Cinema students intern with "The Chair," receive valuable professional experience Friday, September 12, 2014
Pictured above: Cinema arts student E.J. Brown and alumna Megan Kuntz. Watch the 10-episode series this fall on Starz or online at www.starz.com/originals/thechair/.
Point Park's partnership with the new documentary series, "The Chair," allowed more than 75 students to gain experience in their respective fields of study. More than 30 cinema arts students worked as interns, including cinema production majors E.J. Brown and Megan Kuntz, who worked with director Shane Dawson on his film.
Brown, a senior, worked as a production assistant throughout the project. He was able to apply the skills and knowledge he obtained through his coursework at Point Park.
"The thing about the cinema department at Point Park is that the professors are really here to help their students prepare for the professional world," Brown said.
During his internship, Brown assisted in the overall production of the films and helped to ensure production went as smoothly as possible.
"As a production assistant, it was my job to make myself available as an extra set of eyes. This included knowing where people were, what they needed and how I could get it to them," Brown said.
Similarly, Kuntz, who graduated in May 2014, was an office intern while working on the set of "The Chair." On a typical day, Kuntz performed typical production tasks, such as managing administrative projects, handling documents and various contracts, and assisting on set as either an extra or a production assistant when needed.
These internships allowed Brown and Kuntz to build their resumes, as they have both received on-the-job training and learned from some of the best in the business, including Chris Moore, producer of "American Pie," "Good Will Hunting," and "Promiseland," along with Zachary Quinto and Corey Moosa of Before the Door Pictures.
Brown also enjoyed being able to learn from Point Park alumni who were working on set with him.
"What I enjoy the most is seeing alumni working on set," Brown said. "It's something to be in awe of because it reassures me that there is a life after college and that the cinema department doesn't just forget about their students."
Kuntz also expressed gratitude to Point Park for this opportunity.
"This was a great opportunity, and I think it is awesome that Point Park is so closely related to it," Kuntz said. "It is an opportunity to get your foot in the door and really see the ins and outs of independent filmmaking."
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Text by alumna Abigail Mathieu
Photo by Sarah Cunningham, a senior photojournalism major
More About: The Chair, internships, success story, cinema production