Allison Wong

Snackbox Films
Internship Journal
Dublin, Ireland Study Abroad 2016

Table of Contents
Week 1....................................................................................................................... 3
Week 2....................................................................................................................... 4
Week 3....................................................................................................................... 5
Week 4....................................................................................................................... 6
Week 5....................................................................................................................... 7
Week 6....................................................................................................................... 8
Week 7....................................................................................................................... 9
Week 8..................................................................................................................... 10
Week 9..................................................................................................................... 11
Week 10................................................................................................................... 12
Week 11................................................................................................................... 13
Week 12................................................................................................................... 14
Week 13................................................................................................................... 15
Week 14................................................................................................................... 16
Week 15................................................................................................................... 17

Week 1

Complete Introduction Section: See on page 1 of Internship

Journals Description and Assignments

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What are the key events and features of this experience?
This week at Snackbox Films there wasnt much to do because our
supervisor and one of the owners of the company, Garry, was the only
one in office. He showed Charlie and I the most recent documentary
that his company made, called Older than Ireland. Charlie and I will be
assisting them with creating a social media presence for the film as
they will be showing it in the U.S. in March. In February they plan on
starting filming for another documentary, called Under the Clock.
Charlie and I will be able to assist with the filming of that along with
many other things. I cant wait! Garry is very helpful and generous, as
he told Charlie and me that if we ever wanted to film something on our
own while we are here, we could use the companys equipment. We
are definitely going to try to take advantage of that generous offer!

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
We didnt have too many tasks this week. Our first meeting was very informal
and Garry got to know us and we set a schedule. On Wednesday Garry
showed us the documentary and afterwards he asked Charlie and me what
we thought. This was beneficial for us because we got to ask questions about
how they did certain things. It was also beneficial for him because he got to
hear an American perspective on the film for the first time, especially
important since it will be showing in America in March. He then told us about
what they want to do on social media to make the film known in the U.S., and
how we are going to assist in that. He also talked about their next upcoming
projects. This experience had direct connections to what I want to do after
graduation because, even though they dont report the news, they tell
peoples stories in their documentaries. Essentially, reporting the news is
telling someones story and representing a community. So it was just nice to
see another form of storytelling.

Week 2

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What assumptions are you making about the people involved in this
experience, including yourself?
Ive only worked with one of the members, Garry, of Snackbox Films so
far. I think Im assuming that hes a pretty driven guy. He went to
college and started this business with two of his friends. He left a very
good job as a manager of a chain of cinemas in Ireland to start this
production company, and that is so cool to me. He made good money
at the job and left it to follow his true passion! The business seems to
be doing well, too. Their documentary, Older than Ireland, has been
doing very well in Ireland; its the second most successful Irish
documentary of all time! They even made a book for it! I also assume
that Garry is fairly laid back and he also seems very polite. Im excited
to work with him!
As for myself, I guess that Im assuming that Im a hard worker and
that others can tell that through the work I do. I plan on showing Garry
and the others that Im hard working and that Ill go the extra mile to
help them out.
o

What did you observe about your behaviour and actions and those of
others?
I feel like I was more relaxed this week since I had met Garry already
and got the awkward first meeting out of the way. He seemed to be the
same relaxed, polite and very easy to talk with.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
This week I helped to find contacts in the U.S. who would want to promote
their film. In March, Garry and one of the other owners will be travelling to
the U.S. to show their documentary in Boston, Chicago, Washington,
Syracuse, and even in Toronto in Canada. I looked for any Irish pub,
restaurant, bookstore or organization in those cities that we could reach out
to that could promote the movie. This took a while as I wanted to be really
thorough with my research. This task really has a direct connection to my
professional goals because when youre a journalist you have to constantly
be making contacts for your news stories. So this task was right up my alley!

Week 3

Learning Plan Draft Due

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What does this experience point out to you about your own attitudes,
biases, or preferences?
I think Ive realized that I prefer comfortable, predictable situations
because I like to always have a plan and know whats going on. But the
internship, and studying abroad as a whole, has already started to
teach me that you cant always have a plan.
o

What are you learning about yourself through this internship?

I think I am realizing that you just have to put your best foot forward
and good things will happen. I was a little worried about doing an
internship in a foreign country, but it has been a great experience so
far. Our supervisor is really nice, helpful and gives a good insight into
Irish culture. I think that I sometimes will shut down or not do
something if it seems too new or difficult, so Im learning that taking
risks is good and having an open mind is important.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
I worked on finding more companies and organizations to promote the film
this week, and then began contacting those people. This is a lengthy process
as there are a good amount of cities the film will be showing at and theres a
lot of Irish companies, bars or restaurants that we want to contact to promote
the film. You have to contact a lot because only a handful will probably
respond and agree to help. We also talked about the new documentary that
they are going to be working on and went through the planning process of
that. This coming week we will be filming so that will be very exciting and a
great learning experience! This connects to my professional goals because
being comfortable with talking to strangers and contacting people for help is
something that journalists do daily.

