NuContext celebrates a second summer of its “HBCU to Hollywood” Internship Program after a fruitful first year. The internship offers students the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the film and production industry providing a $5,000 scholarship to cover travel, living expenses and continuing education for a six-to-eight-week internship opportunity in Hollywood with NuContext.
“We were thrilled to welcome Ja’Nya to the NuContext family as our 2022 HBCU to Hollywood intern,” shares NuContext Founder Angela Guice. “Last year was a huge success giving real-world, life-changing experiences in the field for these talented students from Southern University Baton Rouge, and we were thrilled to have Ja’Naya join us on-set and in pre-production this summer."
The program kicked off in 2021 after Guice traveled to Southern University in Louisiana to shoot a music video starring Grammy® award winning star Lizzo, where she got the chance to connect with many of the students who were eager and inspired to learn more about the production process.
“Southern and NuContext instantly synergized when we first crossed paths in 2019 while filming the Lizzo video,” comments Southern University Communications Director Janene Tate. “Not only were students featured in this dynamic production, but they were also able to work directly with the crew in nearly every aspect. A spark was definitely ignited, as students saw an idea on a storyboard come to life as a video that garnered millions of views in its first days. They were a part of that. NuContext made sure of that and they continue to make sure that students continue to have these relevant film industry experiences through this internship program.”
One of the many students from Southern University that Guice had the opportunity to connect with was Chaselynn Grant, who went on to become the first recipient of NuContext’s HBCU to Hollywood program.
“My NuContext internship experience was something that I’ll never forget,” says Grant. “Being able to participate in the pre-planning of production was very extraordinary. My favorite thing was being the Talent Production Assistant where I was able to meet celebrities and assist them on-set. I think that it is important that people take a chance on HBCU students, not only because we are talented, but about 80% of HBCUs are African-American students who just want a chance to showcase their work ethic and hunger for the film industry. Ms. Angela is a hard worker and definitely is a wonderful role model for women in this industry. She has set the bar and has been so humble with her success. She has shared her knowledge with young women like myself. I gained life-long family, friends and mentors from my internship experience and can’t wait to come back to my NuContext family.”
This year's internship recipient, Ja’Nya Augustine also crossed paths with Guice during her 2019 trip to Southern University and expresses what working alongside an established production company means to HBCU students like herself.
“Working with NuContext was a life-changing experience,” concludes Augustine. “I went to California, unsure about which career path I wanted to take in the entertainment industry, and I left with knowledge from every aspect of my field. They made my experience feel like a home away from home and I will cherish NuContext for the remainder of my career. I was able to build a plethora of connections. With each project we worked on, I learned something. NuContext provided me with a foundation that I feel will give me the push to excel my career. I would do this experience a million times over."
