Paramount

Programming Finance Intern

June 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

I loved the company culture because it was so diverse and fun. Everyone was so nice and helpful. The projects were really cool to work on because most were related to tv shows or movies that everyone watches.

What I wish was different

I wish the finance internship program was larger because there were only two other programming finance interns.

Advice

You should ask a lot of questions because everyone is very helpful and willing to help you learn. Take initiative with projects and always ask to find ways to help out more.

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Publicity Intern

June - August 2018 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Exposure to the entrainment industry, opportunity to work red carpets, development of skills needed for an entry-level position

What I wish was different

More opportunities for higher level tasks, fewer errands

Advice

Advocate for yourself when you want to try new things

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Content Analytics Intern

May 2017 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Good people in general and laid-back work culture.

What I wish was different

Higher pay

Advice

Always ask for more tasks when you are available.

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Product Management/Data Strategy Intern

September 2017 • New York City, NY

What I liked

Product Management is typically a tough role to get into for college students as it requires a few years worth of experience in product or otherwise before you can enter. I was fortunate to land this role as I worked in Viacom under another role over the summer. 1) Viacom as a whole is a very relaxed company, and the floor I worked on was gorgeous. There's great food in the cafeteria, great vibes, and great people. 2) The boss who I work with provides me a lot of autonomy. While my previous role at Viacom had a lot of face time, my current boss handles a lot more types of responsibilities, so he only has time to meet with me about once a week. Even so, he's been really amazing at giving me meaningful projects and work. There's a lot of trust that goes around, and I get to work with him, and subsequently, present these thoughts on his behalf to other VPs and SVPs. 3) Product Management is a really fun role in general because you essentially act as the flight controller for a particular product. You are the lead and you work with various talented people to try to create the best possible project. The biggest thing for a role like this is having empathy, as you need to know how to reach software people, business people etc. 4) Surprisingly, Viacom is becoming more and more technological, and this means the things you work on and learn will continue to be relevant.

What I wish was different

This role has been pretty amazing overall and I'm planning to continue my journey with them next semester. There is probably only one thing I would change, which unfortunately, is unlikely to change as it is just an industry issue, rather than Viacom: 1) Compared to a product role for a company like Google, Netflix, Amazon, Microsoft (etc.) or other tech companies, the products/services you build within the media space will never quite be as wild or innovative. It's still really amazing, but the TV entertainment space runs on relatively tight budgets compared to tech companies, so the products you build are also much more grounded. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's just something to know. 2) Something to know is that outside of rotational programs where they plan on hiring a set amount of interns every year, companies DO NOT extend a full-time offer. This does not mean you won't be hired by this company: in my case, I was able to ask to work with a different team within Viacom this semester, and was recently asked to extend into the spring. (Summer-Fall-Spring) However, this just means that you'll have to wait for a spot to open up around your graduation time.

Advice

Most of the other interns I work for within this space are grad students, and it seems to be quite tough for undergrads to get into initially. If this is a role you really like, I recommend trying to go for it, and accepting any role within Viacom. It's much easier to internally transfer than it is to get in from the outside. -> This means you have to NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK. Do coffee chats, attend a bunch of intern events, etc. I will definitely say this is much easier to do during the summer as you are there much more frequently, and the summer program of events is honestly amazing. Good luck!

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Creative Advertising Intern

June 2018 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

I loved Paramount's internship program. They brought in guest speakers every week, had movie screenings on the lot, and had a ton of awesome networking events. I also loved the department I was working for. I got to have many incredible learnings experiences, including covering desks, shadowing at media vendors, and sitting in and assisting with creative meetings. Everyone was super helpful and always willing to answer my questions.

What I wish was different

The hardest part about the experience was driving up to LA from Orange County every day. I wish I had been able to afford an apartment up in LA, because the drive was very challenging.

Advice

Ask lots of questions and never say no to learning opportunity!

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Junior publicist

August 2017 • Chicago, IL

What I liked

The staff here is amazing. They give you a ton of responsibility, but if you can handle the workload, it is an amazing experience.

What I wish was different

Advice

TIME MANAGEMENT. This internship asks a lot from you, try your best to allot a day or two a week to primarily focus on this as your job.

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motion picture financial reporting intern

June - August 2017 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

The program was extremely organized and I was able to meet many people in the industry. In addition, they treat their interns like employees and your work truly gets considered and discussed by executives of the company.

What I wish was different

I wish I had gotten to see other departments more closely at Paramount.

Advice

Be willing to help other SFA's on your floor at all times.

2 people found this helpful

Market Intelligence and POS Tracking Intern

June - August 2018 • Los Angeles, CA

What I liked

It's really an amazing experience to get an inside perspective of the entertainment industry. Although all of your work is within your specific department, you get to learn about the different parts of the business through a weekly speaker series. I never knew how complex the process is from film idea generation at the beginning to home media distribution at the end. The people at Paramount are also amazing!

What I wish was different

Advice

Take advantage of being on the lot! Network and reach out to people to have coffee chats. If you're in marketing, but you want to talk to a manager in production, do it! Everyone is excited to share their experiences with you.

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film ambasador

June - July 2018 • Denver, CO

What I liked

Working on my won to promote the film to other college students.

What I wish was different

I wish that i was able to reach more students during the sunmmer time.

Advice

Always keep your due dates in mind and due what your asked of for the time it needs to be done.

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Market Intelligence Intern

June - August 2019 • Hollywood, CA

What I liked

The company culture, my team, feeling as if the work I did was being used, intern speaker series.

What I wish was different

The commute, outdated technology.

Advice

Everyone there is happy to help, so take advantage of it.

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Worldwide Marketing Partnerships Intern

June - August 2020 • Hollywood, CA

What I liked

Gaining industry experience and getting to work within the entertainment industry. I loved getting to participate with the marketing strategies of upcoming blockbuster films, and getting to communicate with international brands for promotional partnerships. Everyone I worked with was so welcoming and helpful, I really felt like part of the team.

What I wish was different

My internship was online due to COVID-19, and I definitely wish I had the opportunity to work in-person at the Paramount Pictures lot, as it would have been an unbelievable experience.

Advice

Not to stress out too much over the scale of the work! I definitely was intimidated since Paramount is such a prominent and large studio, but the work was fulfilling and I truly enjoyed it.

1 person found this helpful

Production Assistant

June - September 2021 • Atlanta, GA

What I liked

Working on an actual professional film set with celebrities and crew that were legends in their craft.

What I wish was different

I wish my department was more organized. We had a lot of communication issues around the end of the production.

Advice

Talk to as many crew as possible. Try to only be a Production Assistant once or twice in your career. Don’t be afraid to take a risk if you genuinely believe it will benefit you the most in the long run. There will be sacrifices when you choose a career in film. It is a commitment. Stick with it and it will pay off.

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