INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
TESTIMONIALS
“Over the three months of the Apprenticeship with Citizen Film, I gained an even better understanding of the tools behind storytelling and how to use those skills to boldly help overlooked communities express the importance of their own stories. Citizen Film allowed me to build my technical skills behind the camera and learn how to think as an editor before and during production, advancing my skills as editor and camera operator. The environment at Citizen Film is unlike any other work environment that I’ve been a part of; this environment propelled me to learn more about film, communities, social justice and even about myself, and for that I am eternally grateful for the team at Citizen Film!”
– Daejona Silva,
California State University, East Bay
“As an aspiring documentary filmmaker and editor, working as an Intern at Citizen Film was the best experience that I could have asked for. I was able to combine all the different skills required to be a documentary filmmaker, from pre production research to post production editing. Citizen Film provides an amazing platform where filmmakers can combine documentaries with community engagement and social issues. It’s about the human experience that is the essence of documentary filmmaking.”
– Nicole Amyx,
San Francisco State University
“Coming from a narrative filmmaking background, I discovered since my first week at Citizen Film that impactful documentary filmmaking is so much more than just storytelling. Citizen Film invites and engages local, national, and global communities to constructive conversations that lead to impactful actions. From community engagement campaigns to the editing room, I learned so much during my Internship. I appreciate how everyone at Citizen Film genuinely cares about the intern’s passions and goals and is there to help you grow and succeed.”
– Ryan Qiao
University of California, Berkeley
“My internship with Citizen Film has been so much more than I imagined. Over the past few months, I have learned to think more like a filmmaker than a film student. It has been an immensely valuable experience, getting to dive deep into the Pre-Production process, like I never have before. Coming out of my internship, I have more confidence and am more excited than ever to continue creating Documentaries!”
– Evan Hemphill,
San Francisco State University
“Interning with Citizen Film has been the best possible way to spend the summer. Being quickly integrated into the everyday work of this documentary film company has shown me more about the industry than I have learned in all of my academic years. I feel honored to have worked so closely with Citizen Film’s production team and the impactful media they produce. I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by the welcoming attitude and friendly environment here; I know that if I ever need feedback on a future project, I have the experts on speed dial. I’m infinitely grateful to have been a part of this team.”
– Vanessa Ellis,
Smith College
“Interning at Citizen Film has been a dream come true! Every person on staff has been incredibly kind and eager to help me learn. Throughout my internship, I’ve gotten hands-on experience with film editing, cinematography, marketing, development, and more. If you’re excited about social justice, documentary film, and the media industry, you’ve come to the right place! I feel so thankful to have been an intern at Citizen Film.”
– Kira Findling,
Oberlin College
“Over the six months I have been with Citizen Film, I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge about film development, research and outreach as well as furthered my study of the nonprofit world and the communities in which they serve. The experience developed my understanding of storytelling as a tool for social justice and the power it has to fortify community identity and power. This experience will be extremely valuable to me and I am so grateful for the opportunity, support, guidance and community that I have gained in my time working for Citizen Film.”
– Caitrin Walsh,
University of California, Santa Cruz
“I was beyond thrilled to be paired with Citizen Film through my school’s Journalism Residency program. I was excited to gain a thorough introduction to the documentary film world and explore all the different stages of production. I didn’t expect to be working with an enormously talented and approachable team, to be consistently expanding my skill set and knowledge base through constant constructive feedback, and to be treated like a full part of the team. This was my first internship in the media industry, and I could not have dreamed of a better one.”
– Forrest Hanson
Northwestern University, Medill School
“More than anything, my internship with Citizen Film heightened my interest for documentary work. The internship threw me head first into fascinating projects where I felt just as much a part of the team as anyone else and got to work on every aspect of the projects. It is rare to find an internship in the film world where you aren’t just getting coffee, and this was so much more. In addition to all this incredibly engaging and interesting work, the people I worked with were certainly some of the nicest and funniest around.”
– Claire Stacy
New York University, Tisch School of the Arts
“Applying for an internship at Citizen Film was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. As an intern, I had the opportunity to work with passionate individuals who encouraged and supported my professional development. I was assigned projects with a thorough explanation of why my tasks were important and how they would contribute to the organization; therefore affording me a strong understanding of the documentary production process. All in all, I learned skills that will last a lifetime and loved every second of the journey!”
– Giselle Grimaldo
University of California, Berkeley
“I loved interning at Citizen Film. There I learned hands-on filmmaking, producing and distributing skills that I was not learning in the classroom. The projects I was able to work on were interesting and carried a sense of urgency and importance at a global and local level… it helped me explore my passion for documentary films.”