Name: Joey Shin
Internship Company: Creative Artists Agency
Title: Motion Picture Business Affairs MBA Intern (Summer 2019)
Can you tell us what department you worked in and provide a brief description of their work?
The executives on my team support agents and their writer/actor/director clients with strategy and financial analysis as they negotiate deals with the studios and streaming services.
What did you do for work before coming to Stern?
Commercial real estate investing, specializing in grocery store-anchored retail shopping centers.
What was your role or what projects did you work on?
The team assigned various projects throughout the summer, mostly consisting of financial analysis, research, and presentations for agents or their clients. For example, I modeled differences in profit participation for successful television shows on streaming services vs. the traditional "long tail" of broadcast, syndication, and home video.
What skills or knowledge were necessary for success in your internship and how did Stern help prepare you?
I used Excel and PowerPoint every day. As someone who had zero industry experience prior to Stern, all the entertainment & media classes and EMSA treks/programs provided a tremendous amount of knowledge that allowed me to speak intelligently in interviews and have success on the job.
What advice would you give for people interested in this role?
A finance or consulting background is helpful. Excel and PowerPoint skills are a must. Be able to say why you want to work at CAA.
How would you describe your recruiting experience? Please include as much detail as possible (such as timeline, how you prepared, types of interviews, etc.)
I had a strong desire to gain agency experience and this internship was the ideal situation for me. I read several books about the company and read Variety/Deadline/Hollywood Reporter articles every day. A friend introduced me to a friend at CAA and that lead to several "coffee chat" calls prior to the interview, which took place in January or February.
What has been your best entertainment & media experience (class, event, internship, trip etc.) at Stern so far?
Going to the Cannes Film Festival with my classmates was probably the single best experience so far, but there's been very little that I haven't enjoyed immensely.
What's your favorite TV show or movie right now?
I still watch Friends all the time.