By Amber-Lily Webster
My experience at BearJam Productions has been such an invaluable opportunity. From the moment I arrived, everyone made me feel incredibly welcome, and in just one week, I learnt so much about the creative industry and how a production company operates behind the scenes.
During my internship, I mainly completed administrative tasks to help the team prepare for upcoming shoots. This included answering emails from potential clients, taking calls from studios, creating call sheets and staff rotas, and writing blog posts for the website. I even got the chance to make some movie-themed quizzes for the team, which I thoroughly enjoyed!
While these tasks gave me a great insight into the day-to-day running of the company, my highlight was definitely getting the opportunity to sit in on production meetings. Hearing the team discuss shoot setups, equipment requirements and the planning involved in each production day was fascinating and showed me just how much preparation goes into every project.
One meeting in particular stood out to me - a virtual viewing. This was by far my favourite experience during the internship. Not only did I get to watch the interview streamed live from New York, but I also got a behind-the-scenes look at how the team prioritises shots and camera angles during production. As someone whose dream is to work in cinematography and to visit New York someday, this felt like the perfect opportunity for me, and I’m so grateful I got to be part of it.
Throughout my time at BearJam, I had the chance to meet people from many different departments after arranging meetings across the company. Everyone was incredibly friendly, supportive and always happy to answer questions, which made the experience even more enjoyable.
I particularly loved hearing about Jakob’s role in editing and Sarah’s work in animation, as these are areas I’d love to gain more experience in myself. I was able to see the editing process first-hand and learn more about programmes such as Premiere Pro, After Effects and DaVinci Resolve. One thing I quickly realised is how multifaceted every role within the company is, with everyone collaborating across departments and balancing multiple responsibilities at once.
I’d also like to specifically thank Phoebe for helping me create a professional CV and cover letter. Before starting my internship, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but support like this made me feel genuinely encouraged and confident about applying for jobs in the future.
Thank you so much to the entire BearJam team for welcoming me into the company. It has honestly been one of my favourite experiences, and that is entirely down to the amazing people I met during my time there. I feel like I’ve learnt so much, gained valuable insight into the industry, and picked up so many helpful tips for pursuing a career in production myself.