In the last Indiana Jones film, Indy yelled to a group of students, "If you want to be an archeologist, you have to get out of the library!" Though that was just a line from a movie that had mixed reviews, I think that statement certainly applies to anyone studying to become a professional in any given field. Many students often wonder why they should even bother taking on an internship or even just an extracurricular activity. In my opinion, if a student can't handle the classwork load, then it may not be a good idea. However, if a student is getting decent grades, then going beyond the classroom is a wise decision if they want to put their skills to work. There's only so much a class can teach you.

This is my second go at college. In 2002, I graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Speech Communication & Theatre. My decision to move to Washington was motivated after I did a radio broadcasting internship in the summer of 2001. I moved to the Washington area in 2002 but upon arrival, there weren't any radio jobs available for a 22 year old. I stuck around and ended up getting jobs that didn't require a college degree in fields such as market research, childcare, and tourism. The skills I obtained from those jobs were useful but I wanted something more.

In 2008, video editing was nothing more than a hobby but members of my family and a couple of friends encouraged me to try to get a job in that field. That's when I shopped around for schools in the area and ended up enrolling at the Art Institute of Washington. In my opinion, the instructors act like employers by treating their students like employees. The coursework and project deadlines are often a wake up call for students that think show business is all glitz and glamor.

I ended up getting involved in the Visually Wired Film Festival, an annual film festival that showcases the most creative films made by students that attend the Art Institute. After one professor showed us films from previous Visually Wired festivals, I decided to pitch my idea before the faculty. After they accepted my pitch, I felt like a million bucks but had no idea what I had gotten myself into.

I produced, wrote, and directed a documentary about swing dancing titled Swing Night. I'm glad I got to work with a reliable crew of student colleagues. The challenges we faced included having to pay a permit and location fee to the National Park Service to shoot the Spanish Ballroom in Glen Echo Park. One of the group members took a money order out to cover the location fee and I paid the permit fee. Good man. This documentary was going to be made.

An instructor told me it was a good thing that we were facing such challenges because it was giving us valuable experience. We still had to get additional footage and gather archival footage of swing dancing in the '30s and '40s but post production was still a down to the last minute success. Our DVD was handed in on time and now we await the verdict from the faculty jury. If our entry is accepted, Swing Night will be screened at the Visually Wired Festival, on May 5th at the E Street Cinema in DC.

Considering this is a ThinkTalk blog, it would be crazy to think that I wouldn't mention how much I enjoying interning here. I found out about ThinkTalk when they came to the Art Institute to gather questions for Kevin Heffernan that aired on Directors Cut. Internships are beneficial but only if the intern is willing to light their own lamp. In my experiences, I found that if I do the footwork and maintain a willingness to learn, I will gain the necessary experience and more. The bare minimum is never enough.