Week 4

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o Reflect on your cultural experience; think about an attitude or opinion,
a social situation, learning a new word, a new food and response in one
or two paragraphs. Do not limit yourself to these examples.

Describe the experience

Paige and I were talking with a student at IADT one day in the
cafeteria. His name is Aidan and he plays rugby. He is a really nice
guy and we were happy that a student from IADT was talking to us!
We talked for about 40 minutes in between classes about a lot of
different stuff. School, driving, pubs, pop culture, food and more
was discussed. We had a few instances where we didnt understand
what the other was saying; he might have said a word or phrase
that Paige and I never heard before, or vice versa. We were talking
about American reality TV shows, and he brought up the
Kardashians. He said his sister likes to watch them, but he hates the
show. He mentioned a funny video he saw one day that mocks the
Kardashians and he said, They take the piss out of it. We had no
idea what that meant. It was basically him saying the video mocked
the show. But ever since he said that phrase Ive heard it used a
few other times, so Im happy we learned it from him!
How did the experience make you feel?
It was a pleasant experience. Aidan is one of the more outgoing
guys we have talked to from IADT (the rest seem really shy) so we
learned a lot about the culture from him. I didnt really feel bad or
awkward when I couldnt understand him because he was pretty
easygoing. I could just ask him to say something again or tell him
that I didnt know what that meant and he took no offense.
What did you learn from it?
I learned that American culture has a lot of influence here. The fact
that his sister watches the Kardashians and he hates them sounds
like a pretty typical occurrence in the US. I also learned a new Irish
phrase, which has come in handy!

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
I again worked more on the film that Snackbox Films is starting to work on.
They taught us a lot about how the whole process works for getting money to
make a film in Ireland. There is a film board that gets a budget from the
government every year, and its that boards job to give the money to
filmmakers. To get the money, filmmakers have to make their case to the
board about why they should get the money. They have to write up a
summary about how the film is going to look, feel and what it is going to be
about. Colm (the photographer for Snackbox Films) said he likes to include
pictures of who they are going to interview and places they are going to film

so the board gets an even better picture of what the film will look like. He
said if the board knows you and knows you can make a quality product, then
they will probably give you the money after this stage. If you are new and
they arent sure about what you want to make, they will give you a portion of
the budget you are asking for to go out and make a teaser. Then they will
make their decision based on that teaser.
I really enjoyed learning about how filmmaking works in Ireland. I dont intend
on ever trying to make a film in the US, but its still good to know how things
work! He said that in the US, private parties or individuals are the people who
give money to filmmakers, not the government. Thats an interesting
difference. He also said that a big budget film in Ireland would be $1-2
million, whereas that budget would be seen as nothing in the US.
Along with this, I also worked on learning more about the film they are going
to make by researching and trying to find people for them to interview. I also
went to a nursing home with Colm to find subjects to interview. This all really
relates to my personal goal of wanting to be more comfortable with working
internationally, as we did a lot of contacting and learning about filmmaking in
Ireland.

Week 5

Learning Plan Final Due

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o How does this experience contradict or challenge your academic
knowledge?
I dont think the experience has contradicted or challenged my
academic knowledge yet. So far Ive just been assisting them with
planning out their next film and promoting their past film, and that is
stuff that Im really used to doing at school through my work with Loras
College Television.
o

What, if anything, do you feel uncomfortable about in this situation?

Sometimes its a little bit uncomfortable to contact people from
Ireland. Contacting people through email is fine, but Im worried about
if we ever have to call and talk to people over the phone. I do this all
the time in Dubuque, but it can be hard to understand people here in
Ireland because of the accents and some people have thicker accents
than others. So that thought makes me uncomfortable.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
I again worked on researching the new documentary, Under The Clock, and
began contacting people in Canada asking them to promote the old film,
Older Than Ireland. I researched for places or organizations in Canada that
were connected to Ireland and contacted them. I looked for any organizations
that promoted Irish culture, worked to connect Irish people in Canada and
even Irish dancing groups. I also contacted a list of people that Garry gave to
me. We only emailed the organizations; we didnt have to call them. We
actually had some people email us back saying they would be happy to help,
which was exciting!
For researching the new documentary they are starting to work on, I was
looking up old newspaper articles for any mention of Clerys clock. Garry and
Colm are trying to find people who have stories related to Clerys clock, and
before they start working on the film and go in front of the Irish Film Board
they need to have a few people lined up for the film. Finding these articles
was a little more difficult than contacting people to promote Older Than
Ireland. It can be difficult to find information in a country you dont know well,
because Im not familiar with the newspapers or radio stations. I was able to
find a few articles, though! I would say this is related to my professional goals
a little bit because news reporters have to do research a lot of times for
stories they work on. Ive had to do some digging myself to find someone to
interview for LCTV.

