2025 Getty Marrow Media Arts Intern
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
F/T Non-exempt Internship
UNIT
Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center
APPLICATION DEADLINE
04/10/2025
OPEN DATE
03/10/2025
Position Summary:
The 2025 Getty Marrow Media Arts Intern will work in the Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center (MAC), which is dedicated to furthering JANM’s mission through unique documentaries, innovative exhibition components, and video life histories that preserve and share the Japanese American experience. They will participate in the creation of media components for the museum's upcoming films & exhibitions, educational/public programs, and website, social media, and YouTube channel. In addition, they will experience developing and producing their own short film/Capstone Project in line with JANM’s mission. They will receive hands-on experience and training in preproduction development, cameras, sound, lighting, livestreaming, editing software, motion graphics, and archival media formats.
Intern Stipend: $7,150 gross stipend for Full-Time (40 hours/week),10 consecutive weeks.
Dates of Internship: 10 consecutive weeks, in-person, from June 9 – August 15, 2025. Full-Time (40 hours a week). Monday – Friday schedule. Require occasional evening & weekend hours.
See below for more details and criteria.
The mission of the Japanese American National Museum it to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. The Japanese American National Museum is the largest museum in the United States dedicated to sharing the experience of Americans of Japanese ancestry.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- For three upcoming exhibitions media content, the intern will assist in conducting research and interviews, scouting and shooting B-roll footage, transcription, logging clips, digitization of archival materials, and editing, all of which will significantly contribute to the final pieces.
- In the Future we Call Now: Realities of Racism, Dreams of Democracy, JANM’s redesigned main exhibition, looking at Japanese American history from immigration to today will feature many new media components, including installation pieces tied to specific artifacts, videos of modern day solidarity and protest, and short documentaries focused on cross generational stories.
- Cruising J-Town: Opening July 31, 2025, this exhibition explores the impact Japanese Americans had on the Southern California car scene, from box car racing and car clubs in the fifties, to the rise of import/tuner culture in the eighties and nineties, to the reappreciation of Japanese classic cars today. The media components will include interviews with car aficionados from multiple decades, footage of classic car shows, and archival racing footage.
- Eating Together: Food in Japanese America/ Little Tokyo Legacy Businesses: This exhibition will look at Japanese American’s long history with food, in California especially. Possible media components will dive into prewar agriculture, fishing, food during wartime incarceration, and their connections to the farms, restaurants, and traditions of today. We will also document longtime Little Tokyo restaurants and examine the impact of gentrification.
- Capstone project
- Attends regular department and weekly one-on-one meetings with supervisor
- Provide support for JANM’s Natsumatsuri Family Festival Day (Saturday in August)
This list is not exhaustive and may be supplemented as necessary. Incumbent will perform related duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions outlined above.
Criteria for Intern Candidates:
The internship opportunities are intended for students from backgrounds underrepresented in museums and the visual arts professions, Eligible candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply for consideration. In addition, each intern applicant must meet the following three (3) eligibility criteria:
- Be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate (bachelor’s or associate degree program) and have completed at least one semester or 2 quarters of college by June 2025. Students who graduated the semester or quarter immediately before the internship begins are also eligible.
- Attend college in or be a permanent resident of Los Angeles County.
- Be a US citizen or permanent resident eligible to be legally employed in the US. Students with DACA status valid through the internship period are also eligible.
Please note that students who have previously served as Getty Marrow Undergraduate Interns at the Japanese American National Museum are not eligible for consideration. Students enrolled in a second BA or BS program are not eligible. Finally, staff members and relatives of staff or board members are not eligible.
High School Diploma. Be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate (bachelor’s or associate degree program) and have completed at least one semester or two quarters of college by June 2025.
Attend college in or be a permanent resident of Los Angeles County.
Video editing experience (using Final Cut Pro X and/or Premiere Pro) and experience with video cameras is strongly recommended. Competency in digitization/digital asset management, including scanning and editing photographs in Photoshop is desired. Strong research and written communication skills are critical. Attention to detail and strong organizational skills are essential. Familiar with Google Suite and MS Office.
Has excellent communication and negotiation skills. Must be able to provide courteous and effective service to co-workers, volunteers, and the general public. Is able to read, write, and comprehend routine reports and correspondence, including safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedural manuals. Is able to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group format and large group format.
Is Computer literate, Internet savvy, and experienced with MS Office and Google Suite is preferred. Knowledge of Final Cut Pro X and/or Premiere Pro and experience with video cameras is strongly recommended. Experienced using scanners, photocopiers, and printers required. Familiarity with Photoshop is beneficial. Accuracy and attention to detail are essential.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Ability to act on own initiative, making consistently sound decisions. Must be able to comply with institutional policies and procedures. Ability to perform effectively under conditions of fluctuating workload. Ability to make practical decisions and solve problems, adapt to change and communicate effectively. Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form and articulate challenges and request support where needed. Reliable follow-through on assigned projects in a complete, well conceived, and timely manner.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those the employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
The Intern's workspace will be in the Media Arts Department, in the same office as the primary supervisor and department coworkers. The Intern will also work outside of the office for location film shoots and other various project aspects. They will have a computer with access to the JANM network, internet, scanner, and printer. Additionally, they will have access to all of the media arts equipment, including: state-of-the-art camera equipment, sound/lighting equipment, and video editing software.
The Getty Marrow Media Arts Internship at the Japanese American National Museum is a Temporary, Full-Time Internship position from June 9 to August 15, 2025. Please note, however, that this is an at-will position, meaning that your employment may be terminated at any time, with or without notice, and with or without cause. There is, in other words, no guarantee that you will be employed until any date in the future, Including August 15, 2025.
Reports To: Evan Kodani, Manager of MAC and Tad Nakamura, Director of MAC
Positions Supervised: None
$7,150 gross stipend for Full-Time (40 hours/week), 10 consecutive weeks