Senior receives Television Academy internship
calendar icon24 Jul 2013
Cory Soukup, a film and new media senior in the Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is the recipient of a prestigious internship from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation.
Associate Professor of Film Sharon Teo-Gooding is thrilled that the Carson School has two students this summer who received these prestigious internships.
“To have two in one summer, when we only have 40 majors? That’s incredible,” she said. “I’m so excited.”
Announcement ends a long wait
“When I got the call, I think I said, ‘Holy s---’ about 20 times and then apologized 21 times for swearing,” Soukup said. “I was shocked that I had actually received it, but relieved that I finally had an answer.”
Soukup had to turn in extra materials before being selected, enduring a nearly three-month process before he found out he had been selected last week.
“It has been a very long process,” Soukup said.
He applied initially on a whim.
“I applied kind of on a whim because it seemed like something a college student should do,” he said. “It’s this crazy, prestigious internship that I figured I had no shot of getting, but it’d be cool to tell family members that I’m going out for it and not totally wasting my time in college. I was thrilled just making it to the next round and now that I’m here, and I have it, I’m simultaneously shocked, ecstatic and convinced there was some kind of mistake.”
Internship affirms a lifelong interest
Soukup’s internship is in the category of comedy writing, and he will be working at Paramount Studios for a new Nickelodeon television series called “Instant Mom.”
Teo-Gooding said Soukup is a natural at comedy.
“He’s a good student, and he’s always been funny. That’s just the way he is,” Teo-Gooding said. “Comedy is his life. He will always find a way to put a light-hearted slant in his work.”
Soukup said his interest in film began at an early age.
“I got interested in film when I realized my body was too frail and busted up to be good at sports,” he said. “So that was like 8 [years old]. I would get hurt and ended up having to stay on a couch, so I just watched movies all the time. I knew I loved comedies and writing, too, so everything just kind of came together.”
A comedy short film he wrote and produced titled “Syndicated” won best picture last year in the Carson School’s annual film awards. Soukup also worked on the Carson Film Series film, “Digs,” as script supervisor apprentice.
“I keep busy writing scripts and try to have a project I’m working on,” Soukup said.
He’s excited to begin working at Paramount Studios.
“I don’t know my exact duties yet, but I assume I’ll be working in the writer’s room helping pitch stories and help punch up scripts,” Soukup said. “Or probably just getting coffee for people.”