Last week, MPI launched its 2024 Hollywood Career Launch Program, an exclusive talent-development initiative for college students and recent graduates who align with MPI’s vision of promoting freedom in film. This highly competitive program offers internships at production houses and on the sets of MPI Original Films, providing invaluable industry exposure and hands-on experience. With only one percent of applicants accepted, it presents a prestigious opportunity for aspiring professionals.

“We’re excited to kick off 2024’s Hollywood Career Launch Program with our largest intern class yet,” says Nicole Swinford, the Moving Picture Institute’s creative development executive. “Getting your foot in the door is often the most difficult task when starting out in the entertainment industry, and MPI is delighted to be able to give that opportunity to these thirteen incredible young people: the future of all things entertainment.” 

The program started with its annual Summer Intern Summit, tailored to equip interns for their debut in the film industry. It introduces them to MPI’s filmmaker network and provides insights from industry experts. This year, former Pixar director and animation superstar Colin Brady (Toy Story 2, Astro Boy, TMNT) provided perspectives on film ideas, while several MPI interns offered career advice and discussed their experiences in the field.

As part of the program, summer interns will also participate in MPI’s Freedom + Film Summer Series, a virtual weekly seminar designed to deepen their understanding of the entertainment industry. The series covers effecting change through film, analyzing scripts for freedom themes, working with talent representatives, distributing freedom-focused projects, and industry-specific job-hunting strategies.

MPI continually builds relationships with partner companies that host interns, ensuring each role offers a substantive, hands-on experience aligned with the intern’s career goals. This summer, our interns will be working at leading entertainment companies, including Millennium Media, AMGI, Watch This Ready Productions, and RPM Talent.

MPI also sponsors the Gold Rising program, providing additional mentorship to our interns from members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Selected interns receive specialized training in their chosen area of filmmaking, enhancing their work at their host company. This summer, we’re delighted to announce that this special mentorship was extended to MPI Original Films intern Grace Brady and Jose Azcui Gonzalez, a rising senior at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts. The program offers all MPI interns access to Academy programming, such as curated panels, private screenings, networking opportunities, studio tours, and educational workshops.

Are you a freedom-minded student or a recent grad aspiring to enter the film industry? If so, we encourage you to apply for MPI’s Hollywood Career Launch Program! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.