J42 Interns Hannah & Melissa

Quite honestly, looking for internships can be a bit of a drag. It can be quite frustrating to spend hours upon hours scrolling through dozens of search results that aren’t relevant to your field, your qualifications, or your interests. A friend of Hannah’s turned to her one day and said “this project seems like something that fits everything you’re into” and that’s when she found Jennifer, 42. When Melissa saw the listing for a ‘Producer’s Assistant Internship’ for a smaller, independent film on one of the job forums that she was using, she was immediately intrigued and knew that she wanted to apply.

Before Jennifer, 42, both of us didn’t have much exposure to the world of animation OR to the fight against domestic violence and coercive control, but the documentary’s socially conscious, women-centered focus aligned with our values and interests.Hannah still remembers reading the script and being so thrilled to be a part of something that she’d never been a part of before. The project is truly unique. After reading the script, Melissa felt an even deeper connection to the project since the events occurred in her home state of Connecticut. It was a shock for her to hear that all of this happened only about an hour from her hometown, and this new information motivated her even further to get the project funded because she believes that this film has the potential to change how domestic violence is dealt with in Connecticut as well as in other areas of the United States.

Both of us are so grateful for this opportunity to learn more about animation, the indie filmmaking process, and the fight against coercive control through working on this project. Being humbled can change your life, and that’s just how Hannah feels after working on Jennifer, 42 because she’s learned so much about coercive control and how it affects peoples’ lives. This is the first time she’s really been face to face with information about it, and now she’s better informed on the issue. As a woman, Melissa wants to make this world safer and more enjoyable for her fellow sisters in the United States and around the world, and she stands by the notion that so much more needs to be done to protect our women and girls. By exposing the horrors of a domestic violence situation as well as the hassle and frustrations that come with trying to seek help from law enforcement, Jennifer, 42 gives so many women a voice and allows them to be heard by many people who may not otherwise hear their stories.

This internship has been wonderful, as was getting to know Elle, Katie, Yulia, and everyone else. Working with women active in the film industry is truly inspiring. Even in this day and age, it is so difficult for women in film to get ahead and to succeed in the film industry. Seeing them persevere week after week, pushing past roadblocks to create this project that they believe in motivates Melissa to put her everything into the work that she’s been doing for Jennifer, 42, and she will keep their hard-working spirit in mind in her future endeavors. As a young woman hoping to enter the industry, Hannah thinks that the Jennifer 42 team is a light in the darkness.