Inside the Corner Cubicle with Rachel Krawsek

Rachel Krawsek ’17, a recent digital cinema and filmmaking graduate, is well-versed in the world of television. During her time at Pace, she was a TV Land program and media planning intern for Viacom and also wrapped up an exciting internship at Al Roker Entertainment, which has produced digital programming for top cable networks including Food Network, Lifetime, Discovery Channel, and more. After graduation, she landed a job as a Production Assistant at Madison Square Garden Networks. Learn more about her biggest takeaways from her internship at Al Roker Entertainment and how it prepared her to conquer the production field.

Can you tell me about your internship at Al Roker Entertainment, what your role was, what your duties were, and the duration of time you interned for?
My internship at Al Roker was a great learning experience for me. I was a production intern who acted as a production assistant for local shoots by setting up equipment, operated several cameras for live broadcasts, organized footage to allow editors to find all necessary clips, transcribe and log footage for producers and editors in a word document, and researched products and companies. I was there from mid-September to mid-November.

How did you obtain this internship?
I obtained this internship through Pace’s internship and job database, Handshake. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of my career counselor, Nicole Catalfamo.

What was one of the coolest or most memorable things you did at the internship?
One of the coolest and most memorable things I did at Roker Entertainment was when I got to be behind the camera for a live shoot. It was nerve-wracking but rewarding. I loved being able to apply what I learned in class in the real world.

What was the most valuable thing you learned from the internship?
The most valuable thing I learned from my internship was if you don’t succeed, try and try again. I was asked to run a lot of errands and many times I did not know where I was going. It was a learning experience trying to navigate Manhattan. Something as simple as being trusted to run errands led to being trusted for other opportunities.

How has this internship shaped you for the future?
This internship has shaped me for the future by preparing me for working in the production field. I got to see what it was like to build a project from the ground up—see it on paper and then come to life on screen. I also learned what it is like to work in a company with many different kinds of people. As a part of working with others, you have to learn that everyone else learns differently. The more flexible you can be, the better.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a student who aspires to complete an internship like yours?
Advice I would give to a student who wants to get the most out of their internship would be to ask a lot of questions. You never know who will need help and it looks very proactive on your part if you step in and try to help. Also, be mindful that you never know who you’re talking to. Treat everyone with the same great attitude.

Anything else you’d like to share?
Even if you don’t like a task your internship gives you, have a great attitude. These people are going to be giving you recommendations for your next job or internship and you want them to have nothing but nice things to say about you. Be positive, and be someone that people want to work with.