Overview
The Festival Publicist is responsible for working with local and national media outlets to publicize the 62nd San Francisco International Film Festival (April 10–23, 2019). This is a full-time temporary position from early February to late April.
Responsibilities
- Researching and updating contact information for journalists in database
- Working with assigned media contacts (80+) to generate preview coverage and set up advance interviews
- Becoming familiar with festival program and developing niche pitches
- Writing press releases, pitches, and media alerts
- Working press screenings
- Actively pitching stories to national and local contacts ahead of and during the festival
- Actively pitching stories to attending journalists, and facilitating interviews with festival spokespersons and filmmakers
- Covering festival Press Office, providing information and materials to accredited journalists as requested
- Working red carpets, screenings, and events to facilitate press access and maximize coverage opportunities
- Keeping detailed notes on each assigned journalist in database for future reference
- Tracking coverage and assisting with clippings processing
- Writing a detailed wrap report
Qualifications
- At least two years of experience in film publicity; experience in a festival environment a plus, Bay Area contacts a plus
- Superior communication skills, both written and verbal
- Proven ability to multitask effectively and manage a large group of active contacts with time-sensitive needs
- Ability to pitch a film you haven’t seen
- Extreme attention to detail
- Experience with database systems
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
- Passion for cinema