Back From an Insane Summer

I can’t say I had much of a summer break as I spent my summer doing the UT Semester in Los Angeles Program where I essentially worked around the clock. But it was one of the most beneficial experiences I’ve had at UT (besides being an STA of course).

I spent my summer in LA completing internships and taking Hollywood based classes provided by the program. I interned at MorningStar Entertainment and HappyNest Entertainment, 2 very different types of production experiences as MorningStar was mainly a history and true crime documentary production company and HappyNest is a kids animation distribution company. The experiences I gained from both companies was absolutely crucial to my growth as an animation student. While I have many technical skills in animation, I learned so much about pitching, negotiating, budgeting, and the inner workings of producing a well-made story.

While the internship is the main seller of the UTLA program, I’d say some of my most valuable experiences was all the animators I met who were super kind and made it obvious that all they wanted to do was to help animators break into a very scary industry. They were kind enough to get coffee with me and even show me around their workplaces!

I think what I took away most from the UTLA program is how to prioritize my work schedule and realizing that I’m very capable of hard work despite my inner monologue. I was always working and always networking and when I wasn’t working, I was seeing friends and going to different events. I never really had a day off. I not only want to take that work ethic into my career, but also as an STA to make sure the projects I get are up to my best ability.

without making this post too long, that about wraps up my summer! I’m so glad to be back as an STA and continue working with people and making art and graphics to be viewed by thousands of students!

Entering the World of Web Development

This summer I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try to learn some code! I took a course called Introduction to Web Development under the Global Career Accelerator Program in which I learned the basics of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It was fast-paced and a little daunting at times, but I gained a good foundation for the work that goes into front-end web development as well as some professional development skills like teamwork, communication, time management, and giving/receiving feedback.

I’m hoping to retain the skills I gained by continuing to learn new web dev techniques and strengthening my grasp of the concepts from the course.

Trip to California

Now, for the (more) fun stuff 😉

I got to visit California! Among the places we traveled to were San Francisco, Monterey, Big Sur, and Yosemite National Park. Yosemite was absolutely gorgeous and getting to see the stars in the sky without any light pollution was a first time experience I’ll never forget.

Other Stuff

When I wasn’t hiking (supposedly) beginner-level trails and trudging through the trial and error process that is coding, I spent my time reading, drawing, watching The Bear/anime/the Olympics with my family, baking Olympic chocolate muffins with my best friend, and enjoying lazy days inside.

Now, it’s time to get back into the routine of school and my STA journey!

My Summer!!

For most of the summer, I was in Houston for a design internship at Gravity Global. It was amazing being close to home to spend time with my family while diving into the corporate world. I especially enjoyed working in the office and engaging with full-time employees. A highlight of the internship was a pitch project towards the end of the summer, where we had the opportunity to apply all the skills we’d learned from our mentors. Our team ultimately won the pitch, which was incredibly rewarding!

Attending client meetings was another highlight. I loved observing my mentor’s skillful and enthusiastic approach to guiding clients through her design process. It was also fascinating to see interns from various fields and skill sets come together to create a successful marketing pitch, each contributing their unique expertise. Overall, the internship provided a fresh perspective on graphic design and marketing, and I’m excited for the next step in my career.

Outside of work, I took a trip to Colorado with my family, where we explored the Rocky Mountains, Colorado Springs, and more. We tried river rafting for the first time, which was very nerve-wracking but fun! Additionally, my sister and I attended a Noah Kahan concert, which she has been looking forward to for a long time. The acoustics, merch, and overall vibe were great, and at one point, Noah even stood just two rows in front of us for a few songs!

Goodbye STA Program – Adriana’s Last Day

Today is my last day as a Design STA, and while I am sad about leaving the team where I met a lot of incredible and talented people, I am excited to embark on my next journey!

I still remember when I started and was somewhat nervous about it all as I was still learning. Yet, the nervousness dissipated little by little as I completed the training modules and starting meeting the other STAs who were all more than welcoming. Everyone in the team was always ready to help and assist each other, making it a very comfortable environment to work in. I am grateful I got to meet so many wonderful people while working as a Design STA, and I am excited to see everyone’s journey.

A special thanks to De’sha who is an amazing mentor and did a phenomenal job leading us all. I was able to learn a lot of important lessons and gained valuable insights thanks to De’sha! I appreciate everyone in the team and hope the best for everyone in their career, their journey, and life!

Lorena is Leaving! [ NOT CLICKBAIT ]

Remember last year when I posted on my blog that I wasn’t sure if I was returning as an STA and then I crawled back onto the team that Fall? Well, this time I’m officially not returning… because I graduated! After 4 years of college I’ve claimed my Radio-Television-Film degree and Digital Arts and Media certificate from UT. I’m extraordinarily grateful to the STA program and I feel so much more prepared for whatever life will throw at me. Through my 2 1/2 years as an STA I’ve grown more adept at communication, confidence, leadership, time management, organization, and of course the many programs available from Adobe. Thank you so much to the whole current Design team, including De’sha, Leilani, Thang, Adriana, Lila, Carrie, Marissa, Diya, Raaga, Shriya, and Kyra, and also to my past STAs and managers!

Why is this post so delayed in my posting it, you ask? Well, I have some good news! As of late April 2024 I’ve been one of the Summer Film Camp Directors at Austin Film Festival. It’s been exciting so far to see things coming along, and our camps start in early June so we’re fast approaching our start date! I’ve been conducting registration audits, finding food donations/sponsors, communicating with parents, hiring instructors/interns, and everything that you can think of in between. 

Now as my time as a Design STA comes to a close, I once again will share my LinkedIn page (www.linkedin.com/in/lorena-chiles) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/lorenachiles/) for all the Lorena fans out there. Thank you guys for following my journey, bye for now!