The Hollywood Fringe Festival couldn’t operate without the help of a team of volunteers and interns. This year, we have five stellar interns: Bex (FringeTV Production Intern), Caroline (FringeTV Editor Intern), Grace (Fringe Central Production Intern), Irina (Communications Intern) and Jamie (Volunteer Intern). We asked them all a little about their experiences in the questionnaire below.

Who are you and where did you come from?

BEX: One time someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up and I said an airport. I have not been invited back to their house.

CAROLINE: My name is Caroline Michaels and I am from Charlottesville, Virginia and I go to University in St Andrews, Scotland.

IRINA: I’m an avid TV viewer and movie goer, originally from the San Fernando Valley. I like to think of myself as a very happy person but my choice of super sad music begs to differ. Did I mention how much I love my Netflix? Because I do.

GRACE: I’m Grace Wang, and I’m a Junior at USC studying theater design with a minor in architecture.

JAMIE: I’m Jamie and I’m the Volunteer Intern and I come from HERE. (Los Angeles) (But I live in Waltham, Massachusetts 8 months out of the year for school now, which is kind of trippy.)

What were you expecting of this internship?

BEX: I expected to script supervise and run sound and observe. Lots of observing. And I was hoping to have fun! Because that’s an important aspect of life.

CAROLINE: I was expecting to meet a lot of people who were passionate about the arts and super fun to work with.

IRINA: I honestly did not know what to expect because this was the first time I had ever been involved with the theater community.

GRACE: I expected the internship to be very hands on and I thought it would be very similar to the PA jobs I have done for film and theater productions before.

JAMIE: I was expecting to learn the ins and outs and daily whosits and whatsits of an open arts festival while helping out a bunch of crazy theatre people.

What is it really?

BEX: AMAZING. In all caps. That’s what it is. I get to do so many things. Silly past me, thinking you wouldn’t be a part of the action. Get your act together past self. You’re gonna work.

CAROLINE: I’d say my expectations were pretty accurate!

IRINA: Well since you asked again, I did expect there to be more fireworks. What’s up with that?

GRACE: This internship indeed provides me a very hands-on opportunity to beautify/decorate the space for each event. I have formed close relationship with my coordinator Zay Weaver and have learned how to construct space with a very small budget. I really appreciate the fact that Zay lets me make many design decisions, which makes me feel more like a staff member, not simply an intern.

JAMIE: Everything. It’s a crazy good time with a bunch of wonderfully insane theatre people who care about their work and the space they are creating for theatre in Hollywood against the widely held belief that it’s “not a theatre city.” It’s getting to see 4 shows in one day and talking about the Fringe as part of Street Team in between to spread the news about the festival. It’s learning from people who are dedicated to the arts and passionate about this huge endeavor. It’s talking to artists and hearing about their processes in creating their productions. It’s working with volunteers who care about local theatre and offer their own time to give back to the community. It is being part of a supportive family that wants everyone to succeed. (blah blah blah cheese cheese cheese)

What surprised you about this internship?

BEX: Fringe makes Hollywood this little village. The community is so close to each other that no matter where you are, you’ll find someone else who just — gets it.

CAROLINE: I was surprised how many people it takes to put on an event like this and how much they work around the clock to put it all together.

IRINA: I was really surprised by how much I actually enjoyed myself. It was great to see firsthand how dedicated Fringers are to their work and their craft. They all genuinely enjoy what they do and it’s something I hope I can have someday.

GRACE: I was surprised at the relatively small leadership group in comparison to its scale and impact, and I’m the only intern under Zay. However, it is really cool because I get to be very involved with Fringe everyday.

JAMIE: Irn Bru is in the United States?!(What didn’t surprise me was that it was as awful as I thought it would be)

What’s been your favorite moment of Fringe so far?

BEX: My favorite moment? Are parents expected to pick their favorite child? (Edit that: are a large majority of parents able to admit they have a favorite child?) Everyday brings a new favorite moment. But I can say that being forced to try IronBru was not one of them. Screw that child.

