Observing Life through the Lens of the Documentary at Voice of America

By Dean’s Intern Jordan Redd at Voice of America

My experience interning in the documentary unit of Voice of America has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I watched the documentary series, After Parkland— which focuses on the aftermath of the Parkland, FL school shooting– grow and improve over time until it was officially launched (you can watch the series here.) I mainly worked on the research behind the interviewees, gun control, and voter registration statistics. I researched Denver Riggleman– the republican candidate for Virginia’s fifth congressional district, and wrote the questions our executive producer Beth Mendelson asked him in an interview. To hear him answer those questions in the documentary was a strange and

yet exciting experience.

Right now, as the documentary series on Parkland has come to a close, the unit is seeking a new story to tell. Working on the team at this stage is providing me with insight into the process of developing a documentary from ground zero.

Through my internship I had the opportunity to listen to a panel discussion on the production and distribution of documentary films at a women in film conference– Script DC. Although my intended career path is fiction filmmaking, learning about the documentary side of production and distribution from experts in the field was still useful and intriguing.

Beth Mendelson interacts with my co-intern and I as though we are important and valued members of the team. She asks for and listens to my opinions frequently. This internship has undoubtably furthered my dedication to make my mark in the film industry.