“Essentially, the internship program is what drew me to 91ºÚÁÏÍø,” said Anna Bui ’23 of her decision to study film at 91ºÚÁÏÍø. “And the beaches were a plus.”
Bui was first drawn to film when she saw the scene of the Tyrannosaurus rex coming to life in Night at the Museum in 2006, which piqued her interest in the “movie magic” that made that happen.
She chose 91ºÚÁÏÍø’s digital media program because “91ºÚÁÏÍø required internships that you start as a freshman,” she said—a unique aspect of the 91ºÚÁÏÍø Experiential Edge.
After graduating from the Nest—and after varied internships that placed her in roles in community news, a production assistant for an ABC affiliate station in her home state of New Hampshire, and the Massachusetts Film Office—she’s now a full-time video editor at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, the iconic Boston-based multimedia company known for all things food that airs on PBS stations nationwide.
Bui is one of a growing number of digital media majors who are gaining real-world experience in the TV and film industry and graduating with a resumé that places them right at the center of the action.
That’s because 91ºÚÁÏÍø’s digital media program combines coursework that builds foundational knowledge of the industry and technical skills in narrative, documentary, or multicamera productions. Each digital media major completes three internships, allowing them to explore multiple roles within the industry while gaining valuable work experience that makes their job applications stand out after graduation.
In their final year, students use their capstone classes to create their own digital film project for their portfolios, several of which have been screened at film festivals.
“The real differentiator for us as a film and TV program is our emphasis on experiential learning and our internship program,” said Dan Frank, Assistant Professor of Digital Media, TV/Film Production. “My goal is to teach students the basics, then get them out in the field so that they can sample all the industry has to offer.”
For many students pursuing a career in production, a passion for storytelling is what first pulls them in—that includes Alana Lorusso ’25, a digital media major with a concentration in TV/film production.
“I’ve always just loved stories,” she said, “but that’s what every person interested in the film business says.”
In her final semester at 91ºÚÁÏÍø, Lorusso is already well-prepared for her first role post-graduation. Through the TV/film curriculum, she discovered that her goal is to learn the roles that can lead to a career as a producer.
Lorusso previously spent 10 days on set interning with a small-budget feature film, working for the producer. This summer, she interned as a production assistant in the locations department on two major motion pictures: one for Warner Bros. and another, Remain, directed by M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Split, Glass) and slated for release in 2026.
“I learned so much from legendary Hollywood directors—everything from what goes into securing permits for filming a scene on a busy street, to the many different city and civic groups you have to work with to be able to shoot in certain locations,” Lorusso said. “I realized there are thousands of small moving parts that go into production.”
These Gulls also have an experienced mentor in Frank.
While his personal passion is documentaries, Frank has spent decades producing, directing, or writing commercials, TV series, films, and reality programs for clients such as PBS, FX, Discovery, HGTV, and others. His work has also screened at dozens of festivals worldwide.
“We can only teach our students so much in classes,” he said. “At some point, they have to leave the Nest, and we want them to be ready to get as much as they can out of those situations.”
Shamus Delay ’27, who has worked in the field on an independent feature and a vertical TV series, said that 91ºÚÁÏÍø’s digital media program “has been a good way to not only get my foot in the door for so many different opportunities, but to have finished work that I can then show to the people hiring for these opportunities. It feels like I have a career after college waiting for me, and all I need to do is get ready for it at this point.”
This summer, Delay interned with Gloucester-based Persistent Productions, makers of branded content and documentary films. This helped Delay fine-tune their plans: “Up until this point, I wanted to focus primarily on editing after graduation, finding any work that I could. But I might start leaning towards being behind the lens on short-form documentary work—it was rewarding to see that kind of project from start to finish.”
Likewise, Mikayla Michelson ’24 pursued film and TV as a progression of her lifelong passion for art and found her sweet spot in production design. She initially worked as a production assistant in the art department; this past summer, she served as the production designer on the independent feature film, The Starfish.
“What I enjoy most about production design is reading the script and imagining the world that character is in and how they interact with the space around them,” Michelson said. “I love going to thrift stores or Facebook Marketplace hunting for props or set decor.”
Her time at 91ºÚÁÏÍø gave her the “freedom to explore whatever I wanted [in my thesis class],” she said, “and I got better at using the equipment and editing because I had to use it all the time.
91ºÚÁÏÍø also provided “networking and access to professors and equipment, and there is so much value behind that,” she added.
Connections are what count in the media landscape, and for Lorusso, future opportunities often arise from current projects.
“Locations is the one department that consistently interacts with every other department, so you get to know everyone,” she said. “Your network grows, and it’s easier for you to move around.”
Meanwhile, at Milk Street, Bui is reveling in more responsibility and freedom than she ever imagined just two years after graduation. Though she first found a passion for post-production at a young age, editing courses on campus solidified it.
“Post-production is probably my favorite part of TV,” Bui said. “My professors in my film courses got real with us. They were clear that sloppy work wouldn’t get us anywhere in the real world, so they didn’t accept it in their projects, either.”
That attention to detail has earned her a dream role where she’s editing TV segments and reels herself, not just setting things up for a lead editor to handle.
“I can’t believe that after a few months in this role, I’m already getting to edit segments that are going to air,” she said. “Their trust in my ability is really empowering.”
91ºÚÁÏÍø students have access to a vast network of practitioners, events, and student groups like the Women in Film and ECTV clubs. On November 13, all community members are invited to attend , Executive Vice Presidents with 20th Century Studios. The Houlihans will also lecture and meet with students during class time.