Firelight Media Internship
FIRELIGHT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Mission
Firelight produces award-winning films that expose injustice, illuminate the power of
community and tell a history seldom told. Firelight connects these films with concrete
and innovative ways for diverse audiences to be inspired, educate, and mobilize into
action. We are dedicated to developing talented documentary filmmakers that advance
underrepresented stories, moving them from the margins to the forefront of mainstream
media through high quality, powerful productions.
Program
It is Firelight’s mission to mentor our interns giving them the skills and perspectives to
be the next generation of media professionals. Our Internship Program will give
dedicated and driven students the opportunity to assist our Firelight Team with the
production and development of projects. Our program is designed so that interns will
have a full hands-on experience at Firelight.
Interns support staff on production, research, administrative, post-production, and
operational tasks. They will be given specific assignments and expected to complete
short and long term projects. Some of the task include conducting research, organizing
archives, PA on various shoots, catalog library and transcribing.
In addition to developing new skills, interns are required to watch Firelight Film’s
Founder, Stanley Nelson’s collection of documentary films including, Tell Them We Are
Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities, The Black Panthers: Vanguard of
the Revolution, and his previous films Freedom Summer (2014) and Freedom Riders
(2010 ) The Murder of Emmett Till, A Place Of Our Own, Two Dollars and a Dream
(1989).
Program Activities
Lunch and Learn: Interns participate in a series of lunches/meetings about different
topics related to documentary production and hear about people’s career trajectories:
Through the course of their internship the list of topics can include (but is not limited to,
and will be added to):
â—Ź Orientation – Intro selves and their own projects, play an ice-breaker game, hear
from past interns about their experience, etc
â—Ź Subject Development – Finding subjects, pre-interviewing/interviewing/follow-up
â—Ź Archival – how to work with archival
â—Ź Producing – schedules, budgets, etc.
â—Ź Writing – treatments, pitch decks and grants
● Editing – hear from teams currently in the editing phase of the film
Program Requirements
Interns are given the option to work two or more full days per week (Mon-Fri), OR 15
hours per week at Firelight.
This is an unpaid internship; but we can provide school credit or recommendations
based on interns performance.
Next Steps
If you’re interested in learning more about documentary filmmaking and picking up
hands on experience, Firelight might be the place for you! Send us your cover letter and
resume to karla@firelightmedia.org. Please write Firelight Internship in the email
subject, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.