I started the externship with a background in entertainment P.R. from my past internships in Washington, D.C., one of which was with Disney and one of which was with Universal. My meetings in LA were great! I learned a lot about the differences between
working at an agency and working in-house, the differences between working on movies and on television, and the differences in working in the industry in LA and NYC.

Most of the people I met with were very honest and open about their experiences in P.R. in Los Angeles. On the upside there’s almost always a social event to attend and there are a lot of exciting events, movies/shows, people, and clientele out there to cover. On the downside, you are always putting on a show and covering talent seemed like it is a real pain in the ass. Ultimately, the externship gave me the opportunity to meet with people in the entertainment industry outside of P.R., which was really helpful. I found that I was more interested in product placement and partnering with other companies in film. I also learned about producing movies and TV shows, which I had had no exposure to prior to the externship.

What was the most surprising revelation about the entertainment industry?

I was surprised by how genuinely nice most people I met were. Some of the people responded to my thank-you letters with headhunter contact information and a few gave me contact information for people they knew in NYC.

How has the GEMA extern experience helped me shape my future goals?

Before the externship I was very interested in getting into entertainment P.R. In the future, I hope to eventually work in other areas of marketing for film.

What would I most want applicants to know about the GEMA extern program?

Make sure you think ahead about accommodations and transportation while in LA. One of my best friends from Georgetown lives in LA, so fortunately I had a great place to stay and a lot of people to help me find my way around town. Other people shared hotel rooms or stayed with alums who volunteered housing. Each day I went on three or four informational interviews. I rented a car from Enterprise, which was $22/day. I think there are definitely cheaper places to rent from (Rent-A-Wreck), but there are Enterprises everywhere, which made it convenient for pickup and drop-off of the car.

What am I doing now?

I am working in New York at Landor Associates, which is a brand consulting and design firm. I am working on the Jack Nicklaus and Bath and Body Works accounts and so far it has been amazing! I am currently working on their positioning strategies and brand identity. I am also the interface between our designers and the client.

If you would like to contact Pam to learn more about her experience, she can be reached at gu726@yahoo.com