New Media Internship At MasterNewMedia: Interns Interview Each Other - Andre Deutmeyer Under The Spotlight

If you have been following the story of the MasterNewMedia internship program, you know already that at the end of the summer I have selected two new candidates to jump into this unique learning and working opportunity.

MasterNewMedia intern Andre Deutmeyer

In their learning path leading to a professional publishing position, I personally guide my scholars to try out and become familiar with all phases, tools and methods of new media communication. And video interviewing is one of these.

Thanks to the amazing new video technologies and services available today, the technical part of a video interview) is now within most everyone reach leaving while the key challenge for most is the ability to develop an effective editorial approach and a credible, genuine personal communication style.

This time is Andre Deutmeyer's turn to be under the spotlight and to share his learned lessons after a couple of months inside inside the MasterNewMedia internship program.

By all means this is both a real learning opportunity for both Andre and Daniele to try firsthand what it means to be on either side of a video camera and what it takes to be oneself in front of it.

As you will see in this video, Andre, the interviewee is naturally very spontaneous and believable, as he apparently answers questions just like he was talking to a friend sitting in front of him. No fancy terminology, no difficult tech terms, no stiff position, outfit or attitude. The way to go!

On the other hand, Daniele, who you have met in another video interview a few weeks ago, has a much harder time being credible, because of his very own conscious effort to be "alive" and "entertaining". In my eyes, Daniele comes out as being a lot more fake than he really is, showing clearly that to have video impact on the web you really need to be yourself 110%. Easy to say, but not so much to do, unless you get to have lots of opportunities to try out, experiment and let yourself go.

My best advice to both Daniele and you is not to fret. Take your time and experiment, while making your best effort of visualizing a true, intimate friend in front of you. Tell your story or ask your questions as you would do if you met that person inside an airport lounge with little time available and a great curiosity to find out more about the person you have in front of you.

The beauty of video on the web, is that it opens up a new approach to communication, drastically different from the stiff, pre-packaged mass-media delivery that traditional television programming has long brainwashed us to expect. Here the name of the game is

"take down all formalities, institutionalized attitudes and speak in your natural true voice. Say what you think, be spontaneous, don't hold back, make mistakes but be real. Just like you are when in the midst of your best and closest friends".

Interns Interview Each Other - Andre Deutmeyer Under The Spotlight

Duration: 8' 48"

Full English Text Transcription

Intro

Daniele Bazzano: Hello everyone, my name is Daniele Bazzano and I'm intern at MasterNewMedia. I'm here with my friend and colleague Andre Deutmeyer who's connecting live with us from Seoul, South Korea.

Hi, Andre, how are you doing?

Andre Deutmeyer: Hey Dani, how are you?

Daniele Bazzano: I'm doing great thank you.

 

Why Andre Joined MasterNewMedia

Daniele Bazzano: Andre, I want to chat a little bit with you about your internship experience here, about MasterNewMedia.

Just tell me, how did it all start?

Andre Deutmeyer: Dani, to tell you the truth, the way I got started with MasterNewMedia was a few months back. I think it's about three months now.

Three months ago I was looking for something new to do. The reason for that is that my job here in Seoul is... I'm an English teacher here. It gives me quite a bit of free time on the side to pursuit some of the things that I enjoy, some of the things that I cannot really want to do. One of the things that interested me is web publishing, online technology and more.

About three months back I was reading blogs and as I was going through some of that stuff I saw a link to Robin Good's MasterNewMedia page and he was saying that he was looking for interns. I read it and I thought: "wow, this is interesting, this is something that might be really good for me".

I thought about it for a while, and then about a week or two later, I think I read your post Dani. After reading that post I was like: "this sounds really good. This sounds like something that I really want to do".

So, I wanted to head to that point. I sent Robin Good an email, and then he called me. We chatted a little bit, and the rest is history. Now here I am!

Daniele Bazzano: That's great! So, I was the one who introduced you to MasterNewMedia... That's cool man!

 

Finding The Time

Daniele Bazzano: Andre, you said you're an English teacher. How do you manage to find the time to stay with your friends, your girlfriend, work, and at the same time do this internship at MasterNewMedia, which many times can be very time-consuming?

Andre Deutmeyer: That's really a good question Dani.

A lot of times I'm actually wondering how I can stick with it myself. I think the biggest thing for me, the reason I stick with this internship, to MasterNewMedia, is this is what I really want to do.

