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Hey everyone, I have the application sitting in front of me for Panavision Hollywoods 2-year paid internship program, and I wanted to know if anyone here had experience with or has heard of the program. I've heard it is very hard to get accepted for, but if I'm going to go for it, I'm going 200%.

 

I will be moving to LA in August, and I want to pursue becoming an industry AC. A friend was working with John Boccaccio (Robert Yeoman's 1st AC) and he recommended to me that I look up this program. So I did. I'm wondering if maybe I should wait to apply till I'm in California, or if applying now is a good idea. They say there are lots of interview steps for the job, so my not being there could be potentially counter productive... I think this internship would be great though, it would allow me to meet a lot of AC's, and establish a working relationship. Also, seeing as how I am just moving out there, a paying full time job gives me a lot of financial security. I know they get tons of applications for this, but I feel like I could have a pretty good chance, though I'm sure everyone who applies thinks that.

 

Any suggestions on what I should do?

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Andrew, I've had a couple friends go through Panavision's shorter term internship and they both had a good time, if nothing else you'll get really good at cleaning cases and filters. Coincidently, I'm looking into both the two year one and the shorter term one at the moment. You're right, they're tough to get. Last summer I was supposed to go interview for a spot but when the process started slowing down, they're busy guys and ladies down there, I had to take feature I was offered. It might help to live down there before you apply because if you start stopping by and making friends they'll know who you are when you apply but who knows, the world works in strange ways some times. If anybody has any good advice I'd love to hear it as well. Good luck Andrew, hopefully it works out for you, it sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me.

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  • 1 month later...

Panavision Hollywood is the only office with the "Two Year program" which is different from the internship program. Our Shipping and recieving manager and Prep Floor manager both run the program. Since you have an application, I would turn it in and not wait. The interviews are on going year round. If your in the Hollywood area please stop in for a new application and turn it in and give that 200% like you stated. We are busy but always here to help and answer questions and concerns. Please visit the Panavision web site for information and keep your dream in focus and it will happen.

 

Mark August, S.O.C.

Panavision Hollywood

HD Department

 

 

 

 

 

Hey everyone, I have the application sitting in front of me for Panavision Hollywoods 2-year paid internship program, and I wanted to know if anyone here had experience with or has heard of the program. I've heard it is very hard to get accepted for, but if I'm going to go for it, I'm going 200%.

 

I will be moving to LA in August, and I want to pursue becoming an industry AC. A friend was working with John Boccaccio (Robert Yeoman's 1st AC) and he recommended to me that I look up this program. So I did. I'm wondering if maybe I should wait to apply till I'm in California, or if applying now is a good idea. They say there are lots of interview steps for the job, so my not being there could be potentially counter productive... I think this internship would be great though, it would allow me to meet a lot of AC's, and establish a working relationship. Also, seeing as how I am just moving out there, a paying full time job gives me a lot of financial security. I know they get tons of applications for this, but I feel like I could have a pretty good chance, though I'm sure everyone who applies thinks that.

 

Any suggestions on what I should do?

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  • 2 weeks later...

As a current employee of Arri CSC in NY, I highly recommend rental house employment/internships, but with caution. While it is the best way to meet union ACs, be in their face, prep their jobs, use them as references to get in the union, and then eventually get hired by them, it is not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination. When I started at CSC they had me scrubbing cases for months, going up and down the elevator huffing gear to and fro, cleaning air conditioner vent systems, throwing out archived financial documents in dusty basements, pulling velcro and tape off of cases when they come back from features. On top of that rental house management personnel are not there to be friendly cinematography enthusiasts, they are hard ass bosses, but still stand up people. If you go into these places expecting film school, you are dreadfully mistaken.

 

The pay off is, of course, now I am on a first name basis with every top working AC in new york (arri is the creme de la creme out here, but out west i'm sure all the big names are going to pani on a weekly basis), I know all of the equipment back and forth, I can set up and troubleshoot and camera or piece of gear in house, plus every other camera I've come into contact with I've had time to learn on (people bring in gear from other rental houses and use our support gear and lenses), and I have overall a good time.

 

I'm expecting to be out by the end of the summer with the work I've been getting + after taking the union test and joining. It has been a year of sacrifice mentally, physically, financially and socially, but it beats 5 or 6 years of PAing and still not knowing the gear before you start.

 

Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Out of curiosity, how much does the internship pay?

 

At csc we make $8/hr. It doesn't eem that bad until you factor in the whole NYC rent thing. Rice and beans have been my M.O. for about a year now.

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This name is for you Mark.

