GEORGIA COUNTY INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT

 

Patrick Brannen, a senior at the University of Georgia, interned with Athens-Clarke County. Brannen, who studies entertainment and media studies, worked in the public information office (PIO). During his internship, Brannen worked on various photography and videography projects to support county programming and events.

 

Before the internship, Brannen had little familiarity with county government operations and knew little of county government structure. However, his internship experience provided him with hands-on work with not only the mayor and county commission, but with other aspects of county government including the manager, central services, the water business office, and the recycling department.

 

Brannen’s core responsibilities included taping and editing Snapshot Six. Snapshot Six is a monthly video series that highlights government activities selected by the county manager. Brannen assisted with on-location filming for Snapshot Six videos and helped with post-production and completion of the videos for publication on YouTube.

 

Additionally, Brannen timestamped and labeled mayor and commission meetings on YouTube and did weekly updates for internal county systems. Brannen noted that his favorite part of the internship was learning Premiere Pro, a video editing software, on an in-depth level. "I am far more competent on the software than I used to be," Brannen said.

 

In the future, Brannen hopes to be a freelance videographer. He said that the most significant success of his internship experience was acquiring hands-on skills, such as camera skills and editing, which are relevant to his long-term career goals. Brannen also appreciated the opportunity to work alongside his county colleagues. He reflected that "the relationships I've built with other members of the PIO have been truly special."

 

Following graduation in 2023, Brannen plans to continue pursuing videography. Though he is unsure if he will return to a career in county government, he is grateful for his experience with Athens-Clarke and the skills and relationships built throughout his internship.

 

To view previous issues of Snapshot Six including Brannen's work, visit the Athens-Clarke County website.