Hi, I’m Millie, and over the final months of my Zoology BSc I took part in a SME Internship with the Bristol-based charity Wildscreen.
Wildscreen is best known for its internationally–renowned film festival, so as an aspiring natural history filmmaker, I had heard of them and the amazing things they get up to. Natural History filmmaking is a competitive field to get into, so I was beyond excited to land an internship with this organisation.
What was your role?
I worked as a Communications and Administration Assistant, helping various members of the team. My tasks mainly revolved around social media, but the role was extremely varied.
For example, Wildscreen has recently developed an Emerging Talent scheme to help facilitate access into the Natural History storytelling industry. During my internship, they held a fundraising campaign for this scheme, which I was fully involved with. From marketing limited-edition t-shirts to presenting to their 8,000 followers on IGTV, I was pushed out of my comfort zone whilst being thoroughly supported throughout.
Some of my favourite tasks:
- Aiding the fundraising campaign of Wildscreen’s Emerging Talent scheme.
- Shortlisting conservation films for a finalist panel as part of the ‘Sunny Side of the Doc’ film festival.
- Creating subtitled clips of webinars and images for social media posts, using Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Canva.
- Helping to run Wildscreen Network webinars, where natural history storytellers share their experiences.
- Making gifs using Adobe photoshop to aid Wildscreen’s outreach.
Outcomes
I have learnt so much from this role! I’ve gained skills that will aid me in a science communication career, and I’ve gained considerable insight into the natural history production industry. Having struggled to find any work experience during university due to the field’s competitive nature and then the pandemic, I had started to feel discouraged. The internship has given me the confidence that I can and will eventually break into my dream industry.
It has been fantastic getting to know the Wildscreen team and being involved in projects that I am passionate about. My colleagues were incredibly supportive throughout, making sure my tasks were tailored to the skills I wanted to develop and even supporting me during my final university exams. My internship was very rewarding, and I’d like to thank the whole team for their time and support.
Apply today!
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