 

 

Hi guys. I have some info on the two-year program and short internship from personal experience. The obvious, they are both very rewarding, but the two year by far. Yes, it's scrubbing cases and cleaning filters in the short internship, but you are also pulling equipment for preps and learning how the gear works. The short internship is only offered to college students needing to gain credit...it is unpaid and they do not hire anyone willing to work for free. Since it's college, it's offered around the semesters...Fall, Spring, Summer.

 

The Two-Year program on the other hand is phenomenal. You have much more pressure and responsibility and work 11-12 hour days on average (the perfect preparation for the freelance world, and OT) ...but also more fun, you get to bond with a lot of other two years and full time staff who all share the same interests. About 6 Two Years are hired a year and there are many more applications than spots. Unfortunately we have not been hiring much because of the actors and potential writers strike, but my boss is interested in getting more help when he will be allowed.

 

Don't be misled to believe that you need to have a ton of experience to get the job. Personality is huge...and I'm not saying I have a great personality, but many of the two years are very sharp, nice, confident, and do very well under a lot of pressure. That's part of the fun, being around them.

 

The pay is $10 an hour for the first year, $11 the second year (when you live like a rockstar)

 

The first year you are in Shipping. You scan barcodes and clean cases. That's pretty much it. You check in all the camera packages, make sure nothing is damaged and/or missing.

 

The second year is gold. You prep all the Panavision and Plus8 (a newly acquired company that we recently merged with that handles all digital...Star Wars I, II, III and Cloverfield are some) cameras. You learn all the professional gear, and meet all the pros that use them. I've always told close friends that "you basically get paid to learn and network for a year". Once you're done, you know a ton of people, know all the equipment, and if you play your cards right, skip all the little specs and PA positions and move up...one guy went right onto Iron Man as a PA (okay I said no PA...but it's Iron Man!...another is now the loader on Dirty Sexy Money...and many are doing very well in commercials)

 

PS. I can't help you get the internship by pretending your my bud and telling my boss you are a real winner...that's all you :),

 

Good Luck!

Edited by Jason McLuvin Semko
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  • 2 weeks later...

how do I get a job at place like this... I need the exposure... I have so much info and research done on the equipment but I don't have hands on experience(even if it is scrubbing cases)

As a current employee of Arri CSC in NY, I highly recommend rental house employment/internships, but with caution.
Edited by Cory Lonas
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I did a 6-month college internship at Panavision New York and it was quite possibly the best experience of my life. I would say I learned more in those 6 months, working one day a week, than my entire four years in college. I got to meet a lot of great guys (both who worked there and ACs who came in) and even though I was mainly scrubbing cases and cleaning filters, I still managed to soak up a lot about the cameras and the business in general.

 

I'm not sure what Panavision Hollywood is like, but the atmosphere at PANY was very small and comfortable. We only had two or three prep-techs pulling all the jobs and we all got along very well. I've heard CSC is a little bigger in that aspect and can be quite competitive or not as friendly.

 

In any case, it all proved to be a great experience for me and I got an excellent letter of recommendation out of it all that ended up getting me into the union. I would recommend it to anyone who seriously wants to pursue a career as a camera assistant or operator.

 

As for the prep-techs that worked there, obviously they are not working there for financial stability, as the pay is extremely low. They are working there to network with other ACs and learn the equipment, and almost every prep-tech that I worked with during my internship "graduated" to become loaders on huge union shows in a few years.

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Is the program part-time? I thought it was full-time.

 

 

The Panavision Hollywood two-year program is full time. The intership program is part time for college credit. There are many intern's who return here and take part in the Two-year program. In fact, if you read above Jason 'McLovin' Semko who wrote about the program is was a former intern and now a full time two-year program employee.

 

Mark August S.O.C.

Panavision Hollywood, CA

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I'm not sure what Panavision Hollywood is like, but the atmosphere at PANY was very small and comfortable. We only had two or three prep-techs pulling all the jobs and we all got along very well. I've heard CSC is a little bigger in that aspect and can be quite competitive or not as friendly.

 

Yeah I've heard many other Panavision's have around 3 prep techs and a few bays. The Hollywood location has around 11 prep techs and 15 prep bays (5 being rooms)...Woodland Hills (about a 20 minute drive no traffic) has 17-20 prep bays...(about 6 private rooms for features).

 

All of us at Hollywood are really friendly, probably because we are all the same ages (around 22-30) and are in the same positions with same aspirations for the future.

