There are no full-time job openings at Participant Media or TakePart currently, but check back soon for new postings.

Participant Media offers internships for our narrative, documentary, television, social action, marketing, finance and publishing departments, as well as for the digital arm of the company, TakePart.

Participant Media and TakePart hire interns for the spring, summer and fall semesters. We ask that all applicants be able to commit two to three full days per week and require interns to earn course credit for their internships. Please send cover letter and resume to: careers@participantmedia.com and include the department that interests you in the subject line.

Spring Semester Applications: Accepted beginning in late-October

Summer Semester Applications: Accepted beginning in mid-February

Fall Semester Applications: Accepted beginning in late-July

Narrative Development

Participant Media is seeking students interested in collaborating creatively with our narrative feature department. In an effort to reach and entertain broader audiences while still highlighting important social issues, the narrative department is now developing films across all genres, including comedies, action, family films, and even horror, along with the character-driven films that we are known for, such as The Visitor, Syriana, and Good Night and Good Luck. Working closely with the narrative staff, interns will actively aid the development process by conducting issue-based research, reviewing submitted material, and completing comprehensive script coverage. Interns will gain practical experience and advice in how to succeed in the entertainment industry…the real-world lessons that can’t be learned in a classroom. Applicants must have a thorough understanding of story structure and an ability to complete clear and concise coverage.

Documentary Development

Participant Media is seeking students interested in assisting in the development of documentary films. Participant strives to create documentaries that are both commercially viable and socially relevant. To support each film's impact and outreach, the documentary department utilizes a unique blend of social action campaigns and marketing strategies, as well as our online community TakePart.com. Interns will have the opportunity to observe daily operations and work closely with the documentary staff to handle and review extensive submissions, gaining an invaluable understanding of the documentary industry’s complex infrastructure.

Marketing

Participant Media is seeking students interested in collaborating in the execution of film campaigns and marketing strategies. Participant Marketing aims to produce campaigns that support our films’ impact and outreach by encouraging and enabling audiences to get involved in the issues that our films give voice to. Interns will gain active experience assisting with visuals (posters, teasers, trailers), social events (events planning, film festivals, screenings), and verbal communications (writing and editing press releases, bios and Q&As), as well as the opportunity to work closely with our marketing team to achieve personal and professional growth. As internship spaces are limited and very hands-on, only committed, passionate candidates will be considered.

Social Action

Participant Media is seeking students interested in the creation and implementation of social action campaigns for features and documentaries. Participant’s social action campaigns are designed to give voice to the issues that resonate in our films. We team with social sector organizations, non-profits and corporations who are committed to creating an open forum for discussion and education and who can, with Participant, offer specific ways for audience members to get involved. These include action kits, screening programs, educational curriculums and classes, house parties, seminars, panels, and other activities, including our ongoing “legacy” programs. In addition to having the opportunity to help build these campaigns, by assisting with issue-based research and outreach to NGOs and advocates, interns will learn about the varied avenues by which outreach happens, the many networks established around causes and how to take action for the causes they care about.

Finance

Participant Media is seeking students interested in gaining experience in the complex world of film finance. Interns gain insight into the operations of a film company and development of various film funds. Duties include updating and organizing films-in-release folders, review and analysis of cost reports, and updating documents for digital filing. Interns will not only develop professional relationships with members of our finance department but also have the opportunity to learn and understand the workings of a multi-media company.

Publishing

Participant Media is seeking students interested in collaborating creatively with our active publishing department. In order to expand awareness and understanding of the important issues featured in our films, Participant Publishing develops companion books for our films. We also have a series of topical non-fiction books about issues that concern our kids today; Girls Gone Green, the first in this series of books, was published on Earth Day 2010. Publishing interns will have the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with our amazing SVP of Publishing to research issues, to coordinate and attend events and screenings, to assist with the writing and editing of monthly newsletters and manuscripts, and most importantly, to gain insight and personal feedback from a top industry executive.

Video Production/Editing

Participant Media and TakePart.com are looking for a production/editing intern. You will assist and participate in producing videos for TakePart.com and to support our films' marketing and social action campaigns. Production responsibilities include assisting with equipment set up/breakdown, boom operating, and camera operating. Post production responsibilities will range from capturing/logging footage to assembling rough cuts with the potential to edit entire videos from start to finish. You should have an expertise in video editing (with strong knowledge of Final Cut Pro) and have production experience. Animation, motion graphics, Photoshop, and After Effects experience are all a major plus, but not a requirement.