CAROLINE: It would have to be filming our intern sketch where my character was conveniently described as “awkward.”

IRINA: My favorite moment so far was hanging out in Bryan’s bar during the live band karaoke at Fringe Rocks. It was so fun watching folks showcase their talent.

GRACE: Dressing up as a freak. Although it is by no means related to my internship or career path, it is super fun to interact with other people and dance around since no one would recognize you!

JAMIE: Watching Fringe staffers and participants kill it in live band karaoke at Fringe rocks. Absolutely.

Be honest—should we call this a “Fringeternship”?

BEX: I would expect nothing less. Also please call this an “internview.”

CAROLINE: Yes totally because its clever and awesome.

IRINA: YES. I’m always a fan of a good portmanteau. Fringeship is also another favorite.

GRACE: No, I don’t get the wordplay…Fringe+internship=Fringeternship? I like Fringeship better.

JAMIE: Well…

What’s your legacy 100 years from now?

BEX: I will become the overlord and rewrite history. I created Nutella. I also wrote Hamlet.

CAROLINE: Hopefully that I was a really fun gal. I’m going to leave my grandchildren a treasure hunt which spans all of North America. I’ve just decided that while filling out this questionnaire.

IRINA: My children’s children and the traditions and values they learn from me.

GRACE: Influencing people’s lives through my designs in theatre, film or TV production (hopefully).

JAMIE: Everyone will put the Eat This chips on their sandwiches and the world will live in harmony.

Any advice for next year’s interns?

BEX: Wilcox has good parking. Work on your dance moves.

CAROLINE: Be prepared to work hard!

IRINA: Keep an open mind and throw yourself into everything that you do. Don’t limit yourself to just your tasks and immerse yourself in the Fringe Festival. It’s definitely worth it.

GRACE: Clear your schedule for the entire duration of the festival, so you can get a full experience, not only in the area you are good at, but other areas that you have never worked on. Extra help is always appreciated at Fringe. On top of that, find time to see the amazing shows!

JAMIE: See as many shows as you can, be uncomfortable and talk to as many people as you can, listen, learn, and eat popcorn!

Stage Raw Discounted Advertising

One of our newest media partners, Stage Raw, is offering a 20% advertising discount for Fringe participants. Inquire @stageraw. Learn more about Stage Raw here. We think they’re pretty awesome.

KPCC

For the fourth year in a row, KPCC will be partnering with the Hollywood Fringe and we couldn’t be more excited. You’ll see their logo on Fringe venue signs and you’ll hear promotional spots for the festival on 89.3 KPCC throughout the month of June.

To apply for any of these internships, send a cover letter and resume to [email protected].

Support Intern
The Fringe Support Team is looking for individuals with an interest in fast-paced festival administration, participant services, and problem solving!

Qualifications

• Customer service and/or administrative experience.
• Candidates are expected to have a working knowledge of participant expectations and the registration process.
• Keen eye for detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills a must.

Responsibilities

• The Intern will act as the one of the first points of contact for Hollywood Fringe Festival participants and aid in expediting requests and concerns sent to support.
• Intern will assist in delegating support requests to festival staff, organizing support “triage,” as well as assisting in on-site participant services.
• Intern must be well versed in the Fringe website.
• Intern may also be responsible for aiding support related queries by phone.

What You Will Gain

• As an integral member of support services, the Intern will learn the ins and outs of the festival, aiding participants in areas such as registration, finding a venue, meeting deadlines, marketing, ticketing, and settlement.
• The Intern will receive hands on festival experience, and can expect to increase his/her understanding of support services and agent interface.

Details

• Immediate availability for remote training.
• This internship will require up to 20 hours per week in June, a majority of which will be spent responding to emails to maintain our 24 hour response time.

FringeTV Production Intern (1-2 Interns)
Applicants are encouraged to watch an episode or two of FringeTV 2013.

