Getting Started | Endowment Intern Lauren

Thames Farm in Chester County, SC

Written by: ETV Carolinas Endowment Intern Lauren Lanier

I am currently in the second week of my ETV Endowment internship with SCETV and creating my first blog on my experience, so far, and what I have learned.  I am so excited and grateful that I have this opportunity to work with SCETV and work with Kaitlyn, the producer at ETV Carolinas, who is my supervisor. She is very patient and kind with me while I am learning at the same time.  I am eager to learn and develop my skills, going out in the field and taking b-roll shots and interviews, and then coming back into the office and editing the stories together.  I actually have my own little office, which makes me feel like I have importance, as an intern.  I am so happy that my first internship is one in which I am able to use my creative skills.

So far I have done a lot with ETV Carolinas in Rock Hill. On my first day here, I was privileged to go to SCETV’s headquarters in Columbia S.C.  Those I met during my visit were really nice and made me feel welcome as an Endowment intern.  I was given a tour around the headquarters and got to see behind the scenes of the different studios and editing rooms.  The one studio that really stuck out to me was studio “B.” Not only was it big, but it had so many different studio lights hanging up on the ceiling.  Being such a nerd for my field in teleproduction, I felt like I got the golden ticket into Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory on my tour.  Throughout the rest of my first week, I enjoyed being able to go out to a couple locations to get b-roll footage and interviews with Kaitlyn for two projects she is working on. One is about the history of Allison Creek Presbyterian Church in York County, and the other is about Thames farm, in Chester County.  I was also able to help Kaitlyn with transcribing for the Allison Creek Presbyterian Church project.  Going out to Thames farms was pretty fun.  I got to help with shooting footage of the pigs and other farm animals for the farm project.  A few of my clips made it into the story that will be featured on Palmetto Scene! Kaitlyn and I even got to learn how to milk cows! It’s not easy, by the way.

Kaitlyn has been guiding me and teaching me the ropes with Adobe Premiere Pro and the equipment for the camera.  Even though I have dabbled in editing and photo shoots, there is always a new way to “skin a cat.”   For example, I learned a different method in editing, of syncing up the audio and video separately, that can save time, as opposed to the way I was previously doing it. 

One thing that particularly struck me on my first week was going out to Allison Creek Presbyterian Church and learning the history there.  To be honest, that was my favorite project.  I didn’t get to go out with her to the church the first time because I started my internship after her first trip out there; however, after editing the story on the Allison Creek Presbyterian Church, I was really intrigued by the interviews and learning its back story, so I was glad I was able to visit the place myself. 

I am excited for this opportunity with ETV. I have a passion for developing creative projects. I love the behind-the-scenes magic of television and am looking forward to learning, growing and establishing more skills and assets on my career path with SCETV.