Lincoln, Neb.--Kathryn Christensen, a senior emerging media arts and business administration major from Bennington, Nebraska, is one of 40 students selected for the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship program.
The Foundation offers paid internships at top Hollywood studios and production companies annually to college students nationwide.
“At the risk of sounding like a cliché, it is a dream come true,” she said. “Ever since my sophomore year, when I was introduced to this internship program by a professor, I have hoped for an opportunity as exciting as this. Being paired with FX, which is known for bold series like “Shogun” and “The Bear,” is the perfect opportunity to learn from top industry professionals and gain hands-on experience in series development at a network.”
Christensen will begin her eight-week program June 16 as The Walt Disney/FX Original Programming intern at the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, California.
“As an FX Original Programming Intern, I’ll work across the development, current series and casting departments as they collaborate with talent and producers to bring show concepts to the production stage,” she said. “I expect to assist with a variety of tasks, including writing coverage on incoming script submissions and drafts. Script coverage is a review and analysis of a screenplay to determine its potential for a network’s acquisition. Development executives and producers receive the feedback that development interns write and use it to make decisions on whether the project is a good fit for the overarching vision of the company.”
It's an area in which Christensen has been interested.
“Ever since I started interning with development teams two years ago, I have really developed a passion for the process and discovered it’s where my analytical and creative skills converge most naturally. The tasks it involves, like brainstorming notes on scripts and pitching ideas, suit my strengths,” she said.
Christensen, who graduates in August, was drawn to the emerging media arts program because of the strong arts community and the comprehensive curriculum the program provides.
“Now at the end of my college career in Lincoln, I’ve come to find that the arts are fluid, and that exposure and experimentation with different influences only strengthens creativity,” she said. “It’s a more nontraditional background than a typical film school education, and a strength it has given me in my professional experience is the ability to bring unconventional ideas to the table.”
Christensen has had a number of highlights during her time at Nebraska, including studying global filmmaking techniques at the University of Westminster in London.
“I also worked on a documentary about the Peaceful Means organization’s impact on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, which was a rare opportunity to craft a very meaningful narrative with other students,” she said. “I also learned a great deal while collaborating with my talented EMA cohort on a Western short film that I wrote and directed. This eventually led to an international premiere in Spain, which my producers and I were able to attend thanks to funding from the Carson Center.”
Christensen hopes to gain valuable experience through this Academy internship.
“I’m incredibly excited to work with the team at FX because of their history of creating boundary-pushing, experimental content, and I think its position within Disney’s entertainment portfolio will offer a unique perspective on how networks operate within larger corporate structures, which is increasingly important in today’s media landscape,” she said. “I’m also eager to refine certain practical skills, such as script analysis and pitching, while building relationships with industry professionals who can mentor me as I grow.”
She hopes her success encourages other students to pursue their own pathways in the arts.
“Coming from Bennington with no industry connections to working in television at Disney feels surreal, and I think it underscores the professional opportunities available to all students at UNL and the Carson Center,” Christensen said. “I’m deeply grateful for the support of my family, friends and faculty who have helped me reach this point. I hope other Huskers feel empowered to pursue bold and ambitious paths in the arts, and I can’t wait to see where this experience leads.”
