Ryan McDonough

FTVM’16 graduate Ryan McDonough spent the summer between his junior and senior year interning for Comedy Central in Santa Monica, California in development. Over the course of his internship, Ryan gained hands-on experience in seeing how networks develop television programs. He was able to sit in on pitch meetings both at Comedy Central and Viacom, allowing him to learn what networks look for when green-lighting shows. Within Comedy Central, he was able to read the notes executives gave to writers, directors, and show producers from pitch through rough cuts of episodes. Comedy Central fosters a creative and collaborative environment that values interns' opinions and would allow Ryan to offer feedback on projects. Over the course of three months, Ryan was able to practice script coverage, fill in for assistants, greet talent, and attend tapings of both television and live comedy shows. Ryan will use his invaluable skills learned at Comedy Central as he pursues a career in television writing after graduation.