Week 6

Go back to Week 1 and fill in information on the organization that

you did not know for the Introduction at the beginning of the
internship.

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What are you learning about yourself? About others? About the world
around you?
I am learning a lot about how the work place works in Dublin. It seems
that everything is more laid back. People dont get back to you right
away and a lot work at a slower pace. The guys we work for mentioned
that they imagine Americans are just always working and take no
breaks or vacations. I have to agree with them that it feels that way a
lot in America! They also enjoy communicating with people from the
states because they know they will get back to them in a timely
manner. I think Im learning that I personally can adapt to situations
well. I know how to handle myself in a work environment, even if Im
not totally familiar or comfortable in it. It is really comfortable working
at Snackbox, though.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
This week I helped Garry plan their showing of Older than Ireland in the US
and Canada. I continued to contact people in Canada to ask them to promote
the film in their business or on social media. I got some more people to
respond. A film critique even said he would view the film and give it a review!
I also contacted organizations in Boston and Washington, some of the US
cities where Older Than Ireland will be showing. Similar to what I did for the
Canada showings, I contacted Irish pubs and restaurants, as well as Irish
organizations and city officials.
I also worked a little on social media to help promote the film. They added
both Charlie and I to the Facebook page so we could post stuff and message
people. They still have things in the works for a new documentary they want
to work on, so we are eagerly waiting for them to get approval so we can help
them film it! Again, doing online research and contacting people is something
that I will probably be doing for the rest of my life, so this is good practice.

Week 7

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What emotions and thoughts does this experience trigger in you?
It doesnt trigger any unpleasant emotions its all pretty
straightforward and comfortable work. Sometimes it can be a bit nerve
racking, but not usually.
o

What are you observing about your work environment? If you could,
what are two things you would keep and two things you would
change?
Its a very pleasant work environment. Honestly, theres nothing I
would change. Garry and Colm are great to work with and very kind.
The atmosphere is relaxed and calm. I would definitely keep the
relaxed and friendly atmosphere and the work that we do there. I
guess I wish that we could be doing more filming with them, but they
are in between projects and cant really help that! Its just the time
that we came here. Once they get their new documentary started Im
sure we will have a lot of filming to do with them.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
This week we did more work promoting the film. We moved on from Canada
and focused on cities in the states. From last time, a few more people have
gotten back to us, so we responded to them and sent materials such as
posters, photos and press releases for promoting the film. Garry was actually
gone this week at the film showings, along with Alex, so it was just Colm at
the office.
We were also given time to work on our news series we are filming for LCTV
called Dubuquer in Dublin. Its going to be a fun series that focuses on places
to see in Dublin. Its a great opportunity for us to take advantage of the
beautiful scenery in Ireland and practice our filming skills. Garry and Colm are
letting us use their editing system to edit it together, so that saves the
people at LCTV a lot of time! They use Final Cut, which is the editing program
that we used my first year at Loras before we got Adobe Premier. I wish they
had Premier, but it is nice to get a refresher on Final Cut. Being able to edit on
multiple systems is good skill to have! We were able to show them what we
filmed and put together and get some feedback. They were very impressed
which was a relief! Colm gave us some good filming tips for next time (he
worked for Al Jazeera and CNN, so he knows all about filming for news!) It was
nice to get some time to work on news stuff and talk with Colm about news
since he has worked for multiple news organizations. He knows a lot about
filming and cameras, and we learn a lot from him.

Week 8

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o You will soon have to represent this internship on your resum. Write
three bullet points about this internship now, while it is fresh in your
mind.
1. I learned how to communicate through email on an international
scale.
2. I helped to research documentary topics and find subjects to
interview and film.
3. I assisted with filming.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
This week was a quiet week because Garry was in America promoting the
Older than Ireland film. Colm had us researching the new documentary more
and helping to plan out the filming schedule. They finally got the okay from
the Ireland Film Board to film a teaser for the documentary to determine if
they will get the full amount of funding asked for (which they are confident
that they will). We were also given time to complete the first episode of our
series for LCTV called Dubuquer in Dublin. Colm was kind enough to let us
use some time out of a shift to edit it and then he gave us some feedback,
which was really beneficial. I really enjoyed being able to work on something
that I want to do after graduation at the office and get feedback from Colm.
Its especially beneficial to get feedback from him because not only does he
own his own production company and is very knowledgeable with cameras,
he has also worked for Al Jazeera, BBC and CNN! So he knows so much about
filming for TV news and thats exactly what the series is for.

