Emily Peper (FCLC ’23) Shares Experiences and Advice from her NBC Production Internship
By Elissa Johnston
Since last September, Emily Peper has been living out a long-cherished dream: she works as an intern for NBC, where she helps produce Late Night with Seth Myers.
Emily had known about this internship position since shortly after she decided to major in film and TV as well as English. “NBC was always on my radar. I knew they had internships, and I would see them posted on NBC’s early careers page every year. Ever since I declared my film and TV major, it had been a goal of mine to work there in some form. And ever since I was young I’ve been a fan of SNL and late night shows on NBC, so the idea of being able to work for NBC as an intern became a kind of beacon for me.”
Emily has also long wanted to work near Rockefeller Center. “It’s always been my favorite part of the city. I remember walking around there as a freshman and thinking, ‘I want to work here someday,’” she shared. “I actually joked about it with my friends and family, that it was my dream work destination,” she said with a laugh.
Emily also knew that landing such a competitive internship would require preparatory work. When she began the process of applying to internships during her junior year, she chose positions that would give her experience and fundamental skills that would make her a compelling candidate for the NBC internship. She started with a London-based production company called Feedback Films while she studied abroad in the spring semester of her junior year. “It was more business-minded than I was looking for, but I definitely got my foot in the door with production. I was also able to get some editing experience with logging and archiving footage and posting articles on my boss’s personal brand on LinkedIn.” That semester, she also helped produce Professor Varsha Panjwani’s podcast “Women and Shakespeare,” which gave her experience with working with guests and supervising recording. The summer before starting the NBC internship, Emily also worked as a documentary development intern for Gunpowder and Sky. She helped them create materials to pitch a true crime series to production companies like Netflix and HBO Max. “Those three big internship experiences were what helped me pivot into getting this internship,” she noted.
When applications opened for NBC, she had already laid the groundwork for her success. She applied for NBC’s general entertainment and business internship and made it to the interview round. “If they like you, they have you do a virtual interview. If they like you after that, they send you along and place you at a certain show. I didn’t get a say in the placement process, but obviously, I was open to anything. Just the thought of being considered was great. I’m a fan of Late Night with Seth Myers, so it felt like a good fit. I’m just so grateful that I was brought along for the journey.”
The internship has given her a valuable chance to pursue her passions. “I think this internship captures both my career interests and my personal interests. Through this internship, I’ve learned so much about the entertainment industry and the process of television production. Production was a career path I wanted to know more about, and now I have tangible, behind-the-scenes experience of what it takes to produce a show that people really watch.”
On a more personal level, she found that the internship reinforced her passion for creating content that touches people. "What I want to do revolves around the feelings that I experience at home when I’m watching a show I love. I want to bring those feelings to others, to inspire feelings of comfort, connection, and excitement in audiences at home. I’ve been a huge fan of Late Night with Seth Myers for years. I’ve definitely stayed up watching his interviews and laughing at the banter between him and a celebrity guest that I probably have a crush on. I love to get to say that now, I’ve had an internship experience where I was a part of bringing those feelings of laughter and joy to audiences at home. Wherever I go from here, I want to continue to pursue that.”
Emily also shared how much she has liked the day-to-day chaos of producing a television show. “What I enjoyed most is the feeling of accomplishment when we get through a stressful task or chaotic day—our days can be very, very busy. People will be all over the city picking things up or trying to help around the studio, and there can be lots going on. But knowing that I’m contributing to getting the show on air feels great, and at the end of the day, my supervisor will come over and say to the interns, ‘Thank you, I know it was a busy day, good job.’ It’s just very affirming to be a part of the show, to build it from the ground up and see it air and know that audiences will see what we’ve been contributing to,” she said. “I love that I always feel like I’m part of a team.”
This internship experience has encouraged Emily to consider a career in film and TV with more hope and confidence. “Initially, I did feel very intimated and shy,” she shared. “It took me a bit to break out of that, but once I did, everyone there is so friendly. It was as simple as a smile in the hallway or a ‘hi, how are you.’ That kindness goes a long way.” Once she did start to feel comfortable, her whole perspective on the industry began to shift. “What surprised me most was how nice and supportive everyone at the show is, and also how many hands it takes to produce the show from the ground up. Everyone who works there wants to help you and wants to see you succeed. They’ll answer any questions you have.” Seeing how many people it takes to produce a show also encouraged her to keep pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. “There are truly so many roles and positions on a TV show set that I would never have known existed if I didn’t see them myself. When you’re outside of the industry, it’s easy to feel like the job search is daunting. But once you get your first job, everything kind of unfolds before you. You realize that there are actually opportunities. You just have to go after them.”
Emily also had some advice for those who were interested in pursuing competitive internships in the entertainment industry. “Always be vigilant about checking for opportunities on LinkedIn and company websites,” she advised. “Also, I recommend showing who you are in the cover letter and the interviews. A previous intern gave me this advice before I did my interview: just be you, because they’re trying to find out whether you’ll mesh with them, whether you’ll fit into their team as an intern.” She emphasized the importance that personality plays in the hiring process. “Of course, hiring coordinators want to see your experience and your skills on your resume, but they also want to see who you are. So my advice is to be authentically you. That’s what matters when you’re working there.”
She also encouraged people interested in the entertainment industry to stay open to different kinds of opportunities. "I’m not entirely sure what I want to do next. This internship, though, is making me want to know more and get more experience to figure out what I want to do. So be open to trying new tasks or experimenting in different areas of a field that you’re interested in. That way, you learn more about yourself: what you like and don’t like, what you’re passionate about and what you’re not so passionate about. In order to figure that out, you have to commit to trying new things and staying true to who you are.”
