Testimonials

Justine GIRERD

Why did I choose to join the Chair?

Passionate about the cultural industries as a whole, especially cinema, and having done an internship in advertising, I was increasingly intrigued by the media sector and its opportunities.

The Chair seemed to me the ideal way to find out more about this extremely rich sector, in the midst of a group of passionate students who were also trying to find their way.

What the Chair has given me

Although marked by Covid19, the six months of the Chair were very intense and stimulating. The Chair has adapted particularly well, and we've been able to continue meeting media professionals in videoconferences, bringing me into contact with certain sectors (video games, publishing or media consulting, for example) or professions that I probably wouldn't have considered without the Chair.

In addition, at a time of rapid change in the industry, the in-depth study of video streaming that I was able to carry out thanks to my dissertation was a real turning point for me in terms of my career direction, thanks in particular to the inspiring professionals I was able to meet in this context.

What I appreciate about the Chair

The Chair is a great opportunity both to refine one's professional project and enter the job market, and to meet other students who share the same interests and passion for content. In this respect, I find that the desire to create a strong class spirit is also one of the Chair's great strengths, because even in a less-than-ideal context, coming together around shared experiences remains a desire and a possibility.

Clément PITORRE

Why did I choose to join the Chair?

It was the best way to acquire media expertise.

As a film and video game enthusiast, the Media & Digital Chair was an essential part of my studies, enabling me to understand, analyze and reflect on the current and future issues facing the media industry.

Through the Chair, we had the opportunity to meet industry professionals and acquire comprehensive knowledge of the sector as a whole.

What the Chair has given me

The Chair enabled me to go beyond my passion and discover other industries in which I had less interest, such as publishing and music.

The Chair has also enabled me to build up a global and logical picture of how France's media players operate (independently or interdependently), whether on an economic, business or political scale.

It's this grand landscape that I've been able to build, aided by the memoir that throws us into the heart of the sector's mutations.

What I appreciate about the Chair

The Chair is first and foremost a place for exchanges and encounters. Exchanges, because it brings together enthusiasts who are constantly eager to broaden their knowledge. Encounters, because it brings us into direct contact with major players in the media world. It's this diversity of industries represented that gives the Chair its charm. And despite the fact that we were the COVID class, this closeness and exchange has been maintained to a certain degree.

The Chair is also a dynamic place, where students are continually involved in the life of the Chair, right from the very first week. Between the Chair's student-run media outlet, Tempo, and all the events and meetings that already exist - or are just waiting to be set up - the Chair is already trying to make us players in the field.

Floriane ROBERT

Why did I choose to join the Chair?

Coming from a literary background, I developed an early sensitivity to the media as a medium for dialogue and exchange, but also as a window on the world. I saw the Chair as an opportunity to develop my professional project. I also saw it as a specialization that would enable me to go much further on the themes I appreciate.

What the Chair has given me

Through my encounters and experiences, I was able to confirm my initial interest in the media sector. What's more, I've also been able to broaden my horizons to other branches of the media. The Chair enabled me to discover an interest in radio and the press that I hadn't suspected, since my initial focus was mainly on publishing and broadcasting. What's more, thanks to my dissertation work, I've been able to take a step back from the ambiguities of the media and the challenges they face. In this way, the Chair was able to complement the cinema-audiovisual option I had taken in prep school, which focused more on aesthetics.

What I appreciate about the Chair

Although this year was marked by the cancellation of many of the Chair's events, the back-to-school seminar and dissertation design were two of the highlights of my time at ESSEC. The freedom we were given made these projects particularly stimulating, and I think I'll have fond memories of them long after my graduation.

Class of 2018-2019

Suzanna LORENZ

Why did I choose to join the Chair?

I'm passionate about cinema and, in time, I'd like to be a producer. I wanted to do the chair because I felt the need to situate the film ecosystem within that of the media industry in general.

Indeed, it seemed to me that the issues specific to the film industry were rooted in a wider universe, and that to understand the current upheavals in this industry, I needed to take a step back.

What the Chair has given me

These six months were extremely enriching, and gave me a strategic vision of the changes taking place in the sector. They encouraged me to take an interest in worlds such as video games and telecoms operators, for example, which I found fascinating.

The dissertation was also an opportunity to really delve into a subject (for me, the subject of data protection for European citizens and the stakes for GAFAM and European companies), and to make the link with the media as a whole in a strategic perspective focused on Internet and digital issues.

What I appreciate about the Chair

Doing the Chair was also a way of testing my career plan. I've come out of it with a clearer idea of how I want to build my career path, and with a clearer view of the possibilities open to me. I've been able to take a step back and I'm now planning to gain experience in strategy to enrich my vision of the cinema sector and be able to bounce back in this industry with, perhaps, more interesting professional opportunities.

Class of 2017-2018

Thibault GIRY

Why did I choose to join the Chair?

As a musician by background, I wanted to move into the music industry very early on. After two professional experiences in innovative music services, I turned to the Chair to gain a more global vision of the market and to meet passionate people like me who share the same interest in media and content.

What the Chair has given me

The richness and diversity of the topics covered considerably broadened my field of vision and my understanding of the media. I was able to open up to a wide range of business sectors and meet key players in the media industries with whom I would probably never have interacted without the Chair.

The need to carry out rigorous, extremely well-documented and structured research work when writing my dissertation also enabled me to acquire in-depth knowledge of many digital and data-related issues.

What I appreciate about the Chair

The Chair offers us extraordinary opportunities, such as visiting Hollywood's biggest animation studios and taking part in the Cannes Film Festival. Sharing these moments with students who are at least as passionate and enthusiastic as I am made for an incredible and unique experience.

Class of 2016-2017

Thomas Wittenmeyer

Why did I choose to join the Chair?

Passionate about cinema and video games, I did my first internship in film distribution, which showed me that passion and work could be reconciled. I decided to join the Media & Digital Chair to improve my knowledge of these markets and to build up a network, which is an essential element in any professional life.

What the Chair has given me

The Chair has not only enabled me to expand my knowledge of the video games and film markets, but it has also introduced me to other media sectors such as music and the press. What's more, with the focus on digital, it allowed me to open my eyes to current and future practices that can be used in all markets, both media and non-media. Writing a research paper with two other students is also a highlight of the course, requiring in-depth reflection on a specific subject.

What I appreciate about the Chair

The media markets are undergoing a major transformation. As a result, it's fascinating to discover the many projects being undertaken by companies, each more ambitious than the last. The presentations by professionals are very enriching, allowing us to rub shoulders with people from all walks of life and to compare visions between markets or countries (thanks to the Chair's trip to the United States). As for the fact that we're a small class, it makes it much easier to get to know the students and the people in charge of the Chair.