Week 9

First Snapshot Due: See Assignment In Portfolio Information

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What gaps do you recognize in your knowledge and/or skills related to
this experience?
I wasnt at my internship at all this week because of being stuck in
Brussels because of the terrorist attack. I was supposed to get back to
Dublin on Tuesday, and then work Wednesday. Garry was very
understanding of us wanting to travel and really encouraged it, as well!
So he didnt mind us cutting back on work and taking time off. So, as
far as travelling in Belgium, I would say that my lack of knowledge in
French or Dutch really affected my time there! Obviously, it is hard to
get around, ask questions or even order food when you do not speak
the language that everyone else speaks. However, a lot of people did
know English, but some people knew very little to none. You always
feel bad when youre trying to talk to someone in another country and
you dont speak their language. I feel like most people are
understanding about it, though, and know youre just a tourist who is
there to enjoy their country or city. That should flatter people, I think!
o

What is a challenge you have been presented with? How did you
handle it? What, if anything, would you do differently if presented with
the challenge again?
The big challenge that I was faced with while visiting Belgium was
being at the Brussels airport when the terrorist attack happened. It was
a very scary and challenging experience, but I believe that Charlie and
I both handled it well. When we first knew that something was wrong it
was when we saw people running down the terminal. Charlie and I
didnt know what was going on, but we followed the crowd as we were
told to do. When we got to the end of the terminal, nothing was
happening and we didnt get any instructions or information. We
eventually looked online on our phones to see if there were any
headlines involving the Brussels airport, and there was one. The
headline read, Explosion at Brussels Airport. My heart sank,
especially when I saw the photos of smoke rising from the airport on
the outside. I was hoping that it wasnt terror related or a planned
attack, but that maybe it was an accident. We quickly made contact
with our parents to tell them that we were alright, and then we were
shuffled outside of the airport. Again, we had no idea what was going
on, but we remained calm, and so did everyone else, too. It was nerveracking when officials started to ask women and child to follow them,
because it made us feel like something else was going on. But finally
we were put onto a bus and taken to the other side of the airport. Here
we sat for 2-3 hours, probably closer to 3, waiting to hear answers. We
never really got any. A woman police officer asked us if we had seen

anything suspicious at the airport and we told her that we didnt. I then
asked her if there was any information she could give us, and she just
said that two bombs went off in the airport. She said to us that we
were very lucky. Her saying that confirmed what I had been thinking
the whole morning: that people were probably hurt by the bombs, and
that people probably even died.
We eventually were taken to shelter and here we tried to get some
answers about what to do for the night. I asked when the airport would
be opened and they told me that it would be opened the next morning
at 6 am, if it would be opened at all. I then asked if bombs had gone off
anywhere else in the city and they told me yes. This really scared me.
It was only at this stage of the day where I really became overwhelmed
with everything that had happened and had to take a moment to let
out my emotions. We then utilized our phones we bought in Ireland to
text our parents and Tara. Charlies parents booked a hotel for us in
Leuven (because we still didnt have any wifi) and Tara was giving me
news updates. We eventually took a train to Leuven and made it to our
hotel safely.
Overall, I think we handled the day very well. I dont know if there was
a better way to handle it, or if one could ever be prepared for a
situation like that. Im so happy that we both werent hurt and that we
are safe in Dublin now, but it was still a very scary day. The whole day I
was wondering if something else was going to happen at or near the
airport, and I felt on edge anywhere I went. Even in Leuven I didnt
want to leave the hotel room because I was afraid of something else
happening. Im thankful that I feel completely safe in Dublin.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
Our time is Belgium was well spent and went smoothly other than the airport.
We saw Brussels, Brugge and Leuven. I enjoyed Brussels, but Brugge and
Leuven were better, in my opinion. They were both smaller towns and
seemed a lot safer. I dont know why, but even before Tuesday at the airport,
Charlie and I both felt uneasy in Brussels for some reason, like we had to
watch our backs. Brugge and Leuven felt completely safe and welcoming. The
architecture and the old buildings were amazing as well. I wouldnt say that
this trip has any connections to my professional goals, but it definitely has
connections to my personal goals of wanting to explore Europe while studying
in Dublin. Belgium is a country that was never on my list of must-see places,
so thats why Im glad I went because I experienced something that I had
never planned for. I also believe that trip has made me a better traveller
because to get through the Tuesday at the airport, we had to be fairly
resourceful and calm in a stressful situation.

Week 10

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o How would you describe this internship to an adult relative (e.g. aunt
or uncle) using only three sentences?
I am an intern at Snackbox Films, a production company run by three
men who write, direct and produce content for films and TV.
Throughout this semester, I have helped them promote their
documentary, Older than Ireland, which was showing in multiple cities
across the U.S. I also help them research topics for new
documentaries, as well as assist in production of documentaries, such
as filming.
o

If you were describing it at an interview, what would you tell them?

