Published November 4, 2015
Vanelis Rivera, an instructor of English in ULM’s School of Humanities, recently completed
a prestigious internship with Tangerine Entertainment, a film production company in
New York City.
Rivera’s internship provided valuable insight about what production companies gravitate
toward in selecting film and TV projects, the business aspects of creating a film,
the process of filming a project, and the research involved.
Rivera believes her experience in the film industry benefits her students in the classroom.
“I tend to use film in my Composition II Visual Analysis unit. Also, I use scriptwriting
to teach effective descriptive writing. It was an invaluable experience because I
was able to participate on a faster-paced work environment with high stakes, which
has encouraged me to raise the bar of my own work ethic and the work ethic of my students,”
Rivera commented.
“I am hoping to partner with the ULM Communication Program in order to construct a
workshop for potential screenwriters,” she said.
This unique opportunity allowed Rivera to work with celebrities such as Rose McGowan,
Amber Tamblyn, and America Ferrera.
