This opportunity is part of a collaboration between NW Documentary and PSU's Applied Coastal Ecology (ACE) Lab. NW Documentary is a nonprofit supporting documentary filmmaking. The ACE lab conducts collaborative research and outreach focused on the transition zone between land and sea.
The intern will develop an idea for a short documentary in collaboration with NW Documentary and ACE Lab, and will then work like a freelance filmmaker with support from NW Documentary. The ACE Lab will serve as the client for the student's work. The ACE Lab works with partners to conduct applied research relevant to management and policy aimed at conserving marine communities, ecosystem processes, and biodiversity. They examine biotic and abiotic processes underlying cross-habitat interactions. For example - how do microplastics and other contaminants from human activity on land impact coastal ecosystems and the species that inhabit them?
By the end of the summer, the intern will have completed a short documentary film, 5 - 10 mins. They will find the story, record images and sound, edit the film, and apply graphics. If possible, the intern will also produce social media content using the same material as their short documentary. Students will be trained on the basics of camera operation, sound equipment operations, and editing as they work to complete their films.
This is a part-time internship, estimating about 20 hrs per week. The intern must be flexible with their schedule, to plan around the work of both the lab and NW Documentary staff. NW Documentary has a curriculum for teaching filmmaking but emphasizes learning by doing and project-based learning. Interns will be given room to practice and make mistakes in the process of creating a short documentary film. NW Documentary will also document their learning and creation process.
We strongly encourage students to apply who are from one or more systemically and historically excluded group, including but not limited to, non-cis-gendered students, girls, BIPOC, first-generation college bound students, low-income/low-resourced students, students with disabilities, who are neurodivergent, and those who speak a primary language other than English.
This internship will be in-person as permitted by Federal/State/Local/PSU/NW Documentary guidelines. To reduce the risks of coronavirus exposure, mentors and interns will act in accordance with applicable COVID guidelines and procedures. Selected applicants will be required to review and sign a waiver agreement.
If you have any questions about the application, website technical issues and/or this position description, please contact Saturday Academy at ase@saturdayacademy.org. Do not contact the mentor directly. Contacting the mentor directly is grounds for disqualification of your ASE application
Interns should be self-motivated and excited to take on the role of freelance filmmaker. They should be up to date on COVID-19 and Influenza vaccinations.