MEDIA CITY FILM FESTIVAL IS HIRING AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

POSITION TITLE

Assistant Director 

CLASSIFICATION

Full-time, contractual basis from July through December 2021

Remote work. Flexibility for potential on-site office hours closer to the festival dates is desirable

Average 35 hrs per week (with longer hours leading up to and during festival time)

COMPENSATION

$20,000 fee for 6-month contract, paid on a monthly basis

SUPERVISOR

Artistic Director

POSITION SUMMARY

Media City Film Festival (MCFF), a trailblazing international festival for film and digital art, is seeking an immediate hire for the position of Assistant Director to support the Artistic Director in the planning and presentation of its landmark 25th anniversary edition, which will take place in November 2021. Exciting plans for this new iteration are well underway. MCFF’s Assistant Director will hit the ground running with energy and knowledge of film festival production both online and in-person. The preferred candidate is acquainted with the online presentation of moving image art, including digital presentation platforms. They are familiar with Media City Film Festival’s extensive exhibition history and have a working understanding of media arts presentation internationally. They are excited to bring their skills and effort to accomplish this historic edition of MCFF’s internationally renowned programming. The Assistant Director will work closely with and report directly to the Artistic Director, and will collaborate with the Board of Directors as well as a small team of annual contract staff to ensure that all of the organization’s tasks and goals are met.  

ORGANIZATION

Media City Film Festival is the only organization in the world to regularly present artists’ film on both sides of an international border, and is recognized as a globally significant destination for the production and exhibition of artists’ cinema since 1994. To date, the festival has received more than 50,000 entries from more than 120 nations, hosted hundreds of visiting artists and filmmakers, and engaged tens of thousands of audience members in public programs in Windsor-Detroit and internationally. Year-round, MCFF facilitates commissions, residencies, fellowships, workshops, gallery exhibitions, and other special events. It is also a producing organization with films screened at nearly every major film festival around the world. 

Media City Film Festival is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Knight Arts Foundation, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as sponsors, donors, and audience members.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Director works closely with and reports directly to the Artistic Director to ensure that the organization’s goals are achieved. They provide much-needed day-to-day organizational support in operations, administration, and production related to Media City Film Festival’s 25th edition, which is slated to take place online. Major areas of responsibility are festival scheduling, planning, and management, as well as board relations and other administrative and operational duties.

FESTIVAL PLANNING WITH THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

  • Research and benchmark online platforms; collaborate on the planning, coordination and successful management and execution of virtual events
  • Research, write, edit website copy (e.g. artist biographies, informational material, and promotional copy)
  • Manage artist relations and communications pertaining to online platforms and presentation (e.g. gathering necessary materials from participating artists, fielding questions, and addressing issues)
  • Contribute to the development and distribution of marketing materials, including drafting, assembling, and distributing press kits, maintaining public correspondence, organizing and posting social media content, and assisting with press relations
  • Assist with the production of online Q&As and related artistic content on the festival website
  • Liaise with contract festival staff by fielding questions, managing deadlines, relaying detailed information, and ensuring a flow of communication on behalf of the Artistic Director 

ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATIONS

  • In Board Relations: oversee Board compliance and involvement, schedule meetings, follow up on directives, give presentations at meetings as requested
  • In Administration: schedule meetings, create deadline calendars, track correspondences, work with Artistic Director and bookkeeper to ensure that expenses are monitored and budgets are met
  • In Development: assist with grant applications and reporting as needed, secure supplementary documents and financial statements, research and evaluate funding opportunities, and brainstorm strategies for securing funding 

QUALIFICATIONS

  • A minimum of three years in non-profit arts management, media arts presentation, or film festival planning and execution. Experience working with online platforms is a plus
  • Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and research skills
  • Superior organizational abilities and time management skills, with ability to multitask and meet critical deadlines 
  • Experience working with online platforms, including WordPress, Vimeo, as well as online festival delivery platforms 
  • Ability to work productively with diverse constituencies, including artists, patrons, board of directors, and government agencies
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, clear motivational abilities, and creative approaches to problem-solving
  • Ability to demonstrate and promote teamwork, creativity, and open communication
  • Comfortable working in a Mac-based environment with preferred knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite
  • Knowledge of routine administrative procedures and familiarity with budgets and grant proposals
  • Degree in the humanities, especially contemporary art/film, or equivalent work experience

APPLYING

Media City Film Festival is seeking an immediate hire. This is a full-time contract position.

** Application deadline: Friday, June 18th at 5 pm EST. 

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit a resume, cover letter, and two references to mediacity@houseoftoast.ca 

** Please attach PDF files only. Applicants may also submit writing samples but this is not a requirement.