Full Internship Positions
Box Office
Positions Available: 1
Start Date: June
Description: The Box Office intern is responsible for one of the most important pieces of the festival — ticket sales! You’ll learn the ins and outs of our ticketing program, Agile, in order to help train and assist the box office volunteers to sell tickets, merchandise, and concessions. You’ll work with the Box Office manager to set up the Main Box Office as well as the Venue ticket stations. Plus, assist the sponsor ticketing manager in tracking and fulfilling sponsor benefits packages. During the festival, you’ll assist in the main box office and oversee all of the Venue Box Offices, troubleshooting technology and human error.
Communications and Media
Positions Available: 3
Start Date: May
Description: Communications and Media interns assist with a variety of tasks and areas across the festival including writing, marketing, website, and public relations. We’re looking for interns with social media savvy who will help generate content and ideas for the festival blog, email blasts, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat and can coordinate and chart out goals to keep marketing efforts on track. Applicants must be strong writers with an eye for detail who can write in the voice of festival. On the public relations end, interns will also work with the PR manager on media research and outreach, requests and credentialing, press releases, creating press packets, and escorting media during the festival. Communications and Media interns will also assist with website management and updates. Image manipulation and HTML or WordPress experience is preferred. Must be highly-motivated, creative self-starters who can take direction, learn quickly, multi-task, and want to leave their mark on the festival.
Festival Office
Positions Available: 4
Start Date: May
Description: The Office interns help oversee and supervise the main festival office. This includes answering phones and questions, welcoming people to the office, directing people to necessary areas, and attaining an overall festival knowledge base. Interns working in the office will be given specialty areas to also work on, including helping volunteers sign up for shifts, overseeing the credentialing process, working with our valued sponsors, database entry, overseeing bike transportation and helping organize Open Space activities. During the festival, you will help staff the office, making sure everyone is on shift and that walk-ins are taken care of. Every day is very different, and Office interns get the best overall look at the festival. You must be able to multi-task and have a sunny disposition. Fast learners with strong writing and interpersonal skills are a must. Customer service experience, and some basic spreadsheet knowledge is required. Previous experience within the festival is a plus.
Food Donation and Coordination
Positions Available: 1
Start Date: May
Description: A pivotal part of the festival team, the Food Donation and Coordination Intern is responsible for helping guarantee a good time at the festival parties, in our green rooms and Filmmaker Loft. You will work with the Food Manager and local food and beverage vendors to plan relationships for each area of the festival. You’ll also help coordinate the setup of these vendors at each festival party. You will work closely with our Sponsorship team to guarantee that the vendors are acknowledged correctly. Advanced spreadsheet knowledge is required and customer service experience is preferred.
Film Prep
Positions Available: 2
Start Date: May
Description: Do you have a love of cinema and an extreme eye for detail? Are you meticulous and posses a knowledge of both classic and contemporary independent film? Then film prep is the position for you. You’ll help research festival films and gather details from trusted sources. You will work in our database to organize and fact-check data for our program guide, find high-res film stills, and track film formats and deliveries. During the festival, you will work with the print traffic team to ensure successful delivery of films. Advanced data entry skill is required. Attention to detail, responsibility, and nuanced judgement could not be more essential. Online research, familiarity with film, and photo manipulation experience is also required.
Graphic Design
Positions Available: 2
Start Date: May
Description: As a member of the Design team, the Graphic Design interns are responsible for fulfillment of print signage / creative requests. You must maintain Festival identity and brand guidelines at all times. Interns will also be called upon to create web/social media graphics so a working knowledge of web production is ideal. Knowledge of print design and production is preferred. Crucial computer skills include Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator with 2 years experience being preferable. Strong organization and communication skills, attention to detail and the ability to work well under pressure are a must.
Kids Fest
Positions Available: 1
Start Date: May
Description: The Kids Fest intern helps to plan one of the most fun pieces of the festival. You’ll help plan daily themes and activities for the visiting kids to enjoy, schedule performers, and oversee all areas of the event. You’ll order supplies and prepare items for the activities pre-fest, and during the fest you’ll help manage and run the Kids Fest. Previous experience working with children is preferred.
Music Management
Positions Available: 2
Start Date: May
Description: Music interns work closely with the Music Manager. Tasks include booking volunteer artists to play before each film showing, at each party, and other festival events. You will also work with volunteer artists to produce the festival album. You’ll work together to prepare materials and promote the festival musicians. During the festival, music interns provide festival-wide on-site help for musicians. Previous experience with booking and managing musicians is preferred.