At Snackbox Films they write, shoot and produce original content for
theatres and TV. Their most recent work was a documentary titled
Older than Ireland, which was about 30 centenarians telling their life
stories, most of them being able to recall the 1916 Easter Rising and
the civil war that followed afterwards. I helped to promote this film as it
was showing in numerous cities in the U.S. and Canada by contacting
local Irish restaurants, pubs and organizations and asking them to help
promote the film. I also helped with researching a project they just
started work on, another documentary about the Clerys Clock on
OConnell Street in Dublin. The clock was a staple of Dublin for decades
and its where many couples met for dates, families congregated from
out of town or people met when the civil war was going on. I
researched to find people who would have any connection to the clock
and would be willing to tell their stories. Eventually, I assisted in some
filming of the documentary as well before leaving.

What are the differences between those descriptions?

If I was describing this to a relative, I would obviously be very brief and
not use very technical terms. Describing this to someone who was
going to give me an internship I would go into greater detail about
what I did at Snackbox. I would want to tell them how this experience
advanced my skills and let them know what I got out of it, and maybe
even how it would prepare me for an internship at their company.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
I wasnt at my internship this week because I travelled to Rome. Garry has
been very understanding about us wanting to travel, which is really nice!
Rome is definitely one of my favorite places that I have travelled to so far! I
saw the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Trevi Fountain, Spanish

Steps, the Vatican, and so much more! Travelling to Rome and getting around
in the city has definitely helped me get closer to my goal of being a better
traveller. Each day we took public transportation and walked around the city
all day. Im definitely getting better at navigating public transportation and
being more comfortable with looking at maps of buses and cities.

Week 11

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What have you learned from the tasks (about yourself or more
generally)?
I have learned how important it is to have good communication skills
with any job or career path that you want to pursue. You need good
communication skills when talking with other clients or people on
behalf of the company, and even when talking with your employers or
other employees. I find it very easy to communicate with Garry and
Colm, and that makes our work environment very pleasant. We are
able to ask them questions about Ireland, the election or anything else
and they will answer and we can have an insightful discussion. You also
have to be comfortable in asking what is asked of you out of the job or
asking for time off for travel or sick leave. I was sure to ask Garry
about time off for Spring break as soon as I felt it was appropriate, not
wanting to give him too short of notice, and not wanting to ask too
early, either. He was very understanding and happy that we would be
travelling and seeing Europe. I dont know if Ive learned anything new
about myself. I just feel like having this internship has reiterated that I
can do anything I set my mind too. Obviously before the internship
started, I was a little nervous. I wasnt sure what to expect and I was
nervous about working in another country. Looking back on the nerves
I had before the internship began and seeing where Im at now is just
more confirmation that I can get through anything that I set my mind
to. I really enjoy going to my internship!
o

How does this cultural experience fit into your personal and
professional goals?
It fits in with my personal goals of wanting to experience something
different and new. I have never lived anywhere except for Dubuque,
which isnt the most diverse city. I have never travelled before coming
to Dublin. So being around and living in a different culture has
definitely exposed me to new things and has challenged me to adapt
to new surroundings. I think its important as an adult and someone
who might be moving around a lot for a job to be able to handle new
and versatile settings. I also wanted to become better at using public
transportation, and that is really embedded into the culture here. All
different kinds of people take public transportation everywhere! I have
definitely gotten the hang of figuring out bus lines and reading route
maps.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?

Snackbox Films got money from the Ireland Film Board to make a sort of
teaser or trailer for the documentary they want to make, called Under the
Clock. This documentary will be about a famous clock on OConnell Street
that belonged to a department store called Clerys. The clock was famous
because people would use it as a meeting point in the city. People would
meet for dates, meet their out of town family or congregate there after
tragedies. Garry and Colm were working on finding more people to be in the
documentary while we were on Spring break, and they told us that they found
a lot of great people who have great stories about the clock. Now we are
planning for a test shoot for next week, which will be so exciting to be a part
of! Im really excited to help them film and see them at work. This will be a
great lesson in filming, which will definitely get me towards my personal and
career goal of being a great photographer for news. Charlie and I were also
able to finish up our second episode of our series Dubuquer in Dublin for
LCTV, and Garry watched it and gave us some tips. Its always nice and
helpful to have your work critiqued by a professional. I was pleasantly
surprised by how good he thought it was.

