While pursuing her law degree, Megan Shave decided to take a huge leap of faith and apply for an internship with Chain Camera Pictures. The production company behind the film The Hunting Ground, Chain Camera Pictures had inspired Megan to write her thesis on how social media can be a catalyst for change in legal culture. She had no idea that this bold leap would lead to the opportunity to work alongside the people she admired on social justice issues that she is passionate about. The fact that she was in Los Angeles, the center of the film and entertainment industry, was just a bonus!
Fast forward four months and Megan is now returning to her home country of South Africa with a newfound confidence for her own potential and a new career path. We caught up with Megan to hear about her internship, her experience living in Los Angeles, and the self-growth she experienced during her exchange program.
Why did you choose Chain Camera Pictures for a J-1 internship?
While pursuing my law degree, I chose to do my thesis on how social media could be a catalyst for change in legal culture and how it dealt with rape culture, especially at universities. This paper was inspired by one of Chain Camera Pictures’ films The Hunting Ground, which I watched in class. I realized that law was not right for me at that moment, so I took a chance and asked if I could participate in Chain Camera Picture’s internship program. I had no idea what to expect when I applied because I was still very focused from my legal education background. I was from the other side of the world, and I did not know nearly enough about film (or so I thought) to be a productive member of their team. Yet they took me on!
I do not think I chose Chain Camera Pictures because I would never have the arrogance to think I would be capable of choosing a company as brave, brilliant, and creative as Chain Camera Pictures. Rather, I believe that Chain Camera Pictures chose me to be a small part of their incredible journey. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of a team of the most talented, hardworking, dedicated, and inspirational people I have had the pleasure of meeting. Everyday has presented an unbelievable chance to learn, grow, and discover something new about myself, America, or film in general.
What was your favorite part of your internship at Chain Camera Pictures?
To narrow it down to one moment would be impossible. Every activity, no matter how small at the time, has let me grow and develop my skills as a researcher and allowed me to learn an industry I hope to continue working in when I return home. I participated in a phone campaign with [former Vice President] Joe Biden, which was amazing and exceptionally surreal. I was also able to go on set and learn the entire post-production process of a film. My colleagues and I have lunch together every day, which has allowed me to forge really special relationships with all of them. They let me choose research topics and invited me to interesting cultural events to make sure I was getting the most out of my time in Los Angeles. All of these isolated moments have created the most unbelievable time for me, and I could not thank Chain Camera Pictures enough for having me.
What has it been like living in Los Angeles?
I have experienced a plethora of cultural activities, from attending the tapings of The Late Late Show with James Corden, to attending a live production of Willy Wonka at the Hollywood Bowl to soaking up the awesome theatre and food scene in Los Angeles. I was lucky enough to go to The Museum of Ice Cream, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and other incredible pop-up exhibitions that exposed me to new artists and encouraged me to diversify my taste in art. Walking around Los Angeles is a cultural experience, with people from all over the world all living and creating in the city, you really are immersed in a cultural melting pot when you live Los Angeles. This has been an incredible place to live and work, and I will forever love the world of art and culture that of Los Angeles created for me.
What does cultural exchange mean to you?
This exchange has meant that I can return to a country that is brimming with potential full of my own potential. I now have the most unbelievable skill set, tastes, preferences and ideas that were given to me from cultural exchange. My previously held beliefs have been expanded, eviscerated, and tested, and I could not thank America enough for that. It has meant that I can grow while also witnessing firsthand how I can help my own country grow. I have been able to educate people about South Africa and what an amazing place it is, while experiencing the unique realities of living in the United States. I have been able to encounter cultures that were previously foreign to me and which I now embrace. Cultural exchange means being extremely far away from all that I know and yet feeling totally at home from the very first moment. It has meant being brave and bold when I was apprehensive and nervous. It has meant being happy and excited while embracing people and experiences that are now so engrained in my future yet absolutely absent from my past.
What advice can you offer to future exchange visitors coming to the United States?
Enjoy, savor, and relish. Those three words have taken on a whole new meaning to me since doing this exchange. Enjoy everything, even the boring or uninteresting moments, because they will be the moments that teach you about yourself, test your patience, and make you grow. Savor every smell, sight, and taste. There is so much diversity in America, and the people, places and things you will encounter are indescribable. You will never experience anything like it again, so make sure you take it all on and embrace every curveball thrown your way. Relish every moment. I cannot fathom how quickly this experience has flown by, and I would not change a thing. Every mistake or choice that I have made has resulted in me meeting new people that will be friends for life, tasting foods that I will crave forever, and teaching me to grow in ways I did not think I needed. So throw away your preconceived notions of America and allow yourself to get caught up in the clichés. After all, you are there to exchange cultures with a completely foreign world, so make sure you embrace that. Do not hesitate to speak up and pursue opportunities that cross your path because they will not come around again, so pursue them and be proud of yourself for taking such a leap.
To read more from Megan, connect with her on Twitter!