridge Bundy ’66 Work and Learning Fellowship
Focusing on the future: “I chose my majors because I’ve had a lifelong interest in both literature and film. I also believe that studying both disciplines—and the humanities overall—develops practical skills that translate well to the workplace, especially in terms of writing and communication.”
Perfect prelude: “I worked with ‘The Legal Edition,’ a cable TV and internet news program based in Bedford, Mass., that shares legal, business and policy information. I hope to start working in film production, especially in online video, after I graduate. So, this internship was the perfect experience for me to have going into my job search.”
Sharpening skills: “My duties during this internship were focused on digital editing. Working principally with Adobe Premiere and Photoshop, I was tasked with editing and putting together 30-minute episodes of the show for distribution on television and online. The experience using the Adobe suite programs will be invaluable for a career in film production. I also further developed my skills in interacting with project supervisors—making sure to ask specific questions and manage expectations while delivering the best possible product to my boss.”
Education in action: “This internship perfectly coincided with what I’ve learned in my film and new media studies major, especially in terms of the digital editing I’ve done in my production classes. Also, because my internship was remote [I could work from home most days or from a coffee shop or my local library], I communicated with my supervisor exclusively via email, so it was important to draw from the communications skills I’ve developed in my creative writing major.”
On campus, Christina Smith is the co-director of Tap Out Loud, a dancing performance group, and president of Film Club, where she organizes weekly movie screenings and discussions for the Wheaton community. She also works on-campus on the Arts Events Staff and as a film production Intern. Her previous internships include work as a Wheaton Innovates (WiN) team member at MassChallenge and production assistant with Sleeping Weazel Theater Company.