Week 12

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What connections did you expect to find between your classroom work
(USA and Ireland/Portugal) and the real world of the workplace?
I dont know if I expected to find any connections between classes and
the internship. I figured that we would be exposed to the Irish culture
in a different way because we would be interacting with older adults
rather than college students at IADT. I really have gotten a different
perspective on Ireland and Dublin at the internship and at IADT. With
Garry and Colm, we talk about history and politics more, while at IADT
we talk with students about pop culture stuff and American culture. I
also find that Garry and Colm are really nice to talk with about places
to see around Ireland and they give Charlie and me good
recommendations. They are also great to talk with about our careers.
Colm used to be a photographer for Al Jazeera, so he knows a lot about
the TV news business. Ive talked with him about my goals and hes
given me great advice. I think that its great that each of us have our
own internships and that we get different experiences through them,
because then we can come back together in class and talk about what
weve learned. We can talk about different phrases weve heard, places
that were recommended and insights into the election.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
We had a really busy week this week which was really nice! They are starting
to research for Under The Clock extensively and part of that is trying to find
people to interview for the documentary. They are looking for any person who
has a story involving Clerys clock on OConnell Street whether it be
meeting dates under the clock, meeting their husband or wife under the
clock, working at the department store, meeting family members there or any
other quirky story that might be out there! To find people, they are reaching
out to radio stations and newspapers in hopes that people will get in contact
with Snackbox. Colm did the initial reaching out to the stations and
newspapers, and Charlie and I followed up with each of them. We had to split
up the lists, which were very long, and call each place. It took three days to
get through everything! We came in on an extra day to help them finish up all
of the contacts. It was really rewarding when we got a radio station or
newspaper to say they would like to have an interview with Garry or Colm for
the story, or that they would publish the press release. I was nervous when
he first gave us the task because it can be difficult to understand the Irish
accent sometimes, and over the phone is even worse! Pronouncing Irish
names can be very difficult as well (Tadgh = Tyg, Mairead = Ma-raid, and Aine
= Ahn-ya). Once he went over the names we didnt know and we got started
with the calls, though, it went fine! This next week they will be filming for the

documentary, and we will get to be there and help out! I cant wait to watch a
real production in the works and to be a part of it.

Week 13

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What are you doing during the break?
We didnt have a break this week.
o

How is this contributing to your international experience?

We didnt have a break, so I guess our internship itself is contributing
to my international experience. Garry and Colm both know a lot about
Ireland and Europe and so we get a lot of advice from them about
where to travel to. They also have great stories about their own travels
in Europe. For example, Garry told us that he once met J.K. Rowling at
a writing/movie convention in London! How cool is that?! He said she
was very kind and signed a book for him (his sister is a huge fan and
he did it for her). He also met Adele once a few years back when she
played a small show in Dublin. This is a story I am very jealous of
because I love Adele! He said she was very nice and fun.
Just having this internship in general is really adding to my
international experience. I never thought I would get a little taste of
what it is like to work in another country during my college years! It
has been very valuable to have a structured schedule while we were
here of going to class and internships. I definitely feel accomplished
when I finish a days work. It has also helped with getting to know
Dublin. Walking and taking the bus to the internship has forced us
away from our house and we often find new restaurants, bakeries or
pubs that we want to go to by traveling to our internship.

Describe a cultural experience with the same questions as Week 4.

The experience: An interesting cultural experience I had while visiting
Rome a few weeks ago involves dining. When youre eating dinner in
Rome, they take their time! Charlie and I had a meal in the Trastevere
neighborhood and we were there for two hours! It wasnt dinner, just a
lunch, and I would say half the time we werent even eating, we were
just waiting for the bill!
How it made me feel: It didnt feel that weird, it was just different. We
were finished eating our main dishes for quite some time and we were
waiting to order dessert. We finally ordered, and I also ordered a
cappuccino, and it took a while to come out. When we finished the
dessert, we sat for at least another half hour waiting for the check. Its
not that the waitress was being rude, its just how things are. It was
actually kind of nice to be able to sit and talk and not feel rushed. We
were sitting outside and it was the most gorgeous day and the
neighbourhood was beautiful, so I was really loving being able to sit
and soak up the atmosphere. In the states we would have felt

pressured to leave as soon as we were done eating. I almost think that

this is how dining should be treated! I can see how it would be
frustrating if you were ever in a rush, though.
What I learned: I learned to just embrace the slow pace of meals!
Theres really nothing you can do to change it. I bet the people working
at the restaurant would believe you were being rude if you tried to rush
through the meal too quickly. I will definitely keep it in mind if I ever go
to Rome again to always allot plenty of time for a meal!

