Vandy in Hollywood Summer Internship Program 2024

Vandy in Hollywood (ViH) is a nationally recognized summer internship program that helps VU students make connections and obtain coveted experiences in Hollywood. Founded in 2006 by television writer Chad Gervich (‘96) and streaming executive Rich Hull (’92), the program operates with the support of the Vanderbilt Career Center and Vanderbilt Alumni Relations, as well as hundreds of Vanderbilt alumni volunteers working in Hollywood. Vandy in Hollywood has placed students into internships at virtually every major film studio, television network, production company, and talent agency in Hollywood, and it supports those students with weekly speaker sessions, one-on-one alumni mentors, tickets to red carpet film premieres, and other events.

Vandy in Hollywood students needing monetary assistance may apply for a stipend. 

Timeline:

December 6, 2023 - Application opens on Handshake

February 9, 2024 - Application closes on Handshake

February 2024 - ViH Alumni Interviews

March - April 2024 - Internship interviews and placements

May 2024 - Sendoff meeting with summer 2024 cohort

June - August 2024 - Speaker series, mentorship program, and other exciting events! 

August 2024 - End-of-Summer Bash

APPLICATION

Please complete the following information. The deadline to submit your application is 11:59 pm CT on Friday, February 9th, 2024. Simply fill out the application and upload it as a PDF along with your resume and cover letter to Handshake. If you have any questions, please contact Lindsey Carroll (lindsey.l.carroll@vanderbilt.edu). 

Name: [First and Last here] 

Vanderbilt email address: [Type here] 

Phone number: [Type here] 

VU NetID: [Type here] 

Major (include Minor if applicable): [Type here] 

Expected Graduation Date: [Type here] 

Are you hoping to obtain an in-person internship or virtual? [Type here] 

Please indicate the one or two internship areas that interest you the most by highlighting items from the list below: 

Producer

Marketing

Music

Writer/Director

Online/Mobile

Actor

Television Network

Agent/Manager

Post-Production

Film Studio

Public Relations

Legal

Other

Companies participating in ViHSIP do not expect you to have real-world entertainment experience. However, what experiences in your life — professional or otherwise — have created your interest in a professional internship in Hollywood? [Type here] 

When you flash-forward 10, 15, 20 years, what do you see yourself doing in Hollywood — and what are the strengths, skills, and interests that will help you excel? You may be able to answer this with a specific job title and description (“I want to direct multi-camera family comedies like The Connors”), but if you don’t have a specific job title and description, that’s fine, too — you can answer this by describing your ideal job. (“I want to work with writers, producers, and performers, shaping stories and projects,” or “I enjoy helping people, whether that’s offering professional advice or making introductions between friends and colleagues.”) Either way, look into your crystal ball and describe for us what you hope to be seen doing professionally in Hollywood. [Type here] 

Working in Hollywood requires creativity and vision, but it’s also a business that requires strong “soft skills” such as punctuality, professionalism, reliability, follow-through, etc. Please describe what work-place experiences you have had… and how they have shaped you as a professional. In other words: what kind of co-worker is your employer getting? What are your professional strengths — and where/when/how/why did you get them? (Btw: “professional” does not have to mean “paid”; volunteering, helping at a family business, etc. can count as “professional.”) [Type here] 

There are many types of jobs and internships in Hollywood, and each has different requirements, expectations, and needs different skill sets. Considering what you’d like to do in Hollywood in the future, what do you (ideally) hope to be learning and doing in an internship this summer? Your answers could/should include “hard skills” (learning how to write script coverage, make a shortlist, etc.) as well as soft skills (learning how to network in Hollywood, manage clients, promote pieces of work, etc.). [Type here] 

Have you practiced interviewing, resume writing, company research, etc. at the Career Center? If you feel like these resources would strengthen your candidacy, you can schedule a coaching appointment with your Career Coach through Handshake. You can also attend drop-in hours (found here). What are a few steps on your ‘action plan’ that you should complete to be a better candidate? [Type here] 

What are the best and worst movies and/or TV shows you’ve seen this year… and why? [Type here]