“Show me, don’t tell me” is the Hollywood mantra. In the classroom, workplace or one-on-one, “real life, real people” experiences are the way to learn.

Many internships provide valuable experience, but are unpaid; others come with a stipend, letting students learn by doing, while earning the money needed to complete their studies.

Women helping women. Here are just a few ways we do it:

• Atlanta. The WIF/GM College Lecture Series Internships gave seven entry-level WIF members the opportunity to earn $500, college credit and on-the-job experience working on local film and television productions. The 2005 College Lecture Series pilot school was Clark Atlanta University, part of the Atlanta University Center, the largest consortium of African American higher education in the United States.
• Atlanta. The WIF/Atlanta Intern Program provides women with film/communications degrees and/or entry-level knowledge of the film industry with the opportunity to interact with industry professionals. Interns work in the WIF/Atlanta office for a total of 30 days during the Internship period, providing clerical support to the organization's general operations, as well as to its member and program activities and events. Work schedules are flexible, and interns are allowed to attend all WIF/Atlanta programs during their internship, giving them access to industry leaders who can positively impact their careers.
• Dallas. Through a local non-credit intern program, WIF/Dallas offers members a chance to learn, be in contact with and help film and television professionals. Work schedules can be personalized to accommodate the needs of each intern. WIF/Dallas also offers career assistance by tracking and posting other Dallas-area internships and entry-level jobs available in the film/video industry.
• Los Angeles. The WIF/Fulfillment Fund Summer Internship Program offers women undergraduates from diverse, economically disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to receive valuable work experience and networking opportunities through this LA-based placement program. Since 2001, 48 students have participated in the eight-week program, combining daily on-the-job experience with two days of pre-job training and ongoing weekly seminars.
• New York. As part of the New York Women In Film & Television Intern/Mentor Program, student interns work in the NYWIFT office, providing clerical support and assistance for the organization’s general operations, programs and events. Internships last three to four months and include 45 days of work, with work schedules being flexible. Interns are allowed to attend all of the chapter’s programs and film screenings during their internship and for two month’s afterward, offering invaluable opportunities to make important professional contacts. At the end of the internship, participants can elect to be matched with a mentor who specializes in their area of interest.

Check with your local WIF chapter to see if it offers similar work-study programs in your area.