[NFL] NFL Films Summer Intern

Winner of 138 Emmy Awards, NFL Films is widely recognized as the most honored filmmaker in sports and is credited with revolutionizing the way America watches football and sports in general. Each year, NFL Films produces more than 600 hours of new NFL programming for NFL Network, ESPN, HBO, Netflix, Prime Video, all major broadcast and numerous cable networks, NFL.com, and content-streaming platforms. Additionally, NFL Films provides audio/visual and engineering support for other divisions of the NFL. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

The NFL Films Internship Program is a paid opportunity. Participants in the program will experience one of the most unique learning environments in the sports television and film industries that is known for offering an applied approach to learning. Our award-winning staff is willing to assist and mentor individuals with a serious desire to further their studies and achieve their career goals. Incorporated into the internship program are seminars that cover a broad range of production topics, including Q-&-A sessions with NFL executives and former interns. Additionally, we provide time for interns to observe and experience all phases of our operations in film and video production.

The NFL Films Internship Program is not a rotational experience. Interns are assigned to (1) department for the duration of their internship. There are several departments within NFL Films that offer internship opportunities. A description of each position can be found below. We will assign an intern in one position based on their stated interest, course of study, experience, and career path. Please thoroughly read through each department description before selecting your area of interest in our application.  

*Please Note: NFL Films does not offer internships in the areas of on-air talent, live event broadcasting, sport management, advertising, or public relations. *

REQUIREMENTS:

The NFL Films Summer 2025 Internship program runs from Monday, June 9th – Friday, August 15th.  Applicants must be available on site for the duration of the internship session, five days a week from Monday through Friday (Full days = 8 hours; Half days are not an option for most positions). 

EDUCATION:

This internship is open to current college students who are rising seniors and recent college graduates. Students must either be enrolled in a full-time academic program and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0, or a college graduate who is less than 1-year from their graduation date at the scheduled start of the internship session. Academic transcripts (official or unofficial) will be requested to confirm GPA. Acceptance is contingent upon the outcome of a standard background investigation.

Students may participate in the NFL Films Internship Program for academic credit. However, receipt of academic credit is entirely dependent upon the policies of the university and is the responsibility of the student. Participants will be paid during the internship regardless of whether academic credit is received.

POSITION DESCRIPTIONS:

Creative & Technical Positions:

CREATIVE PRODUCING

Creative Storytelling & Editing; Office-Based; Long-Form Content Creation

  • This position is within the Producers Department and is appropriate for individuals interested in a career as a storyteller, creative editor, or in a creative Producing role involving the content of a show. Interns in this department will work with our Emmy Award-winning Producers and learn all aspects of the NFL Films-style of storytelling. This position is best for students focused on long-form, documentary-style storytelling in sports. This position is not structured as a pathway to on-air opportunities, news reporting, or sideline reporting. Producers at NFL Films are responsible for the content of the entire production: from conception of the story, including researching storylines and footage, to directing interviews and shoots, editing, scripting narration, and through to the final edit. Creative Producing interns will have the opportunity to learn from those Producers and contribute to our high-profile programming. Responsibilities will vary depending upon assignment and may include researching the history of a player, team, or story; light editing; logging interviews, game footage, and radio calls; and on-location and in-house shoots. Preference is given to individuals with an understanding of editing software and an interest in telling creative football stories through video.

CREATIVE PRODUCING: SOCIAL MEDIA

Creative; Office-Based; Video Editing; Analytics

  • This position is within the Producers Department and is appropriate for individuals interested in a creative career in video editing, storytelling, and Social Media brand management. Interns in this role will assist with the day-to-day operations of NFL Films’ social media channels. The Social Media team is responsible for promoting weekly shows, making creative use of archival footage, and crafting new video content to enforce the NFL Films brand, going beyond the use of graphics-based and photo-based content. The intern will learn how to tell a story with a quick video runtime and limited wordcount, while capturing the audience’s attention, and documenting and interpreting analytics to curate future content. The intern will assist with tracking the growth of each platform and finding new, creative ways to be in the conversation of news, pop culture, and football. This role requires candidates to have experience with editing software such as Premiere and Avid (outside of in-app video editing experience). Candidates should have a desire to keep up with the dynamic pace of social media. Fluency across multiple social media platforms is required.

FIELD ACQUISITION - LOCATION CAMERA

Technical; In-Office, Set Work & Field Work; Creative

  • This position is within the Field Acquisition Department which is a combination of the Location Camera and Audio groups. This position is appropriate for individuals looking for a career as a Sports Cinematographer, Director of Photography, Assistant Camera/Focus Puller, Camera Technician, or Robotic Camera Operator/Technician. Interns will work with our Emmy Award-winning Cinematographers learning proper care, maintenance, and handling of high-end cinema cameras and lenses from our extensive inventory, while also acquiring real world experience working with our crews in the field for various shoots. Interns will learn how to light and shoot NFL Films-style productions and will be given time to light and shoot in various test situations, while receiving feedback from staff Cinematographers. Candidates interested in this internship position should have a basic knowledge of on-location film and video production and related camera equipment. Experience filming sports, narrative, and/or documentary-style, within or outside of the classroom, is required.

