2024 Internship Program – A Common Tongue
About: Ab Urbe Condita Productions, LLC., is currently engaged to produce a feature-length documentary (working title: A Common Tongue) focused on historical linguistics, archeo-anthropology, and the far-distant factors that have invisibly shaped our modern world. This project will investigate Proto-Indo-European (the ancient tongue that gave rise to the languages of Europe, Central Asia, and India) and will tell the story of those who spoke it – as well as how the cultural practices of these forgotten peoples still influence us today. Spanning over six-thousand years of history and reaching from Classical Greece to Vedic India, this narrative will probe the relationships between language, law, myth, war, and poetry – and will uncover the hidden linguistic connections that lie beneath our institutions, our religions, and our words.
Under the auspices of this project, two 2024 internships will be offered to qualified applicants interested in independent filmmaking, linguistics, or archeology:
A Common Tongue: 2024 Research Internship
About The Role:
The 2024 Research Internship will be focused on the pre-production phase of the film, specifically on the academic research that undergirds the remainder of the project. As a researcher, you will explore the available literature on comparative linguistics, bronze-age civilizations, and the anthropology of the Pontic-Caspian steppe (among many other topics), seeking to understand a broad swathe of history and condense it into a compelling narrative for our viewers. You will analyze books, academic publications, genetic studies, and a wide variety of other content – and you will synthesize these into proposals regarding what should (or shouldn’t) be included in our script. Alongside this, you will translate your research into action, creating scripts, voice-over dialogue, and interviews that will be used to create the final film.
Objectives and Responsibilities: The program will be tailored to the skills and academic goals of the participant, but will likely include portions of the following:
- Historical Research: Locating relevant publications in linguistics, anthropology, history, and other fields, and analyzing these for information relevant to the film’s core message and content.
- Creative Ideation: Proposing compelling content worthy to be featured on-screen, and connecting this to relevant academic literature
- Academic Outreach: Liaising with academics and professionals within the fields of linguistics and archeology, and facilitating conversations with institutions (museums, NGOs, government bodies, etc.) of relevance.
- Location Research: Investigating potential filming locations (e.g., archeological sites) for their historical connections, availability for shoots, etc.
- Script-writing: Composition of scripts, dialogue, narration, and interviews.
Qualifications and Skills: The ideal candidate will possess a strong mix of some – though not necessarily all – of the following characteristics:
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to write both analytically and creatively
- Strong research abilities, including a familiarity with academic publications and common citation styles
- A background in linguistics, history, archeology, anthropology, military history, folklore studies, or film.
- Enthusiasm for the study of history, including some degree of familiarity with the civilizations of the ancient world (Greek, Roman, Persian, Vedic, Gaulish, Anatolian, etc)
- Compelling story-telling abilities, with an eye for crafting narratives from disparate facts
- Creativity, curiosity, and intelligence, as well as the ability to work either autonomously or with a small team
- Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, or their Google-Docs equivalents
- Exposure to multiple languages (fluency not required) is a plus
- Familiarity with creative tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, DaVinci Resolve, etc., is a plus
Timing & Logistical Details: This program represents a three-month minimum commitment, with the potential to extend based on the participant’s availability and interest. A flexible start-date (circa June 1,2024) can be adjusted to accommodate academic schedules, contingent on timely submission of relevant availabilities & conflicts. This internship will take place primarily remotely, but some degree of travel (to workshops, on-site filming locations, etc.) may be possible (though not required).
A Common Tongue: 2024 Creative Internship
About The Role:
The 2024 Creative Internship will be focused on bringing an obscure topic – historical linguistics – to life for a mainstream audience. Are you a talented storyteller, with the ability to create compelling dialogue out of everyday topics? Are you interested in sound-design, and in shaping the musical compositions that add emotional resonance to a film? Do you have interest in narrative writing, character development, or scene composition? These are the skills and inclinations that we are seeking. For those keen to take a more hands-on approach, there are also select possibilities in the realms of lighting, location-sound, set-design, and cinematography. Your work will help shape the narrative of our film, the contours of its characters, and the images that ultimately appear on screen.
