Labor Laws & Disclaimer

Different states have different labor laws regarding internships; it is the responsibility of the participating companies and the individual interns to inform themselves and ensure that the relevant labor laws are not being violated. Harvardwood disclaims any and all legal responsibility in these matters.

Academic Credit

Please read the following statement on OCS policy regarding internships requiring school credit:

"Most internships in media and arts require that an unpaid intern receive academic credit and/or be supervised by an academic advisor. Harvard does not grant academic credit for internships. However, you are eligible to receive academic credit for an independent study project for which the internship can form the basis for thought and research. If you are in good academic standing and you will be returning to the College in the semester following your internship, OCS will provide you with a letter explaining Harvard's policy and confirming that you are eligible to receive academic credit for an independent study project based on the internship. In order to obtain this letter, you will need to do the following: AFTER obtaining an internship offer, ask your Senior Tutor (or if you are a freshman, your freshman proctor or an assistant freshman dean) to write a brief letter stating your class year, the fact that you are in good academic standing, and that you will be returning to the College the semester following your internship. Letters should be sent to Nancy Saunders at OCS ([email protected]). Once this letter is received, the internship policy letter will be left for you at OCS. If you plan to apply to multiple internships, it's a good idea to make copies of the original letter so that you won't need to request additional letters. If you should decide to structure the internship as an independent study project, it is your responsibility to find an academic advisor for the project and to carry it through to completion. PLEASE WAIT UNTIL YOU ACCEPT AN INTERNSHIP TO REQUEST THESE DOCUMENTS. THANK YOU."

If you have further questions, please visit this OCS page.

If you are graduating or will not be returning to school after the summer, you will need to explore other options for fulfilling the credit requirement if necessary (e.g., enrolling in an independent study program at a local community college). Harvardwood can answer your questions regarding this.

Housing Options

Listed below are several resources to help you in your search for summer housing:

Los Angeles

• UCLA Summer Housing (for students currently attending a College or University)
• UCLA Community Housing
• Cal-State Intern and Guest Housing
• Cardinal Gardens @ USC
• Oakwood
• Westside Rentals (search for vacation/short term rentals)
• Sublet.com
• Roomster
• Ebay Classifieds
• CraigsList
• AirBnb
• Interim Housing Solution

New York

• Oakwood
• AirBnb
• CraigsList
• Roomster
• Sublet.com
• Interim Housing Solution

Nationwide

• Oakwood
• AirBnb
• CraigsList
• Roomster
• Sublet.com
• Interim Housing Solution

LAX Airport Transportation Options

Listed below are several cost-effective ways to get to and from the airport:

• SuperShuttle
• Prime Time Shuttle
• Shuttle2LAX.com
• Zipcar LA (Zipcar is also available in other cities nationwide.
• Lyft or Uber

Provided here are tips to help craft your resume and prepare you for interviews in the arts, media and entertainment.

Resume Length

We strongly encourage you to limit your resume to one page—those persons reviewing your resume will scan it rapidly. "E-mail resumes” allow for more room, but the idea stands to keep it uncluttered and concise, and that the focus is on the skill set the employer is looking for. Take the time to tailor each resume for each distinct position.

If you can, help the reader by quantifying information in your job description. This can be done by include the budget amount or size of staff, to provide a sense of scale. Include any accomplishments or improvements to the company because of your work. (Examples of this include: supervised student staff of five, or increased revenue by 20%, or assisted in marketing and publicity for 500-seat theater.) If you’ve worked or interned for a recognizable name in the industry, it’s safe to include it in parenthesis in the description.

Resume Content for Internships and Entry-Level Positions

• Included here are a variety of typical entry-level duties
• Assist in development, critically reading script submissions to generate coverage [1]
• Collect, review and organize scripts, manuscripts, treatments and other submissions
• Participate in creative meetings with development executives, writers, and producers
• Answer heavy phones, manage rolling call [2], update call sheets, maintain calendars, make appointments for meetings, travel, dinner and other plans
• Draft and execute company correspondence, contracts, or agreements
• Coordinate information and communications across internal departments and/or with external entities
• Organize and maintain office supplies, inventory, filing systems, and archives
• Run office and personal errands (in your own car) under tight time constraints
• Troubleshoot computer, photocopier, and fax problems; Make photocopies (you will make hundreds of copies, so if you are good at clearing paper jams, dealing with toner issues, misbehaving files, etc., and you can smile while you do it, they will love you)
• Computer Skills

Be sure to include your computer experience. Typically, executives like to see the following skills for entry-level positions:

• Typing speeds > 60 wpm
• Fluency in Windows and Mac, and in all MS Office Programs;
• Filemaker Pro [3]
• Social Networking Sites / blogging experience

Always stay up to speed with technological advances, both in learning appropriate software programs and maintaining your knowledge about media technology.