FIELD ACQUISITION - LOCATION AUDIO

Technical; In-Office, Set Work & Field Work; Creative

  • This position is within the Field Acquisition Department, which is a combination of Location Camera and Audio. This position offers a unique opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing a career in audio engineering and film production within the dynamic realm of sports. Interns will gain hands-on experience in field recording, working with professional audio equipment, and capturing the essence of live sports events. Location Audio prides itself on delivering high-quality sound that enhances the storytelling process by creating a sound experience that captivates fans and celebrates the spirit of the game. During this internship, participants will assist the Location Sound team in various aspects of production, including setting up and operating sound equipment, managing audio feeds during shoots, and performing on-site audio quality checks. Interns will have the chance to collaborate with experienced sound engineers, learning about the intricacies of sound design in sports documentaries and highlight reels. Candidates must have a strong understanding of audio equipment, a keen interest in sports, and a willingness to learn in a fast-paced environment. 

ARCHIVAL VIDEO EDITING & RESEARCH

Technical Editing; Office-Based; Football-Focused

  • This position is within the Media Services Department and is appropriate for individuals who are interested in utilizing their technical editing knowledge, while expanding their research and communication skills. The National Football League holds the rights to all NFL footage and this department is responsible for compiling and disseminating that footage to companies who have a licensing agreement with the NFL. The intern assigned to this department will assist in researching and gathering material for outside television networks, NFL teams, news stations, and movies/television shows requiring NFL footage. Utilizing our in-house search and database systems, this department chooses aesthetically appropriate shots based on the request to be filled and creates a compilation reel for each job. Interns will also assist the department in completing the department’s additional daily tasks. Individuals requesting this position must have prior editing experience. Knowledge of Adobe Premiere is preferred. This is a video-based position. 

Administrative Positions:

FOOTAGE RIGHTS & CLEARANCES

Administrative; Office-Based; Research & Coordination; Teamwork

  • This position is within the Footage Rights & Clearances Department and is appropriate for someone interested in the field of intellectual property, research, and post-production in the sports television world. An intern in this role will have hands-on experience researching and fulfilling requests submitted by Producers to acquire third party footage & photos to be used in NFL Films’ productions. Interns will work closely with Producers, Post-Production Scheduling, Media Administration, Business Affairs, Accounts Payable, and Project Managers while acquiring and licensing materials for various projects based on set deadlines and budgets. This involves researching various photos or footage Producers would like to find for usage in their shows, communicating with the various departments to get those materials through the in-house system, and following through to finalize and file paperwork (agreements, purchase orders, invoices, etc.). Individuals for this position must have superior communications skills to work with many vendors via phone and email, be extremely organized, and be able to work on many projects at one time. Interns in this position must be self-motivated and be able to work well independently, as well as part of a team. Knowledge of AirTable is preferred. 

TALENT COORDINATION

Administrative; Office-Based; Talent Management & Coordination; Football-Focused

  • This position is within the Player & Talent Relations Department and is appropriate for those individuals interested in a career as a Talent Producer or working with athletes at a sports team or agency. The Player & Talent Relations Department is responsible for scheduling and coordinating shoots, interviews and voiceovers for all NFL Films programming. This individual will work closely with Producers, Field Operations, Project Managers, Post-Production Scheduling, Business Affairs & Accounts Payable. Responsibilities include maintaining databases utilizing AirTable, coordinating narrations and on camera interviews with various NFL Films production talent. This role is also responsible for requesting and disseminating legal agreements, talent releases and payment paperwork as well as handling administrative needs for the department. 

The goal of this department is to establish and maintain relationships with all current and former NFL talent, media personnel and voiceover artists. Preference is given to those individuals who have a strong knowledge of NFL players, are highly organized, work well in a team atmosphere, and have outstanding communication skills. 

PRODUCTION BUDGETING & MANAGEMENT

Administrative; Office-Based; Management & Coordination 

  • This department is within the Project Management Department and is appropriate for individuals interested in pursuing a career in the management of creative projects from a budgetary and resource management standpoint. The intern will shadow a Project Manager and observe how productions are budgeted, planned and executed. They will take a larger role in the daily office tasks needed to manage various budgets, which includes but not limited to the administrative duties of processing timecards & invoices, working in the production budget platform, entering details in purchase order system, and reviewing expense reports. A successful candidate will be proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel, be extremely organized, and self-motivated. A basic understanding of the process and equipment used in television and film production as well as a basic business knowledge are preferred.

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Compliance; Office-Based; Transactional, Negotiations; Media and Entertainment Law

  • This position is appropriate for those individuals interested in a career in sports, media & entertainment law. The Business Affairs intern will gain valuable transactional experience having the opportunity to review, draft, and negotiate agreements with outside vendors and agents. The intern will also assist with content review and production risk assessments for upcoming shoots. This role will work with various departments across NFL Films, including, Producers, Legal, Insurance, Field Operations, Talent Relations, and Project Management. Applicants, at minimum, must be either a 2nd year Law or MBA student, with an interest in media and production.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY.

Complete the online application and questionnaire. When prompted, please upload both cover letter and resume.  Your application will not be reviewed if it does not contain both a cover letter and a resume.

SCHEDULE OF RECRUITMENT PROCESS 

  • Application deadline: Monday, December 20, 2024

  • Interviews: Late February – Early March 

  • Program Start Date: Monday, June 9, 2025

  • Program End Date: Friday, August 15, 2025

Jaia Thomas