Summer Intern Class of ‘24 Shares Their Favorite Memories

By Richard Yan

I still remember the moment I first walked into AGBO: the giant neon logo over the front desk; the infinity gauntlets on the table; the Oscar covered with a million googly eyes. This was my dream company, and I was finally here. Coming in, I thought my fondest memory would be meeting the Russo Brothers for the first time (and to be fair, it is a pretty sweet memory). But now, as my final week here draws to a close, what I’ll remember the most are the lunches I shared with my supervisors on the patio and the cheers of my AGBO Olympics teammates as I hopped to the finish line with a balloon between my knees. While I’d expected to learn a lot more about the industry, I didn’t expect I’d build such camaraderie with everyone along the way. As we wrap up the semester, my fellow interns and I want to reflect on all we've learned here and the moments we shared before moving to our next chapters.

From the bustling streets of Manhattan to the sandy beaches of L.A., AGBO recruited far and wide for the Summer Intern Class of ‘24. With areas of study ranging from Animation and Computer Science to Economics and History, each of us offer a unique perspective but are united by our shared passion for storytelling. For some of us, this is our first ever internship in film and TV. Others are internship veterans who’ve proclaimed themselves “professional interns.” Whatever experience level we may be, we agree on one thing: that AGBO’s office is pretty frickin’ sweet.

It’s impossible to work at AGBO and not take advantage of the Avengers-themed pinball machine or the arcade machine with every retro video game imaginable. And with two 10-minute breaks and an hour-long lunch break every day, there’s plenty of time for me to crush Xuan in Mortal Kombat between reading scripts. Another great pastime is admiring the memorabilia hanging on every wall of the office– from cast photos to a signed Captain America’s shield, the office is adorned with priceless movie artifacts. Luckily, since the infinity gauntlets aren’t the real ones, they’re free for anyone to wear!

Talking about favorite movies and TV shows is a surefire conversation starter at the office. The interns themselves have a wide range of tastes, from Dorian’s appetite for French New Wave cinema to Xuan and Fabian’s love for House of the Dragon. My supervisors, Pom and Diana, have showered me with recs, including Severance and The Prestige. Of course, all of us love watching AGBO’s own collection– both Claire and I, for example, are watching Citadel as we speak. Anyone at AGBO will stop anytime and chat about what they’re watching– it’s a bit of a love language for everyone here. 

AGBO truly cares about the wellness of its employees and wants to make sure that professionalism and fun are in a constant balance at the office. That’s why kombucha and cold brew are offered on tap in the kitchen and events such as the AGBO Olympics are organized– a happy office is a productive office, and AGBO believes in that big time. Xuan even says his advice for future interns is to “always have a glass of kombucha at your desk to keep your energy up,” and I agree with him– those scripts can get really long without a pick-me-up sometimes.

What makes working at AGBO so special is the fact that, in Dorian’s words, “we’re all nerds”. Everyone at the office has been so wonderful, knowledgeable, and friendly. As a result, AGBO gives off the vibe of an incredibly prestigious studio, but fosters a very welcoming environment at the same time, granting its interns ample opportunity to ask questions and learn. The weekly Lunch & Learns have given the interns a glimpse into every corner of the industry, and asking someone to chat one-on-one afterwards never feels awkward. As Fabian puts it, “the experts at their craft are incredibly humble; they always say to be nice to everyone and they live by that!

So what is the most important lesson we’re all walking away with at AGBO? Claire says it’s to “always be listening and absorbing information” which I cannot agree with more. The best thing to be in an office of talented professionals is a sponge. For Isabelle, who works in development with me, it’s to “know the names of most writers and directors in the industry.” That’s a good one, too. I seriously admire the execs’ ability to keep so many names in their heads– and how have they watched literally every show on Earth?! Olivia says “Everyone has something you can learn from them,” which I have to upvote. For example, even though Elizabeth works in Innovation, I was delighted that she could chat with me more about what music supervising for a film is like– something totally unexpected and different from what she does now.

For me, it’s to never pigeon-hole yourself. Talk to different departments and volunteer to contribute in whatever areas interest you, because that’s how I ended up writing this article for AGBOVERSE as a development intern! AGBO has given me so much this summer– friends, mentors, lifelong collaborators– and I could not have asked for a better internship experience. And at the risk of sounding cliché, it truly is the people you work with that stick with you after you move on. My sincerest gratitude goes to my supervisors, to the Russos, to AGBO: thank you for having us as your Young Avengers this semester.

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