Magnet Voices, Our Intern-Led Podcast Series, Is Almost Here! Hear It from the Interns Themselves

Magnet Voices is almost here! Magnet Voices is our intern-led and produced video podcast series, featuring the diverse lives and rich culture of Magnet’s team. 

As an intern myself,  I was intrigued as to what we might have to offer to the creative and production process that feels new and exciting. How could we, as the newest additions to the Magnet team, provide a unique perspective on the full-time staff?

Investing in Interns 

It was clear from the beginning that this podcast was intended to be created entirely by the interns, and that the full-time Magnet employees would have little to do with the creative and production process. 

Gregory Coleman, Executive Business Manager at Magnet, explains the reasoning behind this choice for intern autonomy. “We believed this approach would best showcase the interns' full skill sets and everything they’ve learned so far,” Greg commented. 

But beyond Magnet Voices being a forum for the interns to display their competency, it was a way for interns to build their personal portfolios. “More importantly,” Greg said, “it allowed the intern team to practice many of the skills they will use in their future careers, ensuring they are confident and prepared as they transition to full-time employment.”  

From my first days at Magnet, it was evident that interns were a valued part of the team. A handful of the full-time employees even started off as interns. So the investment that Magnet made in us interns by allowing us the freedom and autonomy to produce something independently makes sense. Those skills could very well continue to be cultivated at Magnet in the near future.

Creating Magnet Voices 

Following Magnet’s Think, Make, Reach approach to the ideation, production, and distribution process, we got to work brainstorming. When the interns first met as a group at the end of June, the idea behind Magnet Voices was born almost instantaneously. We all echoed the same sentiment: Magnet is family, and a diverse family at that. Each team member has a unique background, drive, and experience at Magnet. We wanted to highlight Magnet’s employees in all their differences. We also wanted to highlight the commonalities that bring them together and make their work as a team so seamless. 

Interns Kate Carson and Mariano Russo headed up production, arranging lighting, audio, and cameras. Kate commented, “Getting to create this project from such a simple idea to ending with a full-blown podcast has been such a cool experience.” 

“From carrying gear through the streets of NYC to pressing export, this has been a team effort since our kick-off call,” Mariano said, recollecting our first day on set. All in all, the filming process was quick and smooth. As filming wrapped, we headed into a secondary phase.

Production began editing footage, we worked on a promotion and distribution plan, and graphics got to work designing the animations. 

Emily Wang was one of the interns working on graphics, so this was definitely her time to shine. “It was super cool creating this dynamic intro and outro animation,” Emily said. She also commented that coming up with graphics that matched our collective vision was an involved process, whereby we really had to find the right fit. The whole process was very collaborative. 

Integrating the In-Person and Virtual 

Many of my fellow interns were located in New York, including myself. There were a few interns who worked remotely, but this didn’t end up being a problem in the least. 

Due to scheduling complications, one of our filming days was wiped, and we really had to figure out how to pivot quickly. We ended up conducting our second batch of interviews virtually, which made integrating remote interns even more seamless. 

Hiya Vora was one of the interns who helped conduct virtual interviews. “Even though I was virtual the whole time, I never felt out of place and this was because of the great bunch of people I was working with,” Hiya noted. 

Collaboration, Expertise, and Exploring New Roles

At Magnet, each intern has their own separate roles, and for the most part, none of us are on the same team, so working together to create Magnet Voices was not only an incredible opportunity to get to know each other as well as the full-time staff but also to learn about different roles. 

Kate commented that she “loved the collaboration with our intern team because it gave me perspective into the inner workings of roles I have never attempted before such as strategy and distribution.” Many interns felt similarly. As a content creation intern myself, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to work closely with production. Undoubtedly, each intern had their ‘thing,’ but it was really cool to come together and learn the intricacies of what other interns do day-to-day.  

Where to Tune In 

As a team, we’re incredibly excited to bring you Magnet Voices, releasing tomorrow, August 14th. Find Magnet Voices on Magnet’s website, alongside our other highlighted work. Or, tune in on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts! 

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