True Stories Inc.  is the Bloomington IN-based company of Emmy-nominated non-fiction filmmaker / investigative podcaster / journalist Ray Nowosielski.  Trying to save the world, while making some intelligent, entertaining art.  Is that too much to ask?

The intern  will work primarily with Ray Nowosielski on pre and post production tasks, from brainstorming to archival. The intern should have a strong interest in documentary production/directing and /or writing. This internship is ideal for a student who is looking to pursue a career as a Documentary filmmaker. 

Over the first quarter of 2021, intern will work with Nowosielski and team 4 days/week (ideally), 6.25 hrs/day, to aid with the production of the following projects:

Projects currently in production for which web / graphic / edit work to be done:

• Feature-length documentary directed by NY-based two-time Oscar winner captures this historic election season & fall-out through a diversity of modern civil rights leaders
• Oscar winning documentarian’s fashion/photography related docu-series
• Feature-length documentary in collaboration with award-winning Chicago production company details a game-changing moment for Ronald Reagan and American unions
• A 20th anniversary re-visit and new feature-length documentary based on the Jersey Widows using archival footage
• True Stories’ in-development documentary projects

The intern will also help develop future projects, conduct holistic and detailed research, seek out potential contacts, do biographical research, call information sources, and conduct interviews of project subjects.  Will receive credits on these productions, a resume builder!  Additionally, future projects for True Stories will be developed, as well as promotional efforts for past projects.  Also company’s general online presence, publicity, promotion and marketing and other corporate day to day.

Description of Duties:

• Video editing
• Assistant editing
  • Digitizing (specifically from DV & VHS)
  • Organizing footage
  • Facilitating transcriptions from Trint service
  • Working with primary documentary editor

Secondary duties

• Story & plot & character skills
• Research skills – archival sources

• Research skills – story, plot & character related
• Help in the writing of non-fiction project treatments, decks, proposals
• Organize weekly agenda
• Set and prioritize action steps on projects for the team
• Search out and make contacts with sources and subjects via email, phone calls, or social media 
• Conduct deep biographical research
  • Using intelius (easy to navigate)
  • Social media accounts
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Youtube 
    • linkedin
  • Internet publications
• Conduct Interviews of potential characters and information sources
  • Provide concise summaries of interviews
  • Highlight most vital information for project and story development
• Review project decks, samples, and early drafts and provide feedback
• Explore different avenues of potential funding

Qualifications/Requirements:

• Intermediate experience working within Adobe Premiere
• Beginner – Intermediate understanding of the rest of the Adobe Creative Suite
• Regular access to your own editing-capable computer/laptop
• A demo reel or curated body of work you’d like to both showcase and add to
• Experience with project management/positions of leadership
• Experience with forms of media
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Written Journalism 
• Experience collaborating with a team
• Proficiency with google drive, excel, docs, etc. 
• Passion for non-fiction story-telling 

Desired Characteristics:

• Self-starter
• A desire to work in documentary filmmaking 
• A desire to work in news journalism/ journalism
• Problem-solver
• Highly organized
• Personable
• Great communication skills: Phone, email, text