Final farewell: What I have learnt

Hello everyone,

The semester and my professional placement are rapidly coming to an end. For myself and some of you, this may even be the end of your degree! My internship at Dark House Imagery Studios (promoting the film Playthings) has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I have ever had and I’m so grateful I had this opportunity.

If you haven't already, please take a look at the website for the film! http://www.playthingsmovie.com

I have learnt so much about the ‘real world’ of public relations and the practical aspects that only work experience can truly teach you. So, what exactly have I learnt throughout these 20 days?


1. Professionalism

It is incredibly important to establish and maintain relationships with each and every stakeholder you communicate with, from journalists to the community. I have found that despite the history of ‘frustration’ or possible tension between journalists and public relations practitioners, this has not been the case with my experience. We are working together towards a common goal. PR practitioners must be respectful of journalists’ deadlines and the newsworthiness of our press releases. I have been very respectful of the journalists I have liaised with and thus have had great experiences so far. If you maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with journalists and make sure you communicate professionally, clearly and effectively, I believe you are fulfilling your PR function.

2. Communication

I have learnt that effective communication is key to succeeding in any PR role. Efficient internal communication is essential to the operation of your organisation so every employee is on the same page and has a common goal to work towards. I found that in the company I did my internship with there was a system that I had to follow when having my press releases approved and sent out. This clarity of communication between all of us helped tremendously when I needed to learn exactly how to perform my tasks.

3. Ethics

Finally, I have learnt the value of ethical practice and making sure I always carry out my responsibilities honestly as well as protecting confidential information. I made sure to always check that my press releases were 100% accurate and there was nothing misleading or ambiguous written in them. I also understood the importance of keeping important information confidential when told to do so. Particularly with the film industry, it is important to keep scripts and plans under wraps whilst they are going through the drafting phases as you do not want any information to get our prematurely that could ‘spoil’ or be detrimental to your film production.

This unit has allowed me to use the knowledge I have learnt at university in a practical way and carry out my tasks in an exciting working environment. It has been invaluable to be able to implement the theory I have learnt throughout the past three years of studying public relations. This experience has solidified my knowledge of the industry and taught me new lessons that I will take with me in my future endeavours within the field of PR.

Good luck with your final reports and job hunting!

Sophie