Semester ends, Emerson LA students look ahead

With graduation fast approaching, Emerson College Los Angeles students Jonathan Khalev ’15 and Grace Gates ’15 are wondering what’s next.

Khalev, a Marketing Communication major, spent the semester interning for Sony Music Entertainment’s Licensing Department. He has also held internships at Verizon and Havas Media.

“I definitely found that I wanted to work with music [after interning at] Sony,” Khalev said.

Jonathan Khalev '15 recently completed an internship at Sony Music in Los Angeles. (Photo by Daryl Paranada)

Khalev said his passion for music comes from his family. With music playing constantly in their home—nearly all of his family members are piano players—today the first thing he notices about a movie is its soundtrack.

“I didn’t even know the career I wanted existed [before working the Sony internship],” he said.

Khalev said he is still figuring out his plans for after graduation but is thinking about living in either Los Angeles or New York.

Gates, a Performing Arts major concentrating in Acting, is an intern for the Showtime drama Ray Donovan. She landed the internship through a friend and considers herself lucky—Ray Donovan normally does not use interns.

Gates said being on the set has taught her a lot.

“I’ve definitely learned what to do and not do on the set,” she said. “It’s really interesting to listen to the directors direct.”

Grace Gates '15 will continue working for the Showtime drama Ray Donovan as a production assistant through July. (Courtesy Photo)

Gates, a Los Angeles native, plans on working for Ray Donovan as a full–time production assistant through July as the show wraps filming its third season.

After that, she plans to go on auditions as she continues mapping out her future.

“I’m not that freaked out about it for some reason,” Gates said. “I feel like I’m making a lot of connections right now.”