This summer MPI placed two interns, Nicole Serrato and Sara VanDivier, in the prestigious Academy Gold program. As the program drew to an end, Nicole was picked out of dozens of young filmmakers to give the closing ceremony speech before an audience that included the newly-elected Academy president, Academy members, and even celebrities such as Mira Sorvino.

These interns were able to participate in Academy Gold thanks to our partnership with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Throughout the summer they attended special educational panels with Academy members, screenings, and high-level networking events. 

MPI placed Sara with Avalon Entertainment and Bron Studios this summer, experiences that, she said, “opened me up to opportunities and facets of the industry I never even knew existed.” 

MPI’s summer intern summit “was instrumental in helping me prepare and gain the most out of my internship with the Academy Gold and Millennium Films,” Nicole says. “The professionals and MPI alumni that spoke at the summit gave me the knowledge and insight I needed to stand out.”

Nicole and Sara both have bright futures in the film industry. This fall Sara will begin a marketing internship with NBCUniversal’s Campus U program. Nicole will head into her final year at The City College of New York and start pre-production for her senior thesis film.

The Moving Picture Institute’s Hollywood Career Launch Program accepts applications on a rolling basis. Apply today!