Party Management
Positions Available: 2
Start Date: May
Description: By the end of the internship, the Party interns are sure to be pro-planners. From the first concept through the final product, you’ll work with the Festival Party Manager to put on several festival events of varying sizes, including the Founders Party, Opening Night Party, Filmmaker Party, and Volunteer Party. You’ll help with planning, ordering, setup and breakdown of the events. You’ll theme each event by working with decorations, florals, linens, tents, tables and more! Attention to detail and timing is required as you help budget and track expenses for each party. As part of the team, you will work each of these parties to ensure event fluidity and successful follow-through.
Video Post-Production
Positions Available: 3
Start Date: June
Description: As a member of the Design team, the Video Post-Production interns are responsible for fulfillment of video / digital requests, maintaining Festival identity and brand guidelines at all times. You’ll help to create and encode pre-show content including slideshows and bumpers. Must have experience with basic video and graphic editing concepts. Familiarity with Adobe Premiere a plus.
Videography
Positions Available: 8
Start Date: July 5
Description: Sit down with many of the festival’s guests for interviews, work on fast-paced video editing and shooting, and produce exclusive festival video content seen by thousands of visitors and film lovers from around the world. Videography interns work on many festival projects including filmmaker interviews and dailies videos. Applicants must be able to take and implement editing directions in a timely manner. Knowledge of Adobe Premiere Pro CC or ample experience with non-linear editing is a preferred. Having a laptop with Adobe video editing capabilities is a plus, but not essential. Owning a camera used for shooting video is a plus, but not required. Interns will need to be able to take direction and complete tasks independently.
Festival Only Internship Positions: Start July 23
Box Office: Venue
Positions Available: 10
Description: Become part of a venue team! Venue box office interns work upon arrival with the lead Box Office intern and Box Office manager. You’ll learn the festival’s ticketing program, Agile, and help set up and run venue box offices during the festival. Help with ticket sales and pickups, trouble shoot, and interact with patrons. Must be able to quickly pick up computer programs and learn on the go.
Festival Office
Positions Available: 4
Description: The Festival Only Office interns help coordinate office tasks, help with the festival intern schedule, and perform any and all tasks that arise. These interns help provide support to many areas of the festival, and can be moved to areas that need help outside of the office. These interns staff the office during the festival to help with walk-ins, volunteers, and much more. Prior knowledge of basic festival information is a plus.
Photography
Positions Available: 2
Description: The Photography Support intern fulfills a support role in the days leading up to the Film Festival, and then becomes a field photographer after the festival begins. You’ll divide your time between administrative duties, including mostly spreadsheet maintenance, assisting with coordinating photographers, helping with visual presentations, etc. You will be working directly with the Photography Director and Photography Manager. You will also be expected to photograph some pre-festival set-up (photojournalistic coverage), and then a key go-to member of the photography team during the festival. You will be photographing all priority events, panel discussions, film schools, and pre & post film Q&A sessions, and festival parties. Must have strong organizational and communication skills and must be a strong photographer (the photography director would like to see a portfolio in-advance). Intern must have a camera capable of capturing in low-light situations without a flash. Essential computer skills include Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, Microsoft Excel and Word are preferred.
Print Traffic
Positions Available: 2
Description: Print Traffic interns work directly with our Print Traffic Manager to move projection copies of festival films between venues (today most films arrive on hard drives). Print Traffic interns get a special behind-the-scenes look at the ins-and-outs of projection and film presentation from the very best in the business. You’ll help track film status and locations, inventory, and assist the presentation team. These positions work out of the festival Inspection Bureau. A valid driver’s license is mandatory.
Runner
Positions Available: 2
Description: Festival runners run errands and transport items as needed during the festival. On call by phone and radio, you will listen for calls from venues and assist and run wherever necessary. Access to a car is necessary (the festival will reimburse for gas). Some knowledge of the Traverse City area is recommended, and a valid driver’s license is mandatory.
Videography: Assistant Management
Positions Available: 2
Description: Those looking to manage a fast paced space working with everything from equipment monitoring to file ingesting will enjoy this opportunity. Work with videography volunteers to make sure they are properly equipped and have all the tools to be successful in the field. There are more than 100 events and 50 volunteers bringing camera equipment in and out of the office to coordinate and make sure all their data gets to where it needs to go. The intern in this position will be assisting the Videography Manager with making sure everyone has what they need and knows where they’re going. Knowledge of video formats is a plus, but not essential. Enthusiastic, detail-oriented multitaskers with an interest in video production will thrive in this position.
Venue Team
Positions Available: 10
Description: Become part of a venue team! Venue team interns work upon arrival with a venue that needs your help. You’ll learn the ins and outs of your specific venue, and help set up and run aspects of that venue during the festival. Help with concessions, ticket sales, line management, stage management, and much more! Must be able to quickly pick up lessons and learn on the go.
