Film & Media Studies Jobs and Internships

What media-related career paths have Amherst alumni forged?

Amherst alumni work across media and entertainment in a wide range of roles: as directors, agents, producers, screenwriters, designers, lawyers, actors, and in business/finance. Several alumni have made industry in-roads by interning at talent agencies, or participating in the NBC Page Program.

More established alumni from classes in the '80s and '90s are powerful players in L.A. and New York: they run networks, represent top talent, and are behind award-winning television and films. They work at United Talent Agency, Fremantle Media, HBO, Sony, Showtime, ABC News, the Discovery Channel, the Food Network, and many more.

Young alumni have already made their way into companies like Disney, A24, Annapurna Pictures, Fox Searchlight, NBC, Viacom/Comedy Central, NFL Media, and Netflix. FAMS grads, in particular, are doing great work as freelance producers/content creators at places like Gizmodo, Fast Company, and Mass Appeal. 

How do I find a job or internship related to film and media?

• Set up an appointment with Carla Costa (Program Director, Careers in Arts and Communications) at the Loeb Center. Carla helps students to identify their skills, develop competitive job and internship applications, to find a great match, and to be introduced to the right alumni. The Loeb Center site has some great resources to get ou started.
• Amherst Careers In Arts & Communication provides exposure to a variety of options, professional development opportunities, and career advising to help students launch successful careers in the arts, including theater, music, dance, education, administration and more. The most important thing you can do to stay informed of the opportunities and events relevant to you is to register your career interests in Handshake. Also be sure to read the weekly emailed newsletter "Career Columns" so you don’t miss out great programs and opportunities.

How can I meet and network with professionals in the field?

• If you are interested in meeting employers at top media companies apply for the Future Now Media Conference. Deadline to apply is May 1, 2022 (update: application will stay open until all spots are filled, 5.24.22).
• If you are interested in documentary and independent film and feel your community is underrepresented on screens and in the industry, check out the Five College Flaherty Summer Program. Alumni of this program wrote: "At the seminar, I talked to curators, archivists, film professors, installation artists and of course, the filmmakers. This was really inspiring for me as someone who just graduated to realize that career options are not limited for students interested in film" and "Before attending the Flaherty, I had absolutely NO idea where I was going. I was studying film, sure, but where was that going to lead me? What am I going to do when I get out of college? The ‘film industry’ can most likely feel closed off to students, especially students of color. What the Flaherty did for me was expose me to the countless number of careers that are sustainable in the path I wish to pursue." Applications for the 2022 program are now closed. Apps for 2023 will open in January 2023.