Shaking Hands with Anderson Cooper

Shaking Hands with Anderson Cooper

…is on my internship bucket list. My name is Robert Tufarolo. But you can call me Bobby! I’m a professionally trained video editor, photographer, and cinematographer. This summer, I’m the Creative Services intern at CNN, New York City bureau.

Other than meeting a few anchors, I’ve already “kicked” many, many other cool things. In Creative Services, we primarily deal with editing videos. And it was only my second week that I was cutting stuff for air: still strings, voiceovers, sound-on-tapes, and other small elements… all of course while being watched over.

But while shadowing a different professional every day, I’ve been training to put together a complete news package: a 3-5 minute piece to go to air, edited on my own. That is my biggest goal, beyond landing a career at CNN.

A background in advertising is helpful in this department; the show teams are our “clients,” and we service them. I want to be a part of this industry in the future, moving away from marketing, branding, and perhaps even video editing. Seeing firsthand the gears that move a national network, I now can see myself as a reporter, photojournalist, or even in a control room. I am fascinated by news and strongly believe in the power of the “Fourth Estate,” a notion that news organizations have an incredible ability to carry political advocacy and influence change.

It was a long road to get here. I am blessed, fortunate, and proud to work for a place like CNN this early in my career. My advice to media students? Be bold, never set the bar too high, and crush the interview. Updating your LinkedIn often, working on side projects, and constantly improving hard, professional skills are a must; going the extra mile can really set you apart in the classroom, as well as on an application. Apply early, apply often, and work your butt off.

6 Comments

  1. Dear Bobby,
    It sounds like you’ve had a fantastic internship already. That’s awesome that you
    are getting hands-on experience working with actual video and sound elements. It’s
    uplifting to see someone who loves their internship and how it solidifies their next
    steps. Good luck with the rest of your internship!

  2. This sounds like a really cool experience, Robert!! Exposure and experiences of a company like CNN will definitely stay with you throughout your career. Best of luck in the future!

  3. Hey Bobby! So happy to see you land somewhere so great. I know you’ve been killing it. It’s great to hear a little behind the scenes of what goes on at CNN. Rooting for you to get that handshake!

  4. Hi Bobby, your experience this summer appears to be very rewarding, and you are definitely on the right path to shaking hands with Anderson Cooper! Professional videographers and editors are such vital members of the advertising sphere and your growing experiences are impressive! Good luck as your summer wraps up and the school year begins!

  5. Hi Bobby!

    This is amazing, you are definitely on the right path on shaking Anderson Cooper! Your advice to media students is spot on, being bold yet never setting the bar too high is something I think everyone should be advised!

  6. Hi Bobby!!

    It’s super cool to see you have such an exciting internship experience as well as I’m extremely jealous you got to meet Anderson Cooper. I think it’s great you’re showing others that working somewhere acclaimed like CNN or another news source is attainable and can be done with hard work! Good job.

Leave a Reply to Madi ShortCancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *