Last year I wrote a story about my time interning with one of my favorite publishers, MTV Games. Yes, the former publishers of Rock Band. To keep this simple, let’s just say that in the last couple of months they’re not the publishers anymore. Also, rivals, Guitar Hero, have shut their doors in publishing more versions of their franchise, as well.
The story I originally published came under dispute after my time with them came to an end. I was called while on vacation to immediately take down my article. So, now, in hopes that it’s alright, since the team has been dispersed, I’m going to post the original story, unedited below.
The time frame for my internship was from January until April, 2010. – Tony
For any gamer or games journalist, there’s no higher privilege to fulfilling your college internship requirements than with a premiere video game publisher. For me, that fantasy came true one cold morning last December, through a confirmation email.
“Congratulations, Tony.”
I’d been chosen to intern for my entire spring semester with MTV Games, publisher of the ever popular Rock Band franchise. I’d interviewed twice over the course of a week’s time; once with an MTV Human Resources person, then with my potential supervisor. I felt confident in both interviews, as my previous knowledge of the games industry set me apart from other potential candidates. Providing links to articles, as well as a small marketing background, sealed the deal to what would be a grueling, yet once in a lifetime experience in the months ahead.
Friends joked, colleagues gasped, at what looked like winning the lotto in regards to what I truly wanted to do with my journalism career: write about games. But I would learn there were immense differences and misconceptions from what others (and myself) thought my experience would be, compared to what it actually was.
Misconceptions
1. “That’s great, Tony. You must be so psyched to intern at MTV, and to be able to play video games all day? So jealous,” ten friends said in harmony.
I was psyched, but this was the opposite of what actually was the day to day job description. I was with the marketing and social media extension of MTV Games, at the Viacom building in Times Square. The developers and creative behind a lot of what you see in all of the Rock Band games stems from the Harmonix team, in Boston.
Being on the marketing and social media side of things, I was put into the position, as many interns are, of product management. The core of my days were bound to updating spread sheets of the samples I was sending to VIP’s and making sure the budget codes accounted for each shipment I sent. I also searched the internet for any news or gossip that pointed toward the brand to keep on top of what the public wants/thinks. As the weeks progressed and I proved myself more of an asset I was given the task of creating Power Point presentations for new ideas I had. These were my favorite times as I was allowed to let my knowledge of the industry correlate with my creative side.
2. Interning at MTV means you’ll probably have a chance to get on television.
This is one the most prevalent of assumptions that I was forced to talk about throughout my internship. It’s not true. Not only is each brand segregated by floor, but if you are not working as a VJ or have been hired as television talent, chances are you’ll never even see a camera.
Let’s get one thing straight: interns in the Viacom building are everywhere. There are numerous orientation meetings at the beginning of the semester that give each of the new “fish” a wakeup call that we’re one in the flock that is the mass internship program at MTV HQ. This also helped give us a better mind set of how much competition is at hand. The job market’s tough, and we all want one. And we want one now.
3. Meeting celebrities and swooning with the Real World cast is going to be crazy right? Can you tell “The Situation” he’s a douche?
Yes, you do see celebrities once in a while. I ran into Sarah Silverman being interviewed in the elevator, met Green Day, saw MTV VJ Sway daily (we shared the floor with MTV News, which only made my situation even more interesting: I’m a journalist!), and did see random cast members of the real world. But it’s not like you think it would be. These celebrities are in the building for a limited time and are in the business mind set. They don’t want to hear about you. They also don’t want to get your opinion on if you think they’re a douche or what conditioner you think they should use.
4. Being a video game journalist is going to make your job easier with them. How couldn’t it? You’re interning with Rock Band?!
The hardest aspect of my time during this internship was the one thing I thought would make it the easiest: being a games industry writer. I know a lot of PR people, games writers, and even had a staff position at a renowned site. Who’s better than me? I was shocked to find out that these very traits are what hindered me in the beginning weeks and are the reasons I was to earn my trust within a brand that prides itself on secret projects.
I’ve been a freelance games journalist on and off the past few years. I was now contributing in weekly meetings discussing new products that other “journalists” would die for. I was seeing footage of gameplay, products, and new features that wouldn’t be announced for months. The journalist in me was gasping for air as the new intern mind set I was forced to adapt to took shape. Who was I? That was the toughest part. Even now as I write this article my mind races to things I’ve seen and want to tell you about. But I don’t dare. I can’t.
From my first week, I was reminded that Activision was our rival, and for obvious reasons. They have the popular Guitar Hero franchise. Coming into this internship, I had a solid relationship with Activision as a member of the games press. As this knowledge came to fruition, my knowledge of the industry seemed to take a back seat to the potential “mole” I might be for numerous reasons. Could confidential information get leaked to the competition, the press, or written about for my own personal gain?
For myself, I knew I would do no such thing; but how could they know? That fact is, they didn’t. And for that, I didn’t and don’t blame them for being skeptical of me. A few weeks prior, it was my job to find out the information I was now being shown daily.
My experience has come to an end. I graduate, I reminisce, and I look forward. I don’t miss the four hour daily commute from Connecticut to Times Square. I don’t miss the suits on the train that had hot wings for lunch, letting me know this fact by the pungent air excreting from somewhere out of sight. I don’t miss filling out spreadsheets until my eyes feel like they’re going to bleed. I don’t miss feeling like a mole while the innocent me transforms into a hardened callous self. But I do miss the laughter in the halls, the video gaming gossip, and opportunity to absorb the collective knowledge of the great people at MTV Games. Oh, and the secrets. I miss those beautiful secrets; the secrets that separated you from me.
The Guiltiest Gamer 