TakePart Business Development/Client Management

TakePart.com is the hub of the Social Action Network™, an alliance of cause and social issue sites, NGOs, action aggregators, and the official home for Participant Media’s film social action campaigns. Featuring content covering a broad array of social issues, TakePart.com connects users with the issues and causes they care about. However, TakePart is more than just a website. It also functions as a cause marketing and creative services provider of pro-social solutions for a distinguished client list including American Express, HISTORY, Gates Foundation and the Center for National Policy. As an intern working in business development and client management, you will have the opportunity to not only work with and for these clients, but also assist in identifying new clients. Your duties would include such activities as compiling a daily digest of CSR/pro-social news, emailing non-profit clients relevant stories from TakePart.com, researching the philanthropic leanings of Fortune 500 companies, and brainstorming new campaigns and programs to present to current clients. This internship is the perfect opportunity for students interested in learning how for-profit businesses can succeed in positively impacting the world. You will not only expand your knowledge of human rights, health, environment, and world affairs, but will also be able to contribute your personal passion and dedication to our clients' large-scale pro-social programs that are already underway.

Information Technology

Participant Media has an immediate opening for an IT intern. The intern will work closely with the IT Helpdesk team and the IT Manager.

The intern will gain hands-on experience with Macintosh and Windows Desktop & Laptop hardware, MS Office software, proprietary applications, printer’s, and networking equipment/technologies, phone equipment, etc. The intern will support the IT Helpdesk by performing some support tasks as well as working on a higher level. In addition, the intern will learn how the business of IT works by participating in financial reviews, support ticket analysis/reviews & budget adherence.

The intern will be assigned project(s) which will include meeting with Helpdesk team members to discuss needs/wants, research best practices, and present his/her recommendation to the team.
• Respond to Support calls and manage day to day help desk support calls in a timely manner.
• Some Blackberry and Exchange Email administration for staff.
• Support customized applications as needed
• Serves as the liaison with upper management and IT Management regarding the status and resolution of open issues

TakePart Editorial Content

TakePart.com, part of the Participant Media family, is looking for a few great editorial interns to contribute to our independent online community that helps connect people to the issues and causes they care about. At TakePart, we believe in the power of individuals to change the world. But we also don’t believe that “important, serious, big issues” have to be sad. The ideal candidate will be self-starting, web savvy and a quick learner who can translate these issues into informative, sexy, shareable impactful blog posts, lists, stories, and videos.

Duties will include:
• Researching, writing and producing original content, such as features, lists and photo essays, that connect the news of the day to the causes and issues our readers care about.
• Pitching ideas for original features and programming on TakePart.com.
• General research and editorial support tasks.
• Creating original content to support the social action campaigns of Participant films.

Experience with Photoshop and Illustrator are required. HTML, Twitter and social media experience preferred.

Interns must be available to work a minimum of two days per week in our (really cool, new) Beverly Hills offices. Internships are for course credit only (but you’re welcome to all the free lattes you can drink. And you won’t have to get them for the editors).

Front-End Web Development

TakePart is looking for an intern with HTML and CSS skills who can code templates and pages for our web sites and email updates. Tasks will include taking comps and accurately converting them into code, trouble-shooting code for cross-browser compatibility, hand-coding open HTML fields in our content management system, and building HTML emails. If you enjoy building websites, we will train you in web development best practices and technologies, QA testing, and Drupal.

Responsibilities:
• Coding HTML and CSS
• QA including feature and regression testing
• Documenting development processes, QA test cases, bug descriptions
• Researching technical vendors and technology solutions

Required Experience:
• Proficient at hand-coding HTML and CSS
• Experience with multiple web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Chrome)
• Familiar with Photoshop

Desired, but not required:
• Javascript
• Proficiency with a web development application or IDE (Dreamweaver, Eclipse, Netbeans, etc.)
• Cross-browser testing and scripting
• Familiarity with version control software (SVN, CVS, Git, etc.)
• Familiarity with a content management system

Web, Email and Mobile Technology

This intern will be a part of the Technology Team, which is responsible for managing the company's websites, including TakePart.com, FoodIncMovie.com, WaitingforSuperman.com and this site, ParticipantMedia.com! We also handle email and mobile SMS blasts to our communities. You should have a strong interest in working in or learning about web and digital technology, but no prior experience is necessary. Some of your responsibilities may include (but we can tailor these to your interests):
• Doing quality assurance on the websites—link checking, running test cases, etc.
• Helping with basic CMS (content management system) updates to our sites
• Creating or running reports on website usage, identifying patterns, and investigating trends
• Writing requirements for small projects or suggesting new features
• Helping with email and mobile SMS blasts to our film communities

An ideal candidate will be able to think critically, problem-solve independently and communicate clearly and thoughtfully. Candidates should be proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc., and any experience with HTML is helpful, but not required. Interns will learn how to use GoogleAnalytics and Adobe SiteCatalyst, as well as the Drupal and Contens content management systems, which are all great assets to have when applying for jobs in the Web world. You will also get to work in our amazing Participant Media offices and learn how an entertainemnt/media company works. The Tech Team is a fun, friendly team and would love to have you work with us!