Chris Perez '18 watches a film in the digital media screening room at UNH Manchester.
After trying out different schools and taking a few years off from college, Chris Perez '18 was drawn to UNH Manchester for its proximity to home and state-of-the-art facilities for his degree program. As a Communication Arts major, Perez has taken advantage of the on-campus recording and video production studios, high-definition editing lab and digital media screening room. Perez has brought those skills outside the classroom in his internship at Waves Media, a full-service video production firm in Salem, NH. We caught up with Perez to get some insight into his experience.
Why sparked your interest in communication arts?
I chose Communication Arts because I have always been interested in video and media production and hoped that studying it at UNH Manchester would give me the skills I needed to take my passion to a professional level.
How did your internship come about, and what’s your typical day on the job there?
Honestly, I just emailed the company and asked if they were interested in an intern. There really is no typical day at Waves Media. Every week I am responsible for producing and editing a brief video segment for their YouTube channel, and researching and writing a blog post of their website. Outside of those duties, I am always helping out with location shoots, setting up and breaking down equipment and helping keep things organized and ready for the next shoot.
How does what you’re learning in the Communication Arts program prepare you for your internship?
My video production classes helped prepare me for all of the video production I do. Filming and editing, as well as working with clients, is something I gained experience with during an independent study.
What are your hopes for after graduation?
Ideally, I would like to find myself in a job doing similar things to what my internship entails, producing video content. My hope is that I will find a job doing this in the Greater Boston Area. Someday I like to think I might go to grad school for screenwriting, which I very much enjoyed at UNH Manchester. I would love to do it professionally for movies and television.
What is your advice for students considering an internship?
Apply early and try everywhere, even if they haven’t posted an internship. My internship was not a posted position, but they still took me on.