Teaching is fun, I enjoy it, but I personally don't want to go into education as a teacher. I don't think that's where my future lies. I think something like independent web publishing is what I would like to do in the future. That's the reason I kind of stick with this.

As far as finding the time goes, it's just like anything else in life. If you want to do it, then you have to make time for it. I make sacrifices in other areas: personal life being, the biggest one.

I still have to work my job because it pays me, and pays the bills and stuff. But lots of times now when I spend time with my girlfriend, it would be doing something productive together. I'll be working on an article, perhaps she will be studying or doing internship applications of her own. That's kind of where we get to spend time together now.

And every once in a while, I do save time for myself. I still go out, watch the occasional movie, I actually watched... what was the last movie? It doesn't really matter, but I do have time to go out and do things, have dinner with my girlfriend, go to movies.

It's just I have to be a little more careful now with how I spend my time.

 

Pros and Cons About The Internship

Daniele Bazzano: That's great Andre, thank you for sharing your experience here! But now, let's get this straight: just tell me three pros and three cons about your internship experience here. Straight, just don't think about it.

Andre Deutmeyer: Oh yeah, that's a harder question than you might think.

Let's go with the three pros, because I think that's a lot easier.

1. Like I've already said, first thing is the opportunities available here. I'm learning a lot of stuff and I'm learning a lot of stuff that interests me, which is one big pro why I'm here.
2. The second one is the people. I love the atmosphere, I like how white and black it can be. There's very few places in the world where I can wear a beanie to work, and that's great for me. Robin, Dani, and all the people working at MasterNewMedia, are all great people.
3. As for the third reason, it can provide a future for me. This is something where I can be my own boss, in the future, and that's really kind of what attracts me to MasterNewMedia, and what I'm doing right now.

As far as the cons, that's a little bit more difficult... three cons?

Honestly I can only really think of one off the top of my head, and that's the whole sacrificing all those things that I used to do: going out and going to karaoke until 6am, or drinking at the local pub with my friends. I've given up those things, and that's the real con.

I'm not going to play down and act like it is not a bad sacrifice, because I think it is a sacrifice. But it's one that I'm going to make.

I hope that answers your question. The other two cons, I'd just give you that back later on Dani.

 

Andre's Advices For Future Interns

Daniele Bazzano: Sounds great Andre, you really answered my questions, there was no need to go to the other two cons.

I think this internship is a difficult path that you are walking, but it's definitely something that you would advise to someone else who wants to become a publisher.

What are your advices to them? What would you advise?

Andre Deutmeyer: For others who are interested in this internship I would say that you have to be willing to... you have to know in your mind, and right in your heart, this is something nice you want to do.

There's no one telling you that you have to come to work everyday. This is a choice that you make.

You have to know in your heart that this is what you want to do. Especially in my position where I have another job, it's even more necessary to realize that this is something you want to do, this is something that's important, and something that you want to learn how to do.

You get to really decide before you start, before you jump into this, that this is something that you see yourself doing in the future, being a productive relationship for you in the future. Once you've made that decision, I think the internship would go smoothly.

You'll have some difficulties, you'll be learning a lot of new stuff, you'll be making some mistakes, but overall as long as you have that idea in mind: "this is what I want to do, and I want to to stick with it, no matter the obstacles that face me, no matter the problems I encounter, I'm going to stick with it". If you have that attitude, I don't see how you can fail, this would be a great opportunity for you to learn something new.

And on top of that, Robin is flexible. He's a nice guy, he understands that you can have all the commitments in your life. You just have to tell him, you have to work with him, work things out, and that sense is great.

I really can't ask for a better mentor internship.

Daniele Bazzano: That was great Andre. Thank you very much for sharing your experience and it's been a real pleasure talking to you.

I'll chat with you later, or we'll prepare another article together! Ciao!

Andre Deutmeyer: I had a great time Dani. Thank you very much for having me, see you later man!

N.B.: Internship positions at MasterNewMedia will open again on December 1st 2008. To list yourself up or find out more about this internship opportunity please see: "New Media Internships - MasterNewMedia New Apprentice Positions Open"

Originally shot by Daniele Bazzano for MasterNewMedia and first published on November 28th as "New Media Internship At MasterNewMedia: Interns Interview Each Other - Andre Deutmeyer Under The Spotlight".