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
We had a really exciting week this week because we were able to help out
with some filming! As they are still in the research phase for Under The Clock,
they are still looking for people who have stories regarding the clock. We
reached out to radio stations and newspapers hoping they would talk about
the film and people would get into contact with us with their stories, but we
also want to reach out on social media. Instead of just making a couple of
Facebook statuses, Garry and Colm have decided to make fun little promotion
video! This way they can share the video on their Snackbox Facebook page,
their Older Than Ireland page and also the Under The Clock page and their
Twitter accounts. Hopefully the video will be circulated and shared by many
people and we will get lots of stories!
Bessie, a favorite centenarian from Older Than Ireland, will be appearing in
the promo. She will be seen talking on the phone acting like a diva, because
she has all this newfound fame in Ireland, and then she will turn to the
camera and look at it as if it were a person. She will then go on to ask what
were doing in her house, and saying how she is about to go meet someone
under the clock. They will have video of the clock showing, and she will be
saying I bet many of you have met people under the clock too! She will tell
everyone to get in touch with the guys at Snackbox Films if they have any fun
stories relating to the clock, and contact details will show on screen.
For the promo, we shot b-roll of OConnell Street where Clerys clock is. We
got general video of the street, people walking and cars going by. We then
got video of the Clerys clock. Here is something really fun Colm put me in
the video! He wanted someone waiting under the clock, so he made that
someone me!
It was so awesome to help out with the filming. They had a photographer
from Kerry come and he had a really nice camera, lenses and a monitor. We
learned a lot about of the equipment! I dont know much about cameras
other than the basics that I need to know for filming for news, so it was nice
to learn more. They also gave us a recommendation for a good camera to buy
for our Capstone project. This experience doesnt directly relate to my career
goals, but it did give me a look into a different part of media. With news, you

have to shoot things quickly and you dont have a lot of time for style or
trying a bunch of different things out. You just have to film what you can
while its happening because you only get one chance. With filming for
documentaries and films, you have the freedom to take your time and try
different things out with each shot. It was nice to see how Colm and Matt
went about the filming and how they worked together as a Producer and
Photographer.

Week 14

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o How have your expectations and reality been the same or different in
the international setting compared to what you might find in the US?
I feel like before I came to Ireland and started the internship, we heard
a lot in class and from other students that Europe in general is a lot
more laid back than the U.S. I think I was expecting that going into this
internship. I wasnt planning on acting any less professional or
proactive than I would at a job in the U.S., but I was wondering how
laid back it would be. I think that Snackbox Films is fairly laid back, but
Garry and Colm are also very hard working. I can tell they get
frustrated with how lazy or slow other businesses can be. Garry and
Colm arent super uptight and they dont take themselves too
seriously, but they do work very hard and make everything they do the
best it can be.
I personally experienced how slow people can be when I was calling
radio stations and newspapers for Colm. Earlier in the internship, we
mainly emailed people if we needed to contact a business. But Colm
had us calling people in Ireland and it was very hard to get a hold of
anyone. We were calling smaller radio stations and newspapers, asking
them to either tell their listeners or publish a story about Under The
Clock, and people just werent getting back to us! We thought it would
be easy to get the job done because some of the smaller stations and
papers can be desperate for content. But apparently that wasnt the
case!
I think that I am very lucky with the business I am working with
because I get to see how two guys started their own company and are
doing very well for themselves. Its inspiring! I think both Garry and
Colm are also pretty impressed with the work Charlie and I have done
for them, and they are impressed by how proactive we can be. I feel
good that they have appreciated our work!

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
Colm and Garry edited together the promo we helped them film last week
and it looks awesome! They showed us the raw footage and Colm explained
to us what they were going to do with it, watched them edit it together and
saw the finished product! I cant wait for it to be shared on Facebook and to
see the amount of people they have contact them with stories because of it.
Garry had some work for us to do for Older Than Ireland. The film showed in
some cities in the U.S. in March and April at festivals, but now it is showing in
more cities in theatres! Alex is in the U.S. for the showings while Colm and

Garry are back here. Garry had Charlie and I contact organizations in
Brooklyn, Albany, New York City and Atlanta, some of the cities where the
movie is showing. They just wanted to get the word out about the film and
hope that these Irish organizations would promote the film. We did some
research for each town to find the Irish organizations and pubs or restaurants
and also contacted people on a list Garry already had put together. This work
is loosely related to my professional goals, as being a news reporter you are
always contacting people for stories. I wish that they had more filming to do
for Under The Clock, but they are still waiting to hear back from the Irish Film
Board about their funding!

