Script Competition Department Intern

Department Description: Austin Film Festival’s Script Competitions are one of the most highly respected writing contests of its kind. Past entrants have found success with signing with agents and managers, getting their scripts optioned and produced, and being staffed in TV writers’ rooms. The competition received 13,175 entries in 2020. Due to the high volume of submissions, the Script Competition Department operates year-round and needs a team of highly skilled and trustworthy interns to maintain AFF’s high standard of quality. On average, 8-10 interns will be recruited each session (Spring, Summer, and Fall). Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Job Description: Script Competition Department interns are primarily responsible for helping facilitate and execute Competition marketing initiatives, onboarding and assigning readers scripts, and frequently answering entrant questions via email and phone. Interns will get the opportunity to develop skills within the following areas: people and time management, customer support, and data compilation.

Job Responsibilities:

Spring Applicants (January – May)

• Promoting and marketing the Screenplay Competition to various film schools, writers’ groups, organizations, blogs, message boards, and through social media
• Processing screenplay submissions and entering entrant information into databases
• Assisting with tracking competition readers’ progress and reviewing their notes

Summer Applicants (May – August)

• Data entry, analysis, and database management
• Assists department heads with managing team of readers including facilitating communications, tracking progress, recruiting, reviewing notes, etc.
• Assists with department marketing initiatives including generating social media posts, marketing outreach, and initiative implementation
• Editing and proofing reader notes
• Assisting with preparing notification letters to all screenplay entrants
• Basic office assistance such as answering phones and filing
• Assist with year-round events

Fall Applicants (August – December)

• In order to be considered, Fall interns MUST be available all day on Saturday, October 25 plus one entire additional day of the Conference (Thursday October 23 – Sunday October 26) to assist in the production of the Austin Film Festival
• Responsible for managing rooms/department registration tables at the Festival & Conference – must display courtesy and professionalism to all attendees, panelists, and press
• Researching production companies to help promote Semifinalists, Finalists, and Winners of the competition
• Helping with coordinating and assembling the annual Producers Book which contains a listing of all Semifinalists, Finalists, and Winners from the competition
• Reviewing and copy-editing competition readers’ notes
• Preparing for Festival and Conference in October—planning and coordinating special panels and events for top writers in the competition
• Assisting with the annual Pitch Competition during the Conference

Project Ownership Opportunities:

Approximately a month into each internship, interns will be assigned one of the following projects to own throughout the rest of the internship’s duration. Project assignment is based upon interns’ capabilities and goals.

Reader Liaison:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting with the daily assignment of scripts
• Troubleshooting- assisting readers with any problems they might have (using the system, corrupted scripts, wrong notes etc).
• Onboarding new readers
• Responsible for keeping track of potential readers – reaching out to them accordingly
• Regularly check to confirm application, reader test, agreement forms have been received.
• Assisting with script tracking – flagging scripts that are overdue and notifying the reader

Marketing Research:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assist with the continuous efforts to market the competition, which includes researching and contacting relevant groups, organizations, schools, etc.
• Keep detailed accounts of what outreach efforts have been done and when
• Establish initial communication and build relationships with the people/groups contacted

Reader Outreach:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Assist with the continued efforts to grow our reader pool
• Researching for new groups where we could potentially recruit new readers
• Following up with interested parties – providing them the necessary documents/tools to become onboarded readers
• Following up through the onboarding process making sure all potential readers become onboarded readers
• Keep detailed notes on this process (reason why they cannot join, any referrals they might have etc.)

Festival Prep:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Help coordinate notification letter distribution process – envelope stuffing, folding, postage stamps
• Assist with pre-Festival activities and Writer’s Conference coordination.
• Assist with the creation of Competition Semifinalist and Finalist Itinerary Packets

Interns will get the opportunity to:

• Enhance verbal and written communication skills
• Improve people coordination
• Time management and operation skills
• Grassroots marketing experience

Qualifications:

• Entrants for the current year’s Script Competitions are not eligible to be considered
• Proficiently with Microsoft Office programs specifically Excel and Word
• Must be detail oriented and organized
• Experience with writing and reading scripts highly preferred but not required
• Marketing experience preferred
• Editing and proofing experience preferred

Timeframe: Spring internship (January – May), Summer internship (May – August), Fall internship (August – December)

All Internships are unpaid, but provide the opportunity to learn and develop applicable workplace skills!

All internships are in-person positions. There are no remote internship opportunities