Learn more about one of our 2023 VC Summer Interns, Margarita Verde, our Programs Intern!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Margarita and I recently graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Media Studies with a focus in Digital Studies. I transferred to Cal from Pasadena City College. I grew up in Glendale, CA but I lived in Vacaville up in NorCal for a short time. My friends and I love to do brunch and occasionally go on hikes. My top 4 films on my Letterboxd right now are Megamind, Moulin Rouge!, Gladiator, and Se7en.

How did you hear about Visual Communications and what drew you to apply?

Visual Communications was included on the Los Angeles Arts Internship Program. VC’s rich and deep history of empowering AAPI filmmakers and creatives is in line with the organizational work I did while I was at Berkeley. I was involved with the Pilipinx Academic Student Services (PASS), a multicultural resource coalition meant to support Filipino students at Cal. VC combines my interest in film and distribution, and also my interest in uplifting minority voices, especially in the cinema space.

What are your duties at VC? Which part(s) do you find most interesting?

As the Programs intern, I work with Cindy in setting up the foundation for VC’s yearly Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and the AWC (Armed with a Camera) Fellowship. I work with our filmmakers to submit their films to various film festivals around the world and across the US. Another part of my duties is to also process submissions for the AWC Fellowship, or to collaborate with our operations and finances with other projects VC is working on. I’m interested in film distribution as a career, so learning how to use FilmFreeway in addition to understanding how film festivals work is most interesting to me here at VC. It’s also fun to watch the films submitted by our AWC Fellows and Digital Histories cohort.

How do you describe your experience working at VC so far? Any memorable moments?

The company culture at VC is really supportive and friendly. Some of the people at VC and I went to the Sake on the Rocks event hosted by the Little Tokyo Service Center. There were lots of food and drinks to try. Cafe Dulce had a stand and I got to sample their blueberry matcha which I found delicious. I haven’t tried sake before and this was a great intro to it, including shochu, which I’ve never heard of before. I got some clips of us eating and trying out the food and drinks for our company TikTok, so keep a look out for it (@vcmediaorg).

What song(s) did you add to the “VC Office” playlist?

I added “Crybaby” by Raquel Rodriguez, “All over the world” by Electric Light Orchestra and “Another case” by Tora.

VC OFFICE PLAYLIST