Internship: Border wall documentary

Standing in Arizona. Looking towards Sonora, Mexico. January 4, 2021 / Prudence Katze

Documentary Project Description

Filmmaker Prudence Katze is currently in production of a feature essay documentary on the USA/Mexico border wall, with a focus on the mostly publicly-owned land of southern Arizona that abuts the Mexican state of Sonora. The film will connect the dots on how the wall’s construction intersects with civil liberties, climate change and wildlife conservation.

Unia Línea (working title) will illuminate the beauty of the unique desert ecosystems while examining how past and current USA policy creates alternate zones where the Constitution does not apply.”

Timeline

“I completed a bulk of production in Summer 2021 - but, there is much more to be done. Additional filming is planned from Jan - May, with the possibility of pick-up shoots during the monsoon season.

The Producer & Research Intern will be a crucial team member in getting the film to the post-production stage!

Internship Details 

This internship is for someone with excellent writing and communication skills. Prospective candidates must enjoy combing through libraries, articles, and archives in order to organize information into coherent narratives.

Patience, diligence and attention to detail are all key to a successful internship. High priority projects include:

  • Developing and implementing a fundraising strategy involving grants and a crowdfunding strategy
  • Contacting interview subjects and helping with general production coordination
  • Organizing research, summarizing, and building on research assets

Additional tasks will include, but are not limited to: applying for fiscal sponsorship, budgeting, and other production planning. 

Spanish fluency is a plus, but not a requirement. Please possess a current passport.

The Producer and Research Intern is also welcome to join on film shoots if scheduling and circumstances permit.

Hours and Pay

Hours may vary, but there is an expected minimum of 4 hrs a week (including check-in meetings). At the moment there is an 8-hour maximum.

Pay is $15/hr and you will be paid as an independent contractor.

Application

To apply please send the following to prudence.katze@temple.edu

  • CV/Resume
  • Cover Letter
  • At least one professional reference

Detail in your cover letter

  • What your Spring schedule looks like (and preferred working days)
  • Examples of past producing, writing or any other relevant experience.

Prudence and Hiena in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico. June 2021 / Febe Escobar Maldonado

About the Director

Prudence Katze (she/her) is a MFA Candidate at Temple University’s Department of Film and Media Arts. 

She is Co-Director of The Iron Triangle: Willets Point and the Remaking of New York (2017), a film that looks at how a Queens, NYC neighborhood falls victim to the vision of City officials.