The festival life
Junior Diem Dang gains a professional opportunity be attending the Beyond Wonderland music festival.
When I first started attending IU, my dream was to see my name roll in the credits in a theater.
I studied 3D art and compositing for several years trying to accomplish that goal. At the beginning of my career in digital art, I was told that it would be a difficult industry and that I would have to choose between moving out of Indiana to find a city where the industry is more prevalent or staying in Indiana and adapting my skill set by freelancing. So when I was offered the opportunity to try out Los Angeles, how could I say no?
Being in Los Angeles has been incredibly rewarding. I have been lucky enough to work with Cantina Creative over the last few months creating incredible content. Knowing how sensitive the work is, I can’t tell you what I’ve been up to with them, but I can tell you that it’s incredible working alongside professionals who have been in the industry for years. It’s amazing to know I am contributing to something much larger than myself.
My other internship is with Gunpowder & Sky. I’ve been working as part of the audio production team for its new sci fi podcast. While it wasn’t quite what I expected at first, I came to more deeply understand the process that goes into finding and producing content for a company. I’ve learned about story coverage, negotiating with agents for rights and stories, and producing content through the company.
The experiences at both internships are all the better because the two companies allow employees to bring their dogs into work, leading me to make a lot of new little friends.
I often think back to the long nights I spent in labs with endless cans of energy drinks and deadlines right around the corner. Those experiences gave me the tools I need and prepared me for everything I will face during my career, but being in Los Angeles has taught me more about the industry than I ever could have learned in a classroom.
I’ve gained incredible new techniques for my work and improved my ability to problem solve. The most incredible feeling is knowing that my work is being put to good use, and I can expect to see it used in incredible ways. Los Angeles has been a major stepping stone for me, and this experience has allowed me to firmly place my roots and contacts here.