Seacrest Studios is a unique environment for media-focused students to get involved with. Located in Boston Children’s Hospital, their mission is to provide entertainment to a community of doctors and patients through outstanding radio and television production. Past examples of their work include several appearances of VIP guests for interviews, meet-ups with patients, and live performances. Recent guests include popular musicians Charlie Puth and Ed Sheeran.
It’s this connection between entertainment and non-profit work that drew recent grad Molly McIntyre ’17 into her initial internship with the studio. A transfer student with a background in Biology and Pre-Med, Molly saw an internship with Seacrest Studios as an excellent opportunity to combine her interests and learn more about studio production. What she found in her experience was something totally unique and rewarding: A meeting place between personally enriching non-profit work and a chance for significant career development.
We caught up with Molly to kick off our features for Non-Profit Week and to learn more about her internship (as well as her current role as a full-time Production Assistant for the studio):
What originally drew you to Emerson College?
“I actually started out at UMass Amherst as a biology/pre-med major, but I realized I wasn’t 100% invested in it. I decided that I always loved movies and TV, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give screenwriting a shot. I took a film studies course at UMass to get a feel for it, and it was a good fit. After I checked out the VMA program at Emerson, everything clicked and I was filling out the transfer paperwork.”
What was your experience at Emerson like? Were you involved in any organizations?
“My experience at Emerson was kind of like jumping into the deep end to learn how to swim. Having been so focused on science and math courses up until that point, I really had no idea where to even start when it came to my production courses. Luckily Emerson is really hands-on, so by the end of my first semester there I had written a couple of scripts, shot a few short film projects for class, and dabbled in acting for classmates’ projects. I’m definitely not getting an Oscar anytime soon, but jumping out of my comfort zone like that upped my confidence and helped me branch out more for every subsequent project.”
How did you find the opportunity with Seacrest Studios?
“During my junior year, I realized I needed an internship after hearing everyone talking about theirs. So I jumped on LionHire (or Handshake now), and looked around for any local production opportunities. I saw the posting for Seacrest Studios, where they were asking for interns to plan and produce shows for patients at Boston Children’s Hospital. Since I started off college pre-med and then switched to television, it seemed oddly suited for me, so I just had to send in an application.”
What were some of the roles and responsibilities you had there?
“As an intern, I was responsible for helping out with live shows and pitching an original show to be made. An average day would consist of four live shows, which usually meant being on camera with any kids there, or running the broadcast equipment. In between shows, I’d prepare for any other scheduled shows, either by collecting content or planning out the technical aspects. Sometimes Max, our supervisor, would assign us projects, such as researching VIP guests, scheduling future shows, editing music for our channel, or any other production needs.”
Was there one particular memory you remember from interning there?
“It’s not really one memory, which is probably cheating, but I definitely have to go with the Lip Sync Battles we do. They were always great, whether the kids performing were wicked into it from the get-go or if they were timid at first and by the end they’re belting out “Let It Go” and refusing to leave. It’s always a good time.”
What is your current role with the studio?
“I’m currently the Production Assistant. My role mostly consists of running on-air shows with the interns, but I’m also available to assist Max, the Media Program Specialist, with any tasks or projects he needs me to. Usually these include planning the weekly show schedule, editing new music for our channel, tracking show statistics, maintaining the broadcasting equipment, and keeping the studio organized and clean. Because Max is more often than not busy with behind the scenes planning, I’m also usually training the interns in the studio during and in between live shows.”
Do you have any advice for current students seeking internships?
“I would say keep your mind and options open. I think some people, myself included, have a very specific idea of where they want to go post-college, but 99% of the time that’s not how it goes at all. Opportunities come from unexpected places, so I wouldn’t rule something out just because it doesn’t follow your plan exactly. A little improvisation here and there can open doors you never planned for.”
