WTAE-TV Commercial Production Department
During my internship with WTAE-TV as a commercial production intern I wrote, directed, and produced commercials for various local clients. Spending the fall semester at WTAE gave me superior hands-on production experience and allowed me to practice the creative process from beginning brainstorm sessions with clients to creating a final product ready to be shown on TV. Because WTAE's Commercial Production Department resides with WTAE-TV, a subsidiary of ABC and a division of the Hearst Corporation, I was also exposed to large-scale studio news productions as well. As a Media and Professional Communications major, WTAE provided the perfect backdrop to learn valuable information regarding the creation and distribution of media. Specifically, as the sole commercial production intern working with a team of three other producers I spent a semester learning the production process from the inside, out. Thus, I participated in and generated ideas during brainstorming sessions with clients. I spent time adapting these ideas and independently writing and developing scripts based on clients' wishes. I also organized shoots, both in-studio and on-location, and directed the cameraman and talent to ensure the capture of various shots that would later be assembled in the editing suite. Finally, I managed editing sessions with WTAE's editors to compile rough footage into a polished final cut ready to present to a client and eventually air on TV.
Overall, my internship at WTAE provided me with invaluable hands-on production and marketing experience that I have been able to apply to personal production projects. WTAE prepared me to enter a production-based career with confidence.
Example Production: