SFFILM

The Bay Area's home for the world's finest films and filmmakers.

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SFFILM Festival Volunteer Screening Committee

We are no longer accepting applications for this role at this time.

Overview

Be the first to see what’s submitted to the 68th San Francisco International Film Festival and help us select titles for the festival in 2025.

Our Screening Committees assist with viewing titles submitted to SFFILM Festival on an annual basis. SFFILM Volunteer Screeners support the careful curation of a robust, inclusive, and bold festival program. Whether you have a background in film, are a dedicated cinephile, or are simply curious, we’re always looking for fresh eyes and new voices to join us as we assess the thousands of thought-provoking festival submissions from around the world.

Evaluation training and guidelines will be provided, and honorariums are available for screeners in some instances and levels.

Film Screener Expectations & Responsibilities:

  • Must have reliable internet access to stream submissions
  • Should expect to watch a minimum of 40 hours of content over a five-month period (August – December 2024)
  • All screeners are required to watch assignments in full
  • An open mind is essential
  • Strong written communication skills needed
  • Commitment to screening a handful of films on weekly basis

Benefits of becoming a prescreener include:

  • The opportunity to view festival selections before anyone else
  • The opportunity to learn more about inner workings of festival production
  • The opportunity to earn Festival passes & tickets for friends and family
  • Paid honorariums and yearly SFFILM membership are available for viewings of 45+ feature films/mid-lengths, or 100+ short films

Programmer

We are no longer accepting applications for this role.

Overview

The Programming Department seeks a thoughtful, dynamic, and energetic programmer to join the curation and programming team at SFFILM. This individual will join an established team committed to bringing fresh, bold, and exciting new films to the Bay Area. They will support and participate in the collaborative work necessary to present media in a non-profit exhibition, education, and artist development environment. The programmer will contribute to a variety of public exhibitions on behalf of SFFILM, including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Doc Stories, SF Presents, as well as other year-round programs and opportunities.

The ideal candidate has a minimum of four years experience curating for another festival or film program, is fluent in feature film pipelines, has established relationships with sales agents and filmmakers, and is well versed in the festival landscape and execution responsibilities.

Application review begins July 16, 2024 and preferred start date is Late August/ Early September 2024. Salary range for this position is $67,000.00–$70,000.00 and benefits include full monthly premium with the organizations’ health insurance policies, PTO/Sick Leave and expanded annual paid holiday schedule.
SFFILM currently supports a hybrid-remote schedule, with an average of 3 days in the San Francisco offices, as well as time onsite throughout the Bay Area supporting SFFILM events.

Responsibilities

  • Curate titles, negotiate fees, and manage asset delivery under the direction of the Director of Programming.
  • Submit thoughtful written evaluations and support generation of promotion materials as related to public programs.
  • Track industry and festival trends and make programming recommendations on a weekly basis.
  • Oversee specific relationships with rights holders and sales agents to ensure SFFILM has exposure on all desired titles.
  • Develop partnerships and collaborations with other appropriate film festivals, arts organizations, distributors, and industry professionals.
  • Present SFFILM program to members, the press, and the public.
  • Introduce films, moderate Q&A sessions, lead panel discussion and other public programs.
  • Identify, research, invite, and host films and filmmakers, and other participants for public programs.
  • Support the management and oversight of SFFILM seasonal staff within the programming department when necessary for department goals and workflows.
  • Work cross-departmentally to develop strategies to promote programs and increase awareness of SFFILM.
  • Support Program team involvement with cultivation and fundraising efforts
  • Maintain an orderly and informative database.
  • Assist and collaborate with other departments as needed.
  • Participate in departmental and cross-departmental meetings and planning sessions as appropriate to the role.
  • Work within and towards all budget goals as communicated by the Director of Programming.
  • Work with and support SFFILM’s Education and Artist Development program goals when necessary for mission alignment
  • Manage ad hoc projects as assigned by the Director of Programming to support the functionality of the department.

Qualifications

  • 4-5 years of demonstrated experience in film programming or curation with solid film knowledge and expertise.
  • Knowledgeable about key filmmakers, producers, talent, distributors, with demonstrated and established industry relationships.
  • Must have strong critical writing and interpersonal skills, and ability to work as part of a team.
  • Self-driven and motivated. Works well under pressure.
  • Comfortable speaking in public is essential.
  • Presenting festivals and film events is demanding work that can occasionally require long hours and weekend work. Candidate should understand the demands of this industry and be willing to occasionally work nights and weekends.
  • Fluency in additional languages is a plus.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate professionally with volunteers, colleagues, and donors.
  • Strong work ethic, professional manner, and ability to represent SFFILM.
  • Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload in a timely manner to complete assignments when faced with many deadlines and competing requirements.
  • Experience with non-profit organizations is highly desirable.

SFFILM is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) in both its internal management and external programming. Since 2018, the organization has actively been working in collaboration with two Advisory Boards focused on accessibility and inclusivity and officially began work with a DEI consultant in 2019 to further invest in and build on that work. Candidates are invited to discuss their interest and involvement in DEAI practices in their cover letter, and ask us more about our DEAI process in their interview.

SFFILM, in accordance with federal and state law, is an equal-opportunity employer. SFFILM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy/childbirth, medical condition, disability, age, ancestry, marital status, citizenship or veteran status. This nondiscrimination policy covers all candidates, staff members, interns, and volunteers.

Office & Production Manager

Overview

SFFILM is seeking a self motivated, organized, and creative full-time, year-round Office & Production manager to join our team in a role essential to both the running of a busy non-profit and the execution of our many exhibition and education events. This position is a great fit for a person who wants to support and grow skills in production, staff management, and non-profit arts and administration. The Office & Production Manager works closely with the entire organization, but also has numerous independent projects and significant self-directed time.

The Office & Production Manager is a full-.time position that reports to the Director of Operations, supporting the overall administrative functions of the SFFILM office and managing all production needs for events including the San Francisco International Film Festival, Doc Stories, Awards Night, and more.
This position will be the key member of our Operations team focused on the smooth running of our office space, including front desk management and customer service, supply ordering, and serving as a point of contact for facilities related vendors and contractors.
Additionally, this role supports the Operations department with year-round event production related activities including inventory, storage, production schedules, and supervising Production Assistants during event season. This role leads other production related projects such as managing rentals and printing badges.
As the first point of contact for office guests and facilities related needs, this role will be expected to work from our SOMA office Monday through Thursday, with the option to work remotely on Fridays. Some night and weekend availability is required, especially during event seasons.
Application review begins June 3 but will be rolling after that. This position is paid hourly at the rate of $23-$25 per hour depending on experience and is eligible for all SFFILM benefits and overtime.

Responsibilities

Office Management

  • Lead management of SFFILM office including, but not limited to, inbound and outbound mail, phone reception, managing office supply orders and office hardware, managing kitchen cleaning and supplies, and greeting guests upon arrival.
  • Manage all office and event production supplies, keeping storage clean, organized, and inventoried.
  • Oversee the scheduling and coordinating of shared office space and conference rooms for meetings, workshops, etc.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for property manager and facilities vendors (IT, janitorial, and others) as needed.
  • Serve as a key member of the customer service team, receiving all general calls, emails, online chat bot, and other inquiries and distributing them to the appropriate department when necessary.
  • Support subletters of office spaces, including providing office tours to prospective subletters and supporting questions and facility requests.
  • Provide light IT administrative support including phone system maintenance, password resets, and other minor troubleshooting.
  • With the support of the Director of Operations and Executive team, lead the planning and executing of internal events for staff morale.
  • Maintain year-round materials such as SFFILM HQ calendar, Org Chart and Festival staff contact sheet.

Production and Event Support

  • Lead the production management of all SFFILM Festival events, as well as events leading up to the festival including programs at our office and Filmhouse spaces.
  • Manage the inventory “check-out” and tracking system, ensuring the Inventory Spreadsheet is up-to-date after the Festival,
  • Manage process for PARFS (Production Assistance Request Forms), including communicating with all teams on workflow and deadlines,
  • Manage production schedule for SFFILM Festival, Doc Stories, and other events, including all load ins and load outs.
  • Hire and supervise two Production Assistants, including management of schedules and overtime.
  • Coordinate with multiple departments on production equipment rentals, including managing vendor relationships and budget tracking.
  • Lead all Festival and year-round badge printing processes.
  • Oversee Production budget, and keep detailed track of financials.
  • Support Production Van management including holding keys, van maintenance, and scheduling its use.
  • Coordinate with SFMTA on parking meter reservations as needed.
  • Work closely with the Communications team and other Operations teams to support the ordering and implementation of signage for all SFFILM events.

New Staff Onboarding

  • Work closely with the Executive and Operations team on IT set up for new hires, including equipment and account set ups.
  • Lead orientations and office tours for new staff.
  • Own administrative tasks for onboarding new staff such as as assigning Basecamp Onboarding to-dos, scheduling Welcome Emails, and leading office tours and security trainings.
  • Update Org Chart, Festival staff contact sheet, AirTable databases, Google Listservs, and other materials as needed when new staff is onboarded.
  • Program and manage the tracking of office key fobs and security assets for staff and FilmHouse residents.
  • Support updating of onboarding materials for content and character.

Qualifications

  • 1-3 years experience in office administration, facilities management/support, and/or event operations.
  • An interest in learning about multiple facets of non-profit operations and film festival events will lend itself to a satisfying experience in this role.
  • Extremely detail oriented with experience is managing organizational systems.
  • Experience with event production strongly preferred.
  • Able to demonstrate strong writing skills, especially in a customer service setting.
  • Must be proactive and highly communicative.
  • Ability to work autonomously, with minimal supervision and a limited budget.
  • Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, to prioritize effectively, and to respond to last-minute requests.
  • Experience with project management systems such as Basecamp a plus.
  • Willingness/ability to perform heavy lifting up to 50 lbs.
  • Must have valid driver’s license and clean driving record, and be comfortable driving a van. Offer will be contingent upon approval from our insurance.

SFFILM is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) in both its internal management and external programming. Since 2018, the organization has actively been working in collaboration with two Advisory Boards focused on accessibility and inclusivity and officially began work with a DEI consultant in 2019 to further invest in and build on that work. Candidates are invited to discuss their interest and involvement in DEAI practices in their cover letter, and ask us more about our DEAI process in their interview.

SFFILM, in accordance with federal and state law, is an equal-opportunity employer. SFFILM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy/childbirth, medical condition, disability, age, ancestry, marital status, citizenship or veteran status. This nondiscrimination policy covers all candidates, staff members, interns, and volunteers.

Youth Education Intern

Overview

This internship includes four weeks of teaching/production assistance at the Youth Filmmakers Camp (July 8th – August 2th, 2024) and one week supporting SFFILM Education’s curriculum and program planning. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in filmmaking education, curriculum planning, and teaching. SFFILM’s Youth Filmmakers Camp is designed to educate students interested in the field of visual storytelling, increasing students’ creativity and technical skills through hands-on and classroom instruction. SFFILM Education’s goal is to enrich young filmmakers through exposure to new artforms and to build upon existing skills.

This internship requires a commitment of 2 to 4 days per week (approximately 15 to 25 hours per week) and runs from June 18, 2023 through August 2, 2024. The Interns will not be scheduled for any hours the week of July 1st- 5th. The internship is based in-person in San Francisco and is unpaid. The Youth Education Intern reports to the Camp Instructors and additional SFFILM staff.

Application review will begin May 28th, but the position is open and accepting applications while this posting remains up.

Responsibilities

  • Support camp instructors and staff at Youth Filmmakers Camp sessions as a teaching and production assistant.
  • Provide adult supervision and work directly with camp participants (ages 14–18), helping them to produce short film projects.
  • Lead break-out groups throughout pre-production, production, and post-production.
  • Document camp sessions through photos and videos.
  • Assist the instructors with all camp logistics and with the preparation and inventory of materials and resources.
  • Assist with daily loading in, loading out, setup and breakdown of camp equipment.
  • Work on other SFFILM Education projects as needed.

Qualifications

  • Strong desire to work with children and/or teens in a classroom setting.
  • Experience with basic film production, including demonstrated proficiency with digital video cameras and editing software such as Premiere Pro.
  • Experience working with media on the web.
  • Good research skills.
  • Able to work independently on own initiative and also happy to take direction as part of a team in support of the instructors and SFFILM staff.
  • Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing.
  • Professional demeanor combined with an ability to have fun with kids.
  • Previous classroom or teaching experience is preferred but not mandatory.
  • Passion for both film and teaching.
  • Must be able to pass a LiveScan background check.
  • Reliable transportation and availability for on-location camp work from July 8 – August 2 at University of San Francisco and other weeks at SFFILM office in SOMA.

Benefits

  • SFFILM is an internationally recognized nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
  • Great introduction and experience in film / media education.
  • Excellent opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a world class film organization and create personal connections.
  • Complimentary 1-year SFFILM membership.
  • Class credit (if applicable).
  • Resume and network builder.

SFFILM is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) in both its internal management and external programming. Since 2018, the organization has actively been working in collaboration with two Advisory Boards focused on accessibility and inclusivity and officially began work with a DEI consultant in 2019 to further invest in and build on that work. Candidates are invited to discuss their interest and involvement in DEAI practices in their cover letter, and ask us more about our DEAI process in their interview.

SFFILM, in accordance with federal and state law, is an equal-opportunity employer. SFFILM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy/childbirth, medical condition, disability, age, ancestry, marital status, citizenship or veteran status. This nondiscrimination policy covers all candidates, staff members, interns, and volunteers.

Youth Filmmakers Camp Instructor

Overview

SFFILM is seeking two seasonal Instructors for the 2024 Summer SFFILM Youth Filmmakers Camp. This is an opportunity to apply filmmaking and storytelling, curriculum implementation, youth management and engagement skills in a hands-on workshop environment. SFFILM’s Youth Filmmakers Camp is designed to educate students interested in the field of visual storytelling, increasing students’ creativity and technical skills through hands-on and classroom instruction. The Camp Instructors work closely together to support classroom objectives and SFFILM Education’s goals to enrich young filmmakers through exposure to new artforms and to build upon existing skills.

The position of Camp Instructor is a full-time, temporary position working with campers 14-18 years old located in San Francisco. The hourly rate is $21 – $25/hr, based on experience, and the dates of the agreement are mid-June through August 6, 2024. During camp (July 8 – August 2) the typical daily schedule is 8:00am – 4:30pm. The Camp Instructors will not be scheduled for any hours the week of July 1st – 5th. This is an unpaid week, but will receive holiday pay for July 4th.

Application review will begin May 28th, but the position is open and accepting applications while this posting remains up.

Responsibilities

  • Supervise campers in and out of the classroom setting.
  • Assist in the design and implementation of inquiry-based and project-based lessons on film topics.
  • Work closely with SFFILM Education department to implement the camp curriculum.
  • Communicate with parents and guardians of campers.
  • Assist with camp logistics, preparation, and inventory of equipment, materials, and resources.
  • Co-lead lessons and break-out groups throughout pre-production, production, and post-production and daily tasks.
  • Manage guest visits and lecturers.
  • Manage a team of interns in assigning roles and tasks.
  • Demonstrate a willingness to adapt and implement camp curricula in creative ways.
  • Assist with camp load in, load out, and management of equipment.

Qualifications

  • Experience in filmmaking, film, arts education, or related; could be current film student, active artist or filmmaker, teaching artist or educator
  • Proficient knowledge of all steps of the production process and use of professional equipment (camera, lighting, sound, etc)
  • Proficient knowledge of technical aspects of filmmaking and film equipment a plus
  • Proficiency in using Apple computer software and editing systems, especially professional DSLR cameras and Premiere Pro
  • Confidence and focus in busy classroom/film production settings
  • Classroom management, conflict, and communication skills
  • Experience working in youth education or community-based settings with diverse groups of young people between ages 13 – 18 a plus
  • Organizational skills and attention to detail with a proven ability to manage tasks and priorities, plan ahead, and communicate effectively
  • Ability to adjust lesson plans to adapt to different learning abilities and needs
  • Ability to maintain and nurture professional and positive relationships with campers, instructors, interns, and filmmaker guests
  • Minimum 20 years of age
  • Must be able to pass a LiveScan

SFFILM is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) in both its internal management and external programming. Since 2018, the organization has actively been working in collaboration with two Advisory Boards focused on accessibility and inclusivity and officially began work with a DEI consultant in 2019 to further invest in and build on that work. Candidates are invited to discuss their interest and involvement in DEAI practices in their cover letter, and ask us more about our DEAI process in their interview.

SFFILM, in accordance with federal and state law, is an equal-opportunity employer. SFFILM does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy/childbirth, medical condition, disability, age, ancestry, marital status, citizenship or veteran status. This nondiscrimination policy covers all candidates, staff members, interns, and volunteers.