By Jess Tennett (’17)
One Friday per month, Comcast—one of the largest broadcasting and cable television companies in the world—films the Comcast Newsmakers interviews using the Cabrini Communication Department’s video production studio. This partnership between Comcast and the college provides current Cabrini Communication students with an immense opportunity: to learn the ropes of the industry as a paid intern with Comcast, gaining real-world experience while still taking college classes.
Cabrini students are given the opportunity to work with live guests on an established show with a good reputation, an experience that enables them to hit the ground running when it comes to entering the workforce. Student interns are given positions in either the control room or on set, providing the students with good experience filming real productions. The interns, who are instrumental in the taping of the segments, learn all about the equipment and how Comcast uses it.
“There is a difference between the shows that the kids do and a professional production,” said Jen Boyett, Government Affairs Manager at Comcast. “This partnership gives students great hands-on experience that helps students get a job in the future. And the students are getting to know people from Comcast. If you can work with us and roll with it, then it is good networking.”
Cecelia Heckman is a first-year intern for Comcast Newsmakers. She currently works the camera, and next year she will work the graphics system.
“This is something that I can put on my résumé, that I worked for Comcast before,” Heckman said. “It is giving me the chance to see what this type of video looks like. The videos we produce at school are a different style. This is more laid-back and in a live setting.”
The use of the studio by Comcast “gives our production set a lot of credibility,” said Heckman. “Our set is what companies in the real world are using to film their productions.”
Drew Vernon, in his second year interning for Comcast, makes the graphics for the pieces according to the director’s instructions. Last year, he worked the camera.
“Comcast taught me that I need to learn different things in the studio,” Vernon said. “I knew nothing about graphics, so I had to teach myself how to make them. They put me where they needed me, and it forced me to step out of my comfort zone and learn new positions.”
For a behind-the-scenes look at the filming of Comcast Newsmakers, watch our time-lapse video.