Two University of Wisconsin Oshkosh students in the Radio TV Film program are gaining professional experience at Los Angeles-area media firms through the internship program sponsored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the annual Emmy awards.
The Academy internship is one of the most competitive and prestigious available to media students as fewer than 40 are accepted nationwide each summer. Potential interns go through a rigorous application and screening process before being selected.
Student Liz D’Alessio is doing her Academy internship with Geiger Post, a Los Angeles post-production firm. She works assisting editors and production assistants and also performs quality control and color correction on video projects. She reports she is also learning about the business side of the enterprise through her direct work with the company’s owner, Hans Geiger. During her time at UW Oshkosh, she shared a first-place national production award from College Broadcasters, Incorporated for her work on the Titan TV series “Tales From a College Dorm.”
Student Rob LaPorte is also in Los Angeles where his Academy internship is with USA Network. He works in program development, doing research in the unit specializing in original programming. LaPorte had an earlier professional internship in news production at WITI-TV 6 in Milwaukee and shared a Wisconsin Broadcasters Association award for his work on the live TV broadcast of the 2011 RTF Industry Panel, an annual event where UWO RTF alumni are interviewed before a live audience.
Having multiple interns from UWO is a notable achievement and this is the second time it has happened; 2010 also saw two UWO RTF students selected. Seven other UWO students have taken part in this program since 1993.
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