How do you become a First Step Intern at MPC...?
Applications for the First Step Internship have been open for almost 4 weeks now and the level of interest so far has been even higher than last year. Every year we receive literally hundreds of applications for as few as 10 vacancies so you can imagine how competitive the process can get.
If you're a VFX professional in the making and hoping to take part in the internship this summer than you're probably thinking 'this looks great but how do I make my application stand out from the crowd'. This is a good question, fortunately Mathilde Marion, who was our Lighting intern for 2015, has some handy thoughts on what she thinks helped her stand out as an applicant.
Name: Mathilde Marion
Reel: https://vimeo.com/123761962
In which department did you intern? Lighting
Where are you studying? Supinfocom-Mopa, Arles (France)
What are you studying? I'm studying CG, specialization image (modeling-texturing-shading-lighting-rendering-compositing), in order to learn how to make a full CG short movie with a team of classmates.
How did you find out about the First Step Intern Scheme?? Our animation teacher worked at MPC and told us about it, and I was often checking for VFX companies offers for internship and jobs.?
What was on your CV / Showreel that made you stand out? Being in a school that matches the reality of the industry probably helped a lot since 4/5 of us have been interviewed for the intern program. We are taught to be technicians as well as artists, and to work in teams which, I think, is what a company like MPC requires. Besides that, I wanted my reel to show that I want to create beautiful and expressive images, no matter what tool I use or even if I still have a lot of technique to learn.
What questions were you asked In your Interview? ? Mainly I was asked about my knowledge of softwares, and my abilities to work in a team, as well as my projects and ambitions.
What did you learn most from your 2 months at MPC? I've discovered a lot of new tools I've never heard about before! But the main learning came from people, who gave me a lot of advice about my career, and how to improve my technical and artistic skills. I also saw how a big company works from the inside, which is extremely useful since it sometimes can be difficult to comprehend how the industry works when you are still a student.
Did anything surprise you about life at MPC?? I guess that what struck me more was that the company is so international. It's really pleasant to see so many different people, from so many cultures, being together in the same room and working together to release a project.
What piece of advice would you offer anyone thinking about applying for First Step?? To trust in yourself, no one is going to eat you alive (not even the one who will interview you)! Showing that you are passionate and curious is as valuable as your technical skills.
How did you find MPC as a Company? Very alive; a lot of people, a lot of events, a lot of projects.
Did MPC whet your appetite for a full-time role in a VFX studio?? It was already an objective I wanted to reach, but MPC definitively reinforced it. 2 months were short to satisfy my curiosity!
Would you choose to work at MPC full time?? For sure :)
Mathilde Marion, First Step Intern 2015 (Lighting)
Language Teacher
9 年Really interesting post showing how students need to research prepare and focus their practice. Also the fact she is from one of the leading French schools shows that talent is global so UK students need to consider this if they want to be in the mix.