Qualifications

• Interest in film production, including camera, sound, lighting, and script supervision.
• Flexibility, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to take direction.
• Strong verbal communication skills a must.
• Willingness to perform a variety of tasks and eagerness to participate a must.
• Should have proficiency in Google Docs (especially spreadsheets). Ability to bring/use personal laptop on the job a plus.
• Production experience a plus but not required (note prior experience in application).

Responsibilities

• The Production Intern will directly assist Hollywood Fringe staff in the production of FringeTV by performing a variety of production tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Work may include making sure the team stays on schedule, helping set up shots, conducting interviews, running sound, taking photos, and more.
• The Intern will act as a script supervisor, assistant director and production assistant. There will be opportunities to use the camera and give creative input.
• The Intern will assist by providing comprehensive visual coverage of the festival (with photos and video), both independently and according to a pre-set schedule.
• The Intern will work closely with the Assistant Editor to sort through footage.
• The Intern will also assist with a variety of daily tasks like cleanup and errands.

What You Will Gain

• Intern can expect to gain hands on experience in film production and leadership by working in various production roles.
• Intern will learn about camera equipment and have the opportunity to use equipment.
• Intern will see direct results of efforts as FringeTV goes online during the festival.

Details

• Full availability in June (30+ hours per week).

FringeTV Assistant Editor Intern
Applicants are encouraged to watch an episode or two of FringeTV 2013.

Qualifications

• Interest in film post-production, specifically editing.
• Intern should have at least a basic level of experience with Final Cut Pro and should be proficient in basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• Intern will work closely with the FringeTV Production Team and editor to help streamline the post-production process.
• Work will primarily include data entry and organization for the FringeTV editor.
• Intern will pick up data from the Production Team and be responsible for making copies, compressing video, syncing audio, and organizing Final Cut projects before transporting hardware from the festival to the FringeTV editor’s home.
• Organizing and processing footage with help from the Production Intern.
  Completing and uploading participant interviews will be the intern’s first big project. This will involve minor edits.

What You Will Gain

• Intern can expect to gain experience in post-production and editing.
• Intern will have the opportunity to work closely with the FringeTV editor to learn about editing in a fast-paced environment with quick turnaround.
• Intern will see direct results of efforts as FringeTV goes online during the festival.

Details

• Intern must provide own transportation (modest mileage reimbursement provided).
• Full availability in June (30+ hours per week).

FringeTV Social Media & Communications Intern
Applicants are encouraged to watch an episode or two of FringeTV 2013.

Qualifications

• Interest in film publicity, social media (especially YouTube and Flickr), and communications. Any experience in these areas a plus.
• Intern should be proficient in basic computer skills.

Responsibilities

• The Intern will assist that Hollywood Fringe staff, including the Communications Director, with increasing visibility for FringeTV videos.
• Once videos have been posted, the Intern will be responsible for tagging and writing descriptions for the videos and communicating with the appropriate staff members to make sure they are shared on other social media channels. Additionally, the Intern will help with YouTube annotations and bulletins on the FringeTV channel.
• When participant interview videos are posted, Intern will inform the interviewee.
• Intern will work closely with the Festival Director to coordinate social media posts on Facebook and Twitter.
• Intern will act as a representative of the festival when dealing with artists and audience members.
• With help from the Assistant Editor, the Intern will select and upload photos to Flickr.
• Intern will write blog posts for the Fringe blog to promote videos each week.

What You Will Gain

• Intern can expect to gain a good understanding of the dynamic between FringeTV and the Fringe Festival, increasing his/her knowledge of social media and how it directly impacts festival visibility and participation.
• Intern will gain valuable public relations experience.

Details

• 20+ hours a week throughout the month of June.

Volunteer Intern
Volunteers are the lifeblood of Fringe! Applicants should be excited to work with festival volunteers and learn the ins and outs of the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Qualifications

• Specific desire to be involved in the festival on a day to day basis is a must.
• Background in customer service/administration desired.
• The ideal candidate possesses the ability to lead by example and understands having fun within a professional context.
• Ability to keep a level head in the midst of great fun and confusion.

