20/20 Visual Media Interns: Where Are They Now?
Over the last ten years, we’ve had the unique privilege to mentor and coach dozens of talented young professionals through our internship program. Through our internships focusing on production, post-production, and marketing, we offer local college students with hands-on learning experiences within a production company. Meet a few of our previous interns who reflect on their time with 20/20 Visual Media and share how their time with our multimedia production company impacted their careers. Learn more about our current internship positions too!
Carli Showmaker, Owner, Showmaker Productions
Asad Bokhari, Production Assistant, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Ankit Patel, Photojournalist, CBS3 Philly
1. What did you learn from your 20/20 Visual Media internship?
CS: One of the most important lessons I learned during my time with 20/20 Visual Media is the importance of small details. Rob and Patrick have a special eye for catching details, both when shooting and during the post-production process, that many people wouldn't even notice. However, that is what makes all of their work rise above every other production company's. Not only do they hold themselves to these high standards, they hold their interns to the same standards, which constantly pushed us to produce top-notch work.
AB: Stepping into the post production internship was an invaluable experience for me. The hands-on aspect of it was key. It's one thing to have an internship where you observe the professionals, but when you're working alongside them, you learn a lot more and the information sticks with you better. I learned a lot about how a production works, from seeing a project go through the different phases of production to the nitty gritty details on how to get to a final product. Even though I was mostly editing, I got to go on shoots as well. I got to see two different phases of production and by doing both, I got to see how they relate to each other. By the end of the internship, I felt like I had "leveled up" as a video editor.
AP: I learned how to be meticulous with the smallest details and juggle a variety of tasks. I’ve also grown to accept edits and apply that thinking in the future, which is so important in our industry. Patrick and Rob provide valuable feedback which has helped shaped my professional and personal life.
2. How did 20/20 Visual Media prepare you for your career?
AB: In many different ways, this internship added depth to my dream of being a creative professional. I could not have landed in better hands. The real intangible of this internship is that you have a team of people with years of experience taking personal pride in your growth as a young professional. They not only became friends, but mentors. I learned so much from them and I was really thrilled by how much they were willing to work with me and teach me the tricks of the trade. They didn't treat me like an intern, but rather as one of them. This fostered an environment where I wasn't afraid to ask any questions. Also, by observing how they worked as creative professionals, I was able to gain insight on how I should operate as a creative in the industry. All this is to say, it was a good place to make mistakes and grow from them without feeling inadequate. Not only did I learn so much, I gained enough experience to be more confident in my job interviews moving forward.
AP: The internship helped prepare me for my career in news because I learned how to problem-solve, build relationships and capture important moments. The team helped me realize that you need to rely on individuals other than yourself to tell a great story. Ultimately, I learned the importance of teamwork and how to become a team player.
CS: When I decided to take the leap and start my own company after a year of working a 9-5 job I wasn't happy at, Rob and Patrick were definitely two of my biggest motivators. Seeing how hard they worked to build the company to where it is today is so inspiring. What I appreciated most is that despite me starting a business in the same field as them, they never once hesitated to help me in any way they could. Rob is not only one of my biggest supporters, but he spends countless hours mentoring me to help my business succeed. There are many companies out there where interns are just constantly rotating throughout the door each semester. When you work at 20/20, you stay part of the 20/20 family forever.
3. What is one of your favorite memories from working with the 20/20 team?
AP: From covering Penn State football games to going back to our alma mater Temple University as professionals, every day taught me something different. I loved how exciting it was to travel to new places and capture interesting stories. Most of all, I enjoyed working with Patrick and Rob back in the early days of 20/20 Visual Media.
CS: My favorite shoot to be on was the Crayola shoot. The Crayola shoot, which is one of their largest shoots of the year, happened to fall on my first week at the internship. Pat and Rob let me jump right in with it! I helped build sets, I worked as a PA, and I even was handed a camera and put in charge of capturing behind the scenes footage! Despite it being my first day/week with the company, they let me jump right in and gave me as much work as I wanted to be a part of.
AB: Too many different memories. Overall, that summer was one of the greatest. The team was super fun to work with and felt like a group of friends that worked very hard. My favorite memory would be how they surprised me with a company lunch on my birthday and we all took a break and went out to celebrate. This just speaks to how much they make you feel a part of the team. We also had a particularly awesome group of interns in Carli, Brandon, and myself. Another great memory was editing with Rob sitting by my side guiding me through cutting a 12 minute video down to 7 minutes. Which proved to be difficult, but we had to try and indeed we did it.
4. What advice would you share with an incoming intern?
CS: The advice I want to give to an incoming intern is to never feel intimidated or nervous to ask questions. While you are accepting a specific internship role with the company, the 20/20 team wants you to get as much quality knowledge out of the internship as you put in. When they ask you about skills you are hoping to improve on throughout the time of your internship, be honest! They will make sure you get exposure and opportunities to work on many specific aspects that you want the experience in. If you put 100% into this internship, you will receive 110% back from this team. Put your all into the internship, ask as many questions as you need to, learn from people who are brilliant in the jobs they do, and enjoy every second!
AB: I would advise incoming interns to take advantage of the great talent you are surrounded with. It's hard to find an internship where the culture is so accepting and willing to teach. Ask questions, form relationships and learn from the best. They have been in the industry for quite a while and they know what they're talking about. You will gain a lot from interning here and likely grow as a person.
AP: Work hard, be willing to grow, stay curious and offer help to the team if you don’t have a lot going on. You’ll get so much out of this experience and you’ll have a lot of fun too.
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