Festival Producer

Salary: £28,000 - £34,000, depending on experience

Watersprite: The Cambridge International Student Film Festival are looking for a freelance Festival Producer to produce the 12^th annual festival in March 2021.

Since 2010, Watersprite has invited international filmmakers to Cambridge on full bursaries for a public festival of screenings and events. Academy-Award winning industry professionals provide audiences with free Q&As and Watersprite filmmakers have gone on to win at BAFTA, Sundance and Cannes. Organized by a large team of students from Anglia Ruskin University and Cambridge University, with the support of the Producer and the Board of Trustees, Watersprite is a global educational hub for young audiences from all backgrounds.

This is a unique opportunity for a someone keen to:

• Identify and support the world’s best new filmmakers with professional development opportunities.
• Organize a dynamic international festival in the East of England which is free for all to attend.
• Build relationships in the UK and international Screen Industries, from film industry sponsors, to professional speakers, to community film hubs, youth talent schemes and sixth-form media departments.

Your main role as Festival Producer will be to oversee the financial stability and operations of the festival, and build Watersprite into a respected industry name for new talent.

Your enthusiasm for supporting early-stage filmmakers, your creative vision and impeccable organization skills will enable the Student Team and the Trustees to create the most exciting edition of the festival yet.

Watersprite Film Festival is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all individuals. We actively encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in the Film & TV industries, especially from Black, Asian, Indigenous, Latinx candidates and those who identify under the banner of People of Colour.

Please tell us of any access needs when you send your application.

For a full job description – please visit: https://www.watersprite.org.uk/job-vacancies

Responsibilities

• Fundraising and managing the festival budget (negotiating sponsorship deals with major Screen Industry partners, writing public funding bids and planning alternative streams of income).
• Planning the creative and business strategy of the annual festival, including developing Watersprite’s industry relevance, local, regional and international outreach and ensuring the festival is as accessible as possible.
• Managing the day to day administrative and operational running of the Charity and maintaining good communication between the Student Team and the Board of Trustees.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Essential

• 1-2 years professional experience in film, media, the arts, events production or community youth work.
• Proven experience of implementing arts, creative, business or community initiatives on a past project.
• Excellent communication skills – friendly and able to build rapport quickly with external sponsors and partners.
• Self-motivated and highly organized – ability to work independently and implement new projects and ideas efficiently.
• Genuine passion for the Screen Industries – interest in initiatives for new talent in the UK and abroad, the international film festival circuit and public funding in the arts and media sector.
• Committed to social inclusion and increasing access to the Screen Industries for under-represented young people in the UK and abroad.
• Adaptable and flexible towards new tasks – possessing a can-do attitude and willingness to seek help in areas outside of understanding.

Desirable

• Experience of the Watersprite Film Festival, either attending or participating in the past, or showing an understanding of the festival’s objectives, activities and future challenges.
• Experiences of fundraising (writing funding applications, crowdfunding, securing sponsorship)
• Good leadership skills – experience managing a team and ensuring good communication and relationships are maintained across all areas.
• Financial fluency – experience working with budgets and finances.

How to apply

For more information, visit: https://www.watersprite.org.uk/job-vacancies

To apply, please send a CV and Cover Letter (Maximum 2 sheets of A4 in length) to Anna Keeley (producer@watersprite.org.uk). Please also tell us of any access needs in the email in which you attach your CV and Cover Letter.

In your Cover Letter, please provide focused examples of how you meet the person specification (knowledge, skills and experience) listed above.

Interviews will be held in the last two weeks of July 2020 via Zoom.

If you have any questions or you’d like to chat further about the role, please contact Anna at producer@watersprite.org.uk

The closing date for this position is 10/07/2020 at 23:59