NEWS

Local Angles: Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Greensboro, Summerfield,
Tryon, Wilmington, Wilson; Hollywood, Calif.; Tampa, Fla.;
Dallas; Southold, N.Y.; Calgary, Canada

Note: Students participating this summer are listed at the end of this release.

Heels go Hollywood in internships that often lead to jobs in show biz

By DEE REID
UNC College of Arts and Sciences

CHAPEL HILL -- Picture this: A dozen smart college students head for Hollywood for the summer. They work in internships at studios, production houses and talent agencies during the day and learn from big-shot producers, screenwriters and directors at night.

It’s hard work, but they learn the ropes of the entertainment business, and most end up with great jobs on the West Coast after graduation. And the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill would like to thank the academy – that is, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -- for a recent $10,000 grant to continue its support for the program that makes these experiences possible.

The grant counts toward the Carolina First campaign goal of $1.8 billion. Carolina First is a comprehensive, multi-year, private fund raising campaign to support Carolina’s vision of becoming the nation’s leading public university.

The academy, which brings us the Oscars, has helped fund the UNC Hollywood Internship Program since 1995. The program also is supported by a gift from UNC alumnus Ken Lowe, president and chief operating officer of E.W. Scripps Co. of Cincinnati, and UNC’s summer school, communication studies department and College of Arts and Sciences.

This summer, 12 Carolina students are working in screenwriting, production, editing, publicity, equipment purchase, project development and analysis of consumer markets and trends. They participate in writer meetings and "pitch" sessions, analyze scripts for producers and review casting possibilities, said program director Paul Edwards, a Carolina alumnus and successful Hollywood screenwriter and director ("Quincy," "Fall Guy," "Knightrider" and "Fighting Words").

"These students will learn in one month what it took me over five years to learn," Edwards said. "They will participate in activities that many professionals in the industry would die for."

Students will meet the cast and crew of Edwards’ latest film, "Fighting Words." They will discuss the business with UNC alumnus and director Peyton Reed ("Down with Love" and "Bring It On") and producer Walter Coblenz ("All the President’s Men" and "The Candidate").

The interns also will visit "The Tonight Show"; Karen Miller, a programming executive for The Reality Channel; Julien Thuan, a feature film literary agent; John Simmons, director of photography for "Once Upon a Time When We Were Colored" and "The Ruby Bridges Story;" and alumnus Rick Dees, producer and DJ for KIIS-FM.

Since it began in 1992, UNC Hollywood has compiled a great track record for helping students land jobs, said Dr. Bill Balthrop, professor of communication studies and chair of that department.

"About 65 percent of the 120 students who have participated have gone on to work in the entertainment business in Los Angeles," he said. "Others have gone to graduate school or related jobs in other cities, including Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago."

The program, based in the communication studies department, also highlights the value of networking. For example, alumni David Tennant and Wan Park once interned for producer and alumnus Bill Martin, now executive producer of the television show "Grounded for Life." Tennant and Park now work for the show, and thanks to these connections, another intern will be placed there this summer.

Students are selected for the internships based on talent (films or scripts they have already written or produced), commitment to careers in the entertainment industry, knowledge of films and television and academic performance.

The internships are among a range of opportunities now available to UNC students interested in entertainment careers. This year, the university’s College of Arts and Sciences launched a new interdisciplinary program in writing for the screen and stage. Former Hollywood producer David Sontag, a UNC communication studies professor, directs the program, taught by faculty in the departments of communication studies, dramatic art and English.

Last year, the college hired two award-winning veterans of film and television to teach directing, acting and writing for screen and stage: Director Joan Darling, a two-time-Emmy Award winner, and her husband, screenwriter, song writer and playwright Bill Svanoe.

Students with Hollywood internships this summer, their hometowns and their Hollywood assignments are listed below by North Carolina town and by state for out-of-state students:

Chapel Hill
Coleman Herbert will work at the award-winning television program "King of the Hill," which is co-produced by UNC alumni Dave Krinsky and John Altschuler.

Jake Werner will intern at Birns and Sawyer, a camera rental house.

Charlotte
Matt Cochrane will intern in Venice, Calif., at Digital Domain, a production company founded by director James Cameron as a special-effects house for "Titanic."

Greensboro
Ryan Rubio will work at Kopleson Entertainment, the company that produced "Platoon" and other major motion pictures.

Summerfield
Justin Redmond will intern with alumnus and former intern Michael Vislar at Crest National, a post-production lab.

Tryon
Duncan Pittman will intern for "The Bernie Mac Show."

Wilmington
Paul Glaser will work on the television program "Grounded for Life" with executive producer and alumnus Bill Martin.

Wilson
Heather Guay will work at 3 Arts Entertainment, a talent management agency.

Out-of-state
Brian Ferguson of Tampa, Fla., will work with alumnus John Secunda at NBC studios in Burbank.

Molly Marnon of Southold, N.Y., will intern for Nick on Sunset, a production arm of Nickelodeon.

John Maberry of Dallas will work with alumnus Michael Piller at Piller Squared Productions, which produces the television show "The Dead Zone." Piller, co-creator of two Star Trek television series, also was screenwriter for the 1998 movie "Star Trek: Insurrection." That year, he pledged $500,000 to UNC to launch the screenwriting program that will begin this fall.

Michael Peterson of Calgary, Canada, will work at Scott Free Productions, the company of Ridley Scott and Tony Scott, producers of "Bladerunner" and many other major motion pictures.

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Contact: Dee Reid, UNC College of Arts and Sciences, (919) 843-6339