Resume content can be organized with a chronological format, or experience can be categorized by type of work. Both bullet points and paragraph style are appropriate. Remember that the left side of the page is considered "prime real estate” on the resume, (documents are read from left to right) so it’s best to place significant information on the left side of the page.

Once your resume template is complete, ask a friend to look it over with objectivity. Also, pay attention to duplicate questions by different employers, which may indicate clarity is needed on some sections of your resume.

Click here or here to download sample industry resumes.

Cover Letters

Like the resume, your cover letter should be brief as well. A cover letter is a great opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the job, or to display that you’ve done your research. Use the trades (Variety, Hollywood Reporter, IMDB.com) and search engines to learn more about the individual or company. Always include why the position appeals to you, and be honest. The reasons might include: the job’s part-time status, close location to home, exposure to the people working there, or to gain specific skills. This will help the reader understand why you’re motivated to work for them, which will make it easier for them determine if you’re a good fit.

Interviews for Internships and Employment

The interview doesn’t start with the meeting; the interview starts with the telephone call. When someone calls to invite you for an interview, you’re making a first impression with them in that moment. Whether the invitation happens via telephone or e-mail, always be polite, show appreciation for the opportunity, and confirm the date and time that you’re expected to be there.

It’s best to arrive early for an interview. Twenty minutes is the traditional time to show up prior to the appointment. It’s always good etiquette to be nice to assistants who greet you, but in Hollywood it’s imperative. That person answering phones is trying to break in just like you, and will be rising in rank as you are. People remember people, and it doesn’t cost a thing to be polite. Be nice to everyone.

Be prepared. The more research you do prior to the interview, the more confident you will be in the interview room. If you’re ready to answer inquiries, whether or not you are asked to answer them, it will help your poise. If you’ve done your homework it will show.

During the interview, if you can’t field a question don’t try to pretend. As much as you may want to impress, or as much as you may be tempted to will something to happen, your efforts may back fire. Trust that the hiring managers will make the right decision when comparing you against the pool. The best strategy is to be authentic and to be organized in your thoughts. Also, they’ll expect that you come to the table with some questions and ideas of your own.

Never discuss money or offers on the first interview. If you’re called in for a second interview, it’s most likely they will broach the subject first. This applies for both internships and employment.

Most internships are unpaid, but some will offer meal or travel expenses or other perks. Internships are often a gateway to greater opportunities, but their primary purpose is exposure and experience. The most important element of an internship is to gain some skills and learn from mentors in the environment. Unlike employment, where you are paid wages for work that you do, the focus of internships are not about compensation.

Always follow up with a thank you note to the interview, as soon as possible. This can be handwritten or by e-mail, depending on what you feel is appropriate. It’s always good to leave them with a favorable impression; in the event you’re not offered the job, another opportunity may come up in the future. If you don’t get an offer, and if it feels suitable, you may want to ask if they have a colleague who may be looking for someone with your skill set. As always, be prudent in your judgment.

One final important note

Don't forget—the entertainment industry tends to value street smarts, hard work and people skills over academia and education. Both in your cover letters and face-to-face meetings, Harvardwood strongly encourages you to convey that besides being academically qualified, you are a congenial team player, hard-working, eager to learn and willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Yes, that may mean grunt work. Making copies, coffee, running errands, walking your boss's dog, and setting up restaurant appointments certainly apply—newcomers to Hollywood are not above these tasks. Keep in mind that your interviewer is already aware of your Harvard affiliation and probably sees that you are a go-getter as you interact with her or him. Try to avoid coming across as overly aggressive, superior or entitled - all common "Harvard" stereotypes in the industry that you should try to work against. Just relax, be professional, and approach each interview with appropriate preparation and respect.

[1] Script coverage consists of reading a screenplay or a manuscript, writing a one-page summary of the plot, a one-paragraph evaluative analysis, and a log line. A log line is a one or two sentence description of the film.

[2] Rolling calls consist of receiving calls remotely from your boss and getting someone else on the line (who is also remote to your location), and to save them both as much time as possible.

