Niagara University Information Technology-Multimedia Production

Fall 2017

This semester, my internship at Niagara University gave me a behind-the-scenes look at multimedia production. Over the course of four months, I completed several hands-on projects in collaboration with my supervisor, including portrait photography, interviewing, television and news filming, and campus event coverage. These projects familiarized me with professional editing software, such as Adobe Premiere, and gave me the opportunity to work closely with sound, lighting and recording equipment. Several of Niagara’s Communications Studies courses had introduced me to multimedia production elements, including CMS 245 (Intro to Digital Media Production) and CMS 345 (Video Production and Laboratory), and I was able to enhance those skills through this internship. I highly recommend this opportunity to any student who is curious about a career in multimedia production and would benefit from active experience beyond the classroom setting.

First and foremost, my supervisor made certain that I learned the names and functions of each piece of equipment, which production mode it suited best, and how to properly assemble and handle the gear. Once I’d established a basic understanding of these features, I began to accompany my supervisor on his assignments, where I gradually transitioned from a “fly on the wall” observer to a hands-on assistant. With every task, I grew more familiar with the overall process of tackling a production; over time, my supervisor trusted me to handle tasks independently, and even granted me several solo assignments. Along the way, I better understood concepts that are common to production sets, including three-point lighting, balancing audio levels, selecting the proper camera lens and more. I am especially appreciative to have been treated with a sense of professionalism as I became more capable on-set. This internship doubled as an educational opportunity and a simulation of how production teams function in real-life scenarios.

Production assignments varied in type, length and labor, each catering to a different set of skills and interests. While some projects required several days’ time to shoot, edit and publish, others only needed a simple set of photos with quick retouches. No matter the task, time management was key to completing the projects efficiently while preserving quality; my supervisor insisted that our final products reflected professional standards and preserved the interests of our clients. In addition, flexibility is crucial to media production, as assignments are frequently postponed, relocated, or scheduled beyond standard work hours. My supervisor often reminded me that the most successful people in this field are those who display optimism, adaptability and ambition on-set, no matter how long or strenuous their assignment is. This advice stems to any career path, but especially motivated me to improve my work ethic during this internship.

One of the highlights of this internship was taking the reigns on producing a series of promotional videos for Niagara University’s theatre department. Throughout the semester, I was responsible for producing six separate videos, each intended to highlight the cast and crew of Niagara’s upcoming stage productions. Filming consisted of two separate components: first, a one-on-one interview, set in Niagara’s production studio, would feature the leading actors and host a discussion about their role and rehearsal process; second, B-roll would be shot during a live rehearsal of the performance, located on-campus at the Leary Theatre. Once the appropriate footage was gathered, visual and audio edits were made in Adobe Premiere to achieve the preferred length, sound and aesthetic of the video. These videos were published on several social media outlets to publicly promote the shows; therefore, it was vital that they were captivating, well-made, and reflected the theatre department in a positive way.

This project enriched my production experience immensely. In addition to providing more opportunities to work with professional equipment, it enhanced my interpersonal communication skills, increased my familiarity with Premiere’s functionality, and encouraged confidence as I shot independent of my supervisor. As a proud student and former member of the theatre community at Niagara, these projects also gave me a chance to present the best of what our university has to offer, highlighting the excellence of both our Communications Studies and Theatre departments. A personal benefit was the rekindling of relationships with the students and faculty involved in the theatre productions, as it reopened doors to future performing and technical opportunities. All of my internship assignments introduced me to various staff, faculty and students, whose newfound connections may serve to benefit my impending career path.

I am very fortunate to have been part of this internship. At the start of the semester, I was essentially unfamiliar with the advanced elements of multimedia production. It is thanks to the patience and encouragement of my supervisor that I now feel competent setting up, producing and editing film and photography projects. This experience encouraged a career path that I hadn’t previously considered, in addition to inspiring further education regarding video editing. I especially enjoyed the versatility of my assignments, the editing process, and the evolution of a project from raw footage to a substantial finished product. An element I particularly struggled with was the physical labor involved; much of the equipment was bulky, heavy and difficult to transport independently. As a scrawnier, shorter person, this aspect proved much more challenging to me than anticipated, but I encourage all interested students to consider this internship nonetheless– these difficulties can be overcome by requesting carts, bags or an extra set of hands.

The Niagara University Communication Studies program is built to instill a variety of skills and inspires a well-rounded educational experience; for any student who wishes to learn more about multimedia production in any sense– producing newsroom, television and film projects, conducting interview segments, journalistic photography, post-production components and more– this internship will be of great benefit. Under the guidance of a well-versed supervisor, interns will experience a series of unique situations and projects that will contribute to the betterment of their skill set. Students can also explore specific aspects that appeal to them specifically and request further work pertaining to those elements. Whether you are highly skilled or a curious novice, this internship will mold to suit your strengths and is guaranteed to enrich your overall experience as a student at Niagara.