Responsibilities

• Volunteer management, deployment, and supervision at festival events.
• Intern serves as a point of contact between festival staff and other volunteers.
• Intern represents the festival at various public community events, and ensures that volunteers are following festival codes of conduct.
• Daily tasks include keeping work space clean and organized, running staff errands, and assisting Front of House with stocking/organizing merchandise.
• Intern will spend most time in the social space managing volunteers and fulfilling staff requests for help.

What You Will Gain

• Intern can expect to gain experience in management and administration.
• Intern will receive hands on festival experience and become well-versed in all aspects of the Fringe Festival.

Details

• 25-30 hours a week in the month of June.
• Hours may vary from morning obligations to late night hours, possibly until 2 or 3 am.
• This internship requires working six days a week, minimum four hours per day.
• Intern will work directly under the Volunteer Coordinator.

Fringe Central Production Intern
Applicants should enjoy creativity and physical labor.

Qualifications

• Ability to lift heavy objects (up to 75lbs) without assistance.
• A knowledge of and experience with power tools (owning tools a plus).
• Not scared of heights or ladders.
• Can follow simple verbal instructions quickly and efficiently.
• Positive, can-do attitude, punctuality, and clear communication skills.
• A background in design, architecture, carpentry, art, or technical theater preferred.

Responsibilities

• Work will primarily include creating interactive architecture and exciting environments within Fringe Central Station for Fringe parties and special events – working with Fringe Central Production Team to design, build, set, and strike.
• Intern may be asked to run errands/pick-ups/drop-offs, gather supplies, etc, to streamline the production process.
• Intern may be left unsupervised to complete projects and must be able to produce said projects with confidence, style, and integrity under a deadline.
• Intern may be responsible for painting, hanging lights, festoons, paper mache, and other artistic endeavors.

What You Will Gain

• Intern can expect to gain hands-on experience designing and building large-scale installations.
• Intern will see the direct fruits of his/her labor at Fringe events.

Details

• Intern must provide own transportation (modest mileage reimbursement provided).
• There will be heavy days of work with little-to-no work in between. Expect to work every Saturday, most Wednesdays and be on call to work Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays in the month of June. Mondays will always be off.

Thanks to everyone who applied to be our Volunteer Coordinator! We had a great pool of applicants and it was a difficult choice. Ultimately we decided on the amazing Stina Pederson, who has been volunteering for the past couple years. You can meet her in person if you volunteer, but in the meantime, here’s a little letter she wrote to tell you more about herself.

Here’s Stina as the Blue Freak in 2012

Hi Fringers!

I am thrilled to be joining the Hollywood Fringe Festival as the new Volunteer Coordinator. I began participating in the festival as a volunteer in 2012. My first Fringe memory is of putting on a Fringe Freak bodysuit in the backseat of Stacy Jones Hill’s car on the way to the WeHo Pride Parade. It was that kind of intimate, weird, and oh-so-fun experience that brought me back the following year to volunteer once more. When I saw that the festival was seeking a Volunteer Coordinator, I jumped at the chance to be an integral part of pulling people in and immersing them in the glory that is Hollywood Fringe.

I first got a taste of the fringe theatre scene in Seattle, WA, where I produced and stage managed a zero-budget and beautifully directed and acted stage version of Dylan Thomas’ Under Milk Wood. I wanted to make more art and I happened to be engaged to an actor who always wanted to make more art, so we set out from Seattle in 2008 on a journey around the world with grand dreams of earning our keep on the streets—as buskers, of course.

Our journey brought us to Los Angeles, the perfect place for my now-husband to keep acting and for me to pursue other artistic passions like writing and music while still being involved in producing. I’m so thankful I landed at the Fringe Festival, which reminds me of my first foray into fringe theatre and gives me the opportunity to keep that part of me alive and kicking.

This year will be awesome. I can’t wait to get former and new volunteers and interns plugged into the vibrant community of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Look out for upcoming Volunteer Orientations and follow the Hollywood Fringe Volunteer Twitter account (@hffvolunteer) to stay up-to-date on volunteer opportunities and the witty stuff I might say.

Stina