coriface

Hey there.
I was just wondering if anyone could offer any advice for someone who wants to get into advertising, film, or journalism. I'm only in grade 12 right now and next year I intend to major in english (cultural studies) at McGill University.

The reason why I want to go into advertising is because I love english and art and I feel like it's the only thing that combines the two. In addition, I'm a pretty personable person and would love working with clients or managing a creative or marketing team... Even public relations would be cool

Working in film is essentially my dream. Cinematography is a passion of mine... same with photography. I know an english major doesn't really connect with film but I wouldn't mind working in some other part of the film industry.

I would also like to work in publishing - perhaps for a magazine or a newspaper.

Does anyone have ideas regarding how I can get my foot in the door, so to speak? I'm especially interested in advertising... Do you think I should start a portfolio? How can I make connections in the industry? The competition for internships seems pretty stiff. Are there any majors other than english that I should consider?

Thanks in advance for the replies =)

arcad

you could major in english, communications, psych, journalism, etc.
it doesn't make much of a difference. they're all very similar and in liberal arts.

you could be an english major, yet be in the film industry. maybe you could seek out marketing positions at film production companies.

there are so many advertising/communications internships. i'm sure you'll find something if you're proactive. you could try to get an internship in this field for the summer right after your freshman year. best thing to do is consult your career services at your uni during the fall season. i'm sure they have firms coming in for presentations and such. network with the recruiters. i don't know how it works in mcgill since that's in canada, but i'm sure it's not drastically different from american colleges. basically, be proactive. that's how i found an internship for the summer after freshman year despite everyone telling me that it was too early. trust me, having experience early on will really help you along the way. i was really persistent during my freshman fall semester.

heck, i knew some people who found internships for the summer before entering college, and they worked at small music promotion offices or individual film production companies. maybe you could start really early, look around and find something in your local area?

what type of portfolio were you considering? i know you mentioned publishing and all...magazine/newspaper companies seem to always want writing samples, but that depends on what internship position you're seeking for within that company. but generally, they always want 2-5 samples...well, from what i've seen.

coriface

thanks so much for replying. your post was really informative =)

yeah so i'm pretty much set on the english degree. the only thing is that i've always heard people saying that majoring in eng is pointless and you can't go anywhere with it (other than the teaching route). i'll stick to believe that it's a myth though.

i'm always trying to be proactive but sometimes its difficult. i really don't know where to look. should i just be going into these agencies/companies and talking to them in person about interships? did you? or did you stick to emailing and phoning?

i have amassed some articles and a few pieces for a writing portfolio this year... as i said before, i'm almost kind of interested in film so i've partially composed a photographic portfolio.

does anyone know if it is a good idea to send articles and stuff into smaller local newspapers? i heard its beneficial because you can put down on your resume that you've been "published"

arcad

that saying goes for every liberal arts major. "you can't do much but teach with a degree like that." that always annoyed me.
for the type of career you want, an english degree is very flexible.

it can be a difficult search; it's so cliche to say this, but really, it's all about persistence. do phone them. or, if you can submit your resume online on the company site/email (depending on the company's recruiting system), then do that. and then, follow up with a phone call to show your interest.

however, some of those smaller, more obscure agencies/companies may not advertise positions online -- call them and ask.

having a writing or photography portfolio always helps because when you're applying for magazine/newspaper writing or photography positions, they always want samples. i always found good internship positions for mainstream magazines, but they always wanted samples of some sort...and this, i didn't have. at least you'll be prepared.

at my school, there is a big emphasis on communications/advertising internships, so i found the career services very helpful. just remember to make use of them when you enter college.
of course, this is all possible with your own efforts, too.

also, check out mcgill's alumni network -- networking is always a plus.

your main goal, at the moment (since you're starting early), is to have some type of experience, even if it is at an unknown, small place. this'll open up so many doors for you for future internships. it seems like you're already on the right track with an early search, and that's really a great start.

...and i guess it would be a good idea to send in articles to smaller newspapers. it's also definitely worth mentioning when you get interviews and such. it'll sound pretty impressive.