[3] You should also note that in industry lingo, when "Filemaker Pro” is listed as a computer skill, it typically denotes that you can update call sheets that were made in "Filemaker Pro” (rather than to imply that you have to know how to program Filemaker databases).

Program Guidelines

1. Only current Harvard undergraduates may apply to HSIP internships. Please refrain from forwarding the listings to friends who are not current students at Harvard College, even if they are students at other Harvard programs or graduate schools.

2. All application materials sent through Harvardwood will be reviewed by HSIP directors to ensure compliance.

3. Applicants must have a Harvardwood Full Membership to access the listings below and apply.

4. Applicants may apply to an unlimited number of HSIP applications.

5. Internship Credit - Some employers may require that students receive course credit to be eligible for the internship they offer.  Please see here for more information about Harvard College’s policy:  https://ocs.fas.harvard.edu/internship-course-credit  Many community colleges also offer Independent Study courses (for example, Santa Monica College in Los Angeles). 

Students often ask about opportunities to work in physical production (i.e., "on-set") or in the offices for particular TV shows or films. These opportunities usually come up on short notice and are therefore difficult to include in the context of a planned internship program. However, if you wish to pursue an opportunity in this area, we would encourage you to take the initiative to contact and/or submit cover letters and resumes directly to the projects in which you are interested. You can find out what projects are in pre-production or production through various industry resources; Variety and The Hollywood Reporter publish weekly charts of films/shows in production, both online (look for "Charts" in the left-hand menu) and in their print editions (available at OCS).

VIEW LISTINGS

Make sure you're logged in to the website to access the link above.

Ready to apply for this year's HSIP opportunities? Check out helpful info for applicants.

Attending the events organized by HSIP has been one of the highlights of my summer internship experience. They are a fantastic way to meet and learn from new people, and offer an invaluable opportunity for exposure to countless unique sides of the entertainment industry. Only halfway through my internship I have already had the chance to talk with people throughout the business from both Harvard and beyond whose passion, work, and missions equally inspire and motivate me. I look forward to growing these relationships and continuing to make new ones for the rest of my time with the Harvardwood Program. Extra special thanks to Marie Kim for making it all come together!

- Max Moulton AB '18, HSIP 2017

DISCLAIMER: Please note that each state has different labor laws regarding internships; it is the responsibility of the participating companies and the individual interns to inform themselves and ensure that the relevant labor laws are not being violated. Harvardwood disclaims any and all legal responsibility in these matters.

If your arts, media, or entertainment company offers summer internships and would like to recruit applications from current Harvard Students, we invite you to participate in the 2022 Harvardwood Summer Internship Program! Companies can reach current Harvard students by posting their internship opportunities to Harvardwood.

SUBMIT INTERNSHIP

How It Works

1) In Spring 2022, we post your company’s internship opportunity in our HSIP opportunity list.

2) Harvard students submit their applications to us, per your company’s instructions, and Harvardwood forwards these applications to the designated contact person at your company.

3) Your company interviews and/or potentially hires summer interns from the HSIP pool (we are not involved in this part of the process, unless you would like us to be).

4) Your company notifies Harvardwood if and who you have decided to hire through HSIP, so that we can include the student(s) in our summer events.

5) The interns participate in your company’s summer internship program, and Harvardwood provides HSIP interns with additional career-related events throughout the summer.

6) If your company wishes to host or sponsor a summer event for all HSIP interns, please let us know. We welcome your participation!

Questions? Contact HSIP

Over 100 companies have participated in HSIP since its inception, including: 2929 Productions, ABC, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Archer Entertainment, Benderspink, Digital Domain, Dimension, Disney, Dreamworks, The Firm, Furst Films, HBO Films, ICM, Icon Productions, Intermedia, Lionsgate, LivePlanet, Mirabai Films, Miramax, National Geographic Feature Films, Red Wagon Productions, Samuels Media, Simmons Lathan Media Group, Spirit Dance Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, Valhalla Motion Pictures, and The Young and the Restless.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that each state has different labor laws regarding internships; it is the responsibility of the participating companies and the individual interns to inform themselves and ensure that the relevant labor laws are not being violated. Harvardwood disclaims any and all legal responsibility in these matters.

2022 Update: Harvardwood is cautiously optimistic some in-person internships may return for Summer 2022, but can count on virtual internships becoming more common. Please see below on how to enroll into the program. 