Objectives and Responsibilities: The program will be tailored to the skills and academic goals of the participant, and could include portions of the following:
- Script-Writing: Translating academic topics into engaging voice-over dialogue and interview conversations, as well as helping to craft the overall narrative flow of the film
- Interview Composition: Crafting of insightful questions and discussion topics for academics who have agreed to be featured on-screen
- Sound Design: Involvement in soundtrack composition and general musical direction, including working with composers and arrangers
- Location Research: Identification of the most compelling locations on which to shoot interviews and other scenes
- Shot Composition: Designing how individual scenes should be arranged, and how they should play out in front of the camera
- Advertising & Marketing: Identifying the right audience(s) for the film, and engaging with them to stimulate interest
- Editing: Editing of video footage and/or sound to help create preliminary cuts of the eventual film
Qualifications and Skills: The ideal candidate will possess a strong mix of some – though not necessarily all – of the following characteristics:
- Excellent creative writing skills, with a talent for crafting compelling narratives
- An eye for drama, conflict, and personality – i.e., the ability to find the most engaging portions of a person or story
- A background in music or cinema, or an enthusiasm for exploring these spaces
- An interest in the topics at hand: Linguistics, history, archeology, and anthropology
- Creativity, curiosity, and intelligence, as well as the ability to work either autonomously or with a small team
- Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, or their Google-Docs equivalents
- Familiarity with creative tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Photoshop, InDesign, DaVinci Resolve, etc
Timing & Logistical Details: This program represents a three-month minimum commitment, with the potential to extend based on the participant’s availability and interest. A flexible start-date (circa June 1,2024) can be adjusted to accommodate academic schedules, contingent on timely submission of relevant availabilities & conflicts. Non-consecutive months of participate may be possible in select cases (e.g., participating in the program in June, July, and September, but not August). While a significant portion of the program may be accomplished remotely, numerous travel opportunities will be offered should the participant be interested in the more hands-on portions of filmmaking (cinematography, sound engineering, etc). Note, however, that these may take place after the formal conclusion of the program – for example, being invited to participate in film-shoots taking place in September, even if the remainder of the program has concluded in August.
Note: Candidates for either opportunity must meet one of the below requirements to be considered:
A. Be enrolled in an accredited college/university, taking at least one class in the prior semester/quarter
B. Have graduated from a college/university within one year of the time of application
How to Apply:
Please send a one-page resume, cover letter (optional), and a brief description of your background and interest to contact@acommontongue.org. Within your email, indicate your year in school, your field or major, and which position you are applying for. Please use the subject line “2024 Internship – [Your Name]” to streamline our evaluation of your application. Good luck!
FAQs
Q. Is there a deadline for applications?
A. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis, but first priority will be given to applications received prior to May 1st, 2024. Note: If this page is still visible, applicants are still being accepted for at least one of the listed positions.
Q. Where can I read more about the film?
A. A more extensive description of the film may be found here.
Q. Is the internship paid? Does the internship offer college credit?
A. Both listed internships are offered on an unpaid basis, and AUC Productions, LLC., will work with your advisor or college administration to determine in what manner credit can be offered. While the conferral of credits is at the discretion of the educational institution, AUC Productions will make all good faith efforts to ensure that the internship program meets the academic requirements applicable to the participants.
Q. Does the program consider international students?
A. Yes, the 2024 internship program will consider applicants from any location other than those subject to specific formal sanctions by the United States of America. These countries include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
Q. Does the internship require physical presence?
A. No, the internship does not require any physical presence – all of the relevant educational- and work-experience can be accomplished digitally. However, for applicants located in relevant areas, in-person collaboration is an option for those interested. This might take the form of on-set cinematography work, research collaboration, workshops, or other events. For those with availability, travel – again, to the relevant filming locations – is also possible (though not required).
Q. Will the program cover my travel costs?
A. While there is no mandatory physical presence requirement for the program, certain portions of the internship may involve travel (both within the U.S. and internationally). If an applicant wishes to participate in these travel occasions, the program will cover flight and housing costs.
Q. I’ve applied but have not heard back — what should I do?
A. If it is prior to May 1st, 2024, please wait until you have received a response – applications received prior to this date will be given priority, and will be reviewed at the close of our initial evaluation period. If you have submitted your application after May 1st, 2024, you should receive a response within two weeks of application submission. Should you receive no reply within that timeframe, you may reach out to contact@acommontongue.com to request an update.
Q. May I contact you directly with questions?
A. Yes, you may send all reasonable and applicable questions to contact@acommontongue.org – though please understand that, due to the volume of mail we receive during application season, it may take time for your question to be addressed.