Week 15

Answer the weekly question(s) and respond.

o What kind of attitudes about work have you found in Ireland/Portugal?
From what I have observed through Colm and Garry, if a person is
doing something that they truly love and enjoy, then work doesnt
feel like work at all. Garry left a very good paying job running a chain
of cinemas in Ireland to make Snackbox Films and do something that
he loves. That is very inspiring! Colm has worked for TV stations in the
past and started Snackbox Films to pursue something new, which is
also very inspiring! These two men have such a wide variety of skills
and its great to see them using them to their fullest potential and
going after what they love. Its even better to see that they have been
pretty successful! I think the sentiment of doing something you love
and it not feeling like work can apply in any country.
Through working for Colm and Garry I have experienced how other
people view work, too. I would say a lot of people dont have any sense
of urgency at their jobs. I dont mean to say that they dont take their
jobs seriously, its just that they can be very slow at accomplishing
tasks. When I was trying to get in contact with radio stations and
newspapers, a lot of the people I talked with said, Oh just send
her/him another email! Or they said, Well get to it, itll be grand!
(Colm and Garry say this phrase bothers them most!) People just dont
have the same sense of urgency that we have in the U.S. If an
employee in the U.S. is slow or wont complete tasks in time or when
asked, they would probably be fired! Here it is basically the norm.
I would say, though, that people at any level of job - whether it be
Garry and Colm who own their own business, or people who work at
fast food restaurants are very, very kind. People are always ready to
help and always say cheers! Speaking of fast food restaurants, what I
really like about the attitude of work in Ireland and maybe this can be
applied to most of Europe no form of work is looked down upon. What
I mean is, people who work at fast food restaurants arent considered
lazy or that they should be looking for better work. A job is a job and
they take pride in it! I believe that in America especially during this
election season with the talk about raising the minimum wage people
are so quick to put down fast food employees. People say, Why should
they make more money when all they do is flip bugers? Or, They
cant even get an order right, why do they deserve $15 and hour?
Hold what opinions you may about the minimum wage being raised,
but I do not see how putting down fast food workers will get any of us
anywhere. Its a vital job in society, and a lot of people who work in the
fast food industry take great pride in their work (being an employee of
Happy Joes, which is almost like fast food, I can say I LOVE my job and
take great pride in it!). Its just very refreshing to see people not
getting put down for working at a McDonalds or Burger King here in
Ireland. Theyre also some of the best McDonalds or Burger Kings Ive

ever been to! The workers are always so helpful, kind and they even
take your tray for you and throw your stuff away when you eat inside!
Maybe they have better attitudes about their jobs here because no one
puts them down for it. Just a thought.
o

How is this same or different from work in the US?

I think in the U.S., everyone is always working as fast as they can.
Employers want their employees to be as efficient and on task as
possible. I wouldnt say that is the case at all in Ireland. Im sure
efficiency and following the rules is enforced more in the huge chain
stores, but at most jobs thats just not how it is.
As I was saying above, I believe certain jobs or careers can be looked
down upon in the U.S. and I dont see that happening in Ireland at all.
For the most part, everyone takes great pride in their work no matter
what it is. Garry told us a story once about a time he was in the U.S.
when he still worked for the cinema chain. He was in Florida meeting
with other cinemas. While he was at a restaurant, his waitress was
talking with him and she asked where he worked. He told her that he
ran a cinema chain, and the girl seemed very unimpressed and asked if
he even made a lot of money doing that. He was very shocked because
he considered it to be a very good job and he did make decent money.
I just think in America, if a job doesnt seem glamorous enough then
people dont think its worth doing.
Another huge difference about the U.S. and Ireland (again, maybe even
most of Europe) is that pretty much any adult I have met only works
one job. Garry has brought it up on several different occasions how he
thinks its insane that some Americans work two or three jobs and that
they rarely get holidays. I dont know if I have talked with one adult or
teenager who works more than on job to make enough money, and
they do get holidays. Its such a huge difference from working in
America.

What is your own personal philosophy about work? A means to an

end? Drudgery? Meaningful? How does this tie into your values and
life in general?
I think work can be very meaningful if you want it to be. For most
people, if youre doing something you hate, then it will seem very
awful and only a means to an end. If youre doing something you
enjoy, however, then it will feel meaningful and not like work at all! I
love my work I do with LCTV, so I think that I will really enjoy being a
real reporter once I graduate. Yes, it is very hard work, but its also fun
and very rewarding. Even if I have a bad day reporting or dont have a
great show, the overall experience and knowledge I gain from
reporting makes it all worthwhile. I also get to meet awesome people
too! I think this ties into my life in general because I always try to
make the most out of situations. If something isnt going great, then I

just try to power through and tell myself its only temporary and that I
can get through it! I believe that for every bad day you have, theres
probably 10 or more good days to be had.

Summarize your tasks and what you are learning for the week. What
connection does the experience have to your personal or
professional goals?
This week was a fairly relaxed week. Colm left for the Middle East, so it was
just Garry in the office. I answered some calls for him regarding Under the
Clock. People were calling to let us know they had stories regarding Clerys
clock on OConnell Street. This means that our hard work reaching out to
newspapers, radio stations and making the online promotional video worked!
Its unfortunate that we had to leave before they really started working on
the documentary at full speed, but we still had a great time and learned a lot.
Were hoping that we can bring one of their documentaries, Older than
Ireland or Under the Clock, to the Julien Dubuque Film Festival!