How It Works

Harvardwood publishes internship opportunities and applications are accepted on a rolling basis beginning in spring of each year. The internship list is updated several times throughout the spring, so students should check the list periodically for additional opportunities.

Students must have a Harvardwood account in order to access the HSIP list of opportunities.

After securing an internship, students must be Full Members of Harvardwood in order to participate in HSIP activities and to attend HSIP events in the summer. If you did not find your arts/media/entertainment internship through HSIP, you can still participate in HSIP as long as you a Harvard undergraduate.

• Click here if you are a student seeking summer internships
• Click here if you have a company offering summer internships

History

Started in 2003, HSIP provides a list of summer internship opportunities in the arts, media and entertainment to interested Harvard students. In addition, HSIP facilitates career-related activities throughout the summer for participating students and companies in New York City and Los Angeles. Past program events have included film screenings, industry panels, and speaker events.

I’m so grateful to the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program for giving me the opportunity to have intimate chats with industry executives as they gleefully debunked Hollywood myths and confirmed others. As they charted the twists and turns in their careers from college to where they are now, I learned about the surprisingly numerous entry points to the industry. I took tours of production companies and even watched a studio live-stream an Australian boy-band performance. Harvardwood events were also a great way to connect with other Harvard students taking their first tentative steps into entertainment jobs and get a glimpse into the vast alumni network that awaits us in the industry. It helped to know that I’ll never be alone, and I came away from the experience feeling wiser and more hopeful about the future.

- Claire Park AB '20, HSIP 2017

HSIP is co-sponsored by Harvard University's Office of Career Services and Office for the Arts.

See below for a list of participating companies from previous years. If your arts/media/entertainment company is seeking interns for the summer, learn how your company can participate in HSIP.

Past HSIP Companies

Over 100 companies have participated in HSIP since its inception, including: 2929 Productions, ABC, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Archer Entertainment, Benderspink, Blumhouse Productions, Collab, Delirio Films, Digital Domain, Dimension, Disney, Dreamworks, Echo Lake Entertainment, The Firm, Furst Films, Heyday Films, HBO Films, ICM, Icon Productions, Intermedia, Lin Pictures / Rideback Ranch, Lionsgate, LivePlanet, Mandeville Films, Mirabai Films, Miramax, The Mission Entertainment, National Geographic Feature Films, Red Wagon Productions, Samuels Media, Simmons Lathan Media Group, Spirit Dance Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, Valhalla Motion Pictures, and The Young and the Restless.

Welcome, FAS students! For a quick review of what Harvardwood offers current students, you're welcome to download our introductory brochure (PDF).

Harvardwood offers two career exploration programs for current students of Harvard College. Undergraduates must be dues-current Full Members of Harvardwood to participate in both programs, Harvardwood 101 and the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program.

Companies: Interested in meeting and recruiting Harvard students? Participate in Harvardwood 101 and/or the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program!

Harvardwood 101

This career exploration program brings two dozen current undergraduates to Los Angeles during the January term and provides a series of career-related activities in order to demystify Hollywood and educate them about careers in the entertainment industry.

Harvardwood Summer Internship Program

Started in 2003, HSIP provides a list of summer internship opportunities in the arts, media and entertainment to interested Harvard students.  In addition, HSIP facilitates career-related activities throughout the summer for participating students and companies in NYC and LA.

Harvardwood 101 students at Millennium Films - January 2015

May 2020: Due to the current circumstances, we have launched the remote Harvardwood Summer Certificate Program

Congratulations for accepting an internship in the arts, media, or entertainment for the summer!

You can sign up to participate in the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program in Los Angeles or New York City. Just click the button below to join HSIP 2019! In addition to the customary orientation mixer in June and goodbye party at the end of the summer, Harvardwood will organize exclusive company events (incl. The Mission Entertainment) and speaker events throughout the summer.

Before joining, please note the following program guidelines:

1) You must be a Full Member of Harvardwood to participate. Not a member?

2) You can participate in the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program even if you did not find your internship through our listings.

What HSIP Offers

Participants of the Harvardwood Summer Internship Program will:

• Receive invitations to additional career-related activities and social events hosted by Harvardwood throughout the summer
• Be eligible for the summer housing lottery* (free or low-cost housing options provided by Harvard alums in Los Angeles).

*To enter the summer housing lottery, your HSIP participant form must be submitted by midnight on May 15, 2019. (Please note that the housing lottery is very limited and is for current students or graduating seniors only)

And as you prepare for your summer internship, you may find this additional information helpful.