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hi...

i am from india and i would like to apply for the two year programme...is there any provision for the foriegn students.. if you can guide me on that...it would be great...looking forward to hear from you...

thanks,

ankit

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hi...

i am from india and i would like to apply for the two year programme...is there any provision for the foriegn students.. if you can guide me on that...it would be great...looking forward to hear from you...

thanks,

ankit

 

 

Ankit,

 

Would love to help! I have attached a word doc. on the two-year program and a Panavision Hollywood Application. The two-year program is a paid, full time position that requires a 2-year commitment. A degree in film is not required, nor is past film set experience, yet both are preferred. If your a student and would need provisions, I would look at the college internship which is for college credit. You would have to contact your University to see if there is a sister school here in Southern California. The college students in the past have had provisions given to them from the University or college, at least that was my understanding from the students here from last summer 2007. At present time Panavision does not have any provisions for college students.

If you have more concerns or questions please ask, as that is what this form is about and we all share the love of cinematography! I do not know anyone here at Panavision who does not share the same and desire to help. Keep your dreams in focus and all the best.

 

Respectfully,

 

Mark August S.O.C.

Panavision Hollywood, CA

Employment_Application.pdf

PANAVISION_HOLLYWOOD_2_yr._Descrip..doc

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Personally, I think you should go for it. I have a friend who is working at Pany Woodland Hills this summer as an intern and she's pretty psyched. I used to work at CSC and I've only recently come to appreciate how much I learned there, especially with my job now. The connections I made there have remained solid ever since I first got to New York and if it hadn't been for that job, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now. Okay so the pay isn't great, but at least it's steady money, and at least you'll have constant exposure to the gear and many chances to meet people and learn new things. Good luck!

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hi mark,

thank you so much for your kind reply...my query is i am from india and i have done my Post Grad. course in cinematography. i did that course in L V Prasad Film And TV Academy owned by Prasad Group. that's a Private College. So is there any criteria that only US students only can apply for this full time course.....if any foriegn students wants to pursue this course...what are the criteria.....if you can clear this doubts it will be very helpful for me...

looking forward to see your reply..

thanks...

ankit

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  • 2 weeks later...
hi mark,

thank you so much for your kind reply...my query is i am from india and i have done my Post Grad. course in cinematography. i did that course in L V Prasad Film And TV Academy owned by Prasad Group. that's a Private College. So is there any criteria that only US students only can apply for this full time course.....if any foriegn students wants to pursue this course...what are the criteria.....if you can clear this doubts it will be very helpful for me...

looking forward to see your reply..

thanks...

ankit

 

 

Hello Ankit,

 

Our two year program is a full time job and not a course. Sorry if there is any misunderstanding that this is a course and for education for college credit. If you are looking for college credit here we have an intership program which is for college students. I do not know how that works but if you need a course for credit the best thing is looking into a educational course which is best for you and your experience.

Our two year program is open to all who wish to apply and meet the requirements of employment. Panavision is global and there may be locations you may be able to contact which are going to be a good fit for you and your experience.

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply and hope this answers your question/ reply. Just a note for you Ankit;

Prasad Group one of India's providers of film production and postproduction services have partnered with Panavision Inc., Australia to launch Panavision India. There web site is www.indiantelevision.com. I do not know anyone in the India office myself but look at there web site and follow your dream.

 

All the best,

 

Mark August S.O.C.

Panavision Hollywood

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This all is really interesting to me, and I'm curious if I would be eligible for any type of non paid/ paid internship. I am still in high school though, my one problem. I have prior experience doing miscellaneous jobs at CNBC. So I'm really not sure what my options are? If any?

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This all is really interesting to me, and I'm curious if I would be eligible for any type of non paid/ paid internship. I am still in high school though, my one problem. I have prior experience doing miscellaneous jobs at CNBC. So I'm really not sure what my options are? If any?

 

According to the application posted above, if are under 18 and can give them a permit you are fine. He also mentioned it is possible to get the internship with no film set experience, though it is preferred.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey guys I just saw this topic regarding the two-year training program at Panavision Hollywood. I cannot believe I wasnt aware of this! It looks AWESOME!

 

This sucks though - I just spoke to someone at Panavision - and I was told that I would not be able to do this as I am not a US citizen (I am british). I am not sure if there is any way around this. I would love to apply for a place!

 

Steven

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Jake Dunkelberger

were do i get the application for the Panavision Two Year Internship. That sounds awesome. But should i give up the AC work i do now and take two years and commit to Panavision.

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were do i get the application for the Panavision Two Year Internship. That sounds awesome. But should i give up the AC work i do now and take two years and commit to Panavision.

 

 

 

Jake,

 

If your in Hollywood your always welcome to stop in and pick up an application. I did attached a application on this form on June 18,2008... Hope you can open this attachement please read my posting above on June 18 you should see an attachement ( I happen to see it on my side of viewing this forum. I only assume you should be able see this attachement. At lease I hope so!). As for quiting any work before starting any program it would be wise to get an application on file and quit any job with notice. Its the professional way of quiting any job on good terms. All the best!

 

Mark August

Panavision Hollywood

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