After a month in Florence, I’m finally feeling adjusted to the city and the Italian culture. What has helped me during this transitionary period is the stability of and experience I’ve gained from my time interning at Ecoframes.
Ecoframes is a film and TV production company based right here in Florence. They’ve worked on a wide range of productions, from commercials for AC Fiorentina and Infiniti to Masterchef Poland and the recently Oscar-nominated film The Brutalist. An industry like film and entertainment is always changing and evolving and requires constant adaptions. Being able to adjust to new environments and get to know new people very quickly is essential for success in this field, whether at home or abroad. I have found that both my cultural experience in Italy and my professional experience through Ecoframes are teaching me to work on my adaptability and flexibility very quickly.
So far, I have worked on a number of projects with Ecoframes, ranging from video editing for a client to doing research into international institutions for collaboration. Much like at home, this wide array of work types is very typical of a life in film, and I’ve been leveraging my prior experience to stay ahead of the curve. I hope to utilize the good work that I do to propose a short project by the end of the semester.
The dynamics of the professional culture in Italy are potentially the biggest difference between here and the U.S. For starters, my supervisors have been very flexible with my class schedule. This has enabled me a great deal of freedom in establishing when I go into the office and get hours in. Additionally, the work culture is much more focused on establishing relationships, and so I feel that I have come to know my supervisors much more closely than many of my supervisors and co-workers in the States. This closeness has resulted in a more open dialogue between my supervisors and I, and I have found that they appreciate my input when asking for help on a project or assignment.
The opportunity to intern abroad has already proven itself to be a very positive experience. I am hopeful that the remainder of my time in Florence will only continue to provide me with exciting experiences.
