Intern

Work behind the scenes of one of the 25 coolest film festivals in the country, experience the excitement and buzz, the energetic volunteers, the beautiful venues, the visiting filmmakers, the beautiful weather, the awesome music and thrilling events as a Traverse City Film Festival intern! TCFF interns get real life experience in management and independence in a fast-paced work environment for a world-class festival with a wide scope. We are now searching for exceptional applicants for our 2019 intern class.

If you’ve never been to Traverse City before it won’t take long for you to call it home. As an Intern at the Traverse City Film Festival you not only network with fellow professionals in the industry, you work with volunteers from the whole community. Never before have I seen a city come together with such vigor and enthusiasm to promote films from all over the world. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. – Billy Schofield, Print Traffic Intern

The TCFF is a non-profit 501c3 organization founded in 2005 by Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore. We offer full-time, unpaid internships for college students and young professionals who wish to acquire hands-on experience in festival management. Our full internships begin as early as May and festival-only internships begin July 22. All internships finish a week after the festival ends.

REQUIREMENTS
TCFF internships are open to students from many areas of study. A note of warning: these are not your run-of-the-mill get coffee internships. Interns should be dependable, committed fast learners who are able to see projects through to completion. Interns should be organized while able to work in a fast-paced environment. Potential interns must have a working personal laptop computer and cell phone that can be used during the internship. Applicants interning for college credit are preferred.

The TCFF internship is a must do for any film or Northern Michigan lover. I didn’t feel like just an ‘intern.’ With the responsibility I was given, I felt like a trusted employee. I loved working with dedicated people and seeing my work directly contribute to the festival. I’m incredibly grateful to have gained confidence, professional portfolio pieces and skills, all while enjoying the wonders that the ‘Best Small Town in America’ has to offer! – Kendall Kotcher, Communications & Media Intern

DESCRIPTION
We are looking for interns to help in one or more areas. Please read about each position and review the Internship Questionnaire for more details about the program.

COMPUTER SKILLS
Applicants should be very comfortable with computers; Google Docs, Dropbox, Excel, and Word; and capable of basic computer troubleshooting. Experience with imaging, Photoshop and InDesign is a plus. Cross-platform experience is also a plus. Skill set requirements vary based on position, review individual position descriptions for complete details. Interns MUST have their own working computer to bring to the internship — no exceptions.

There is no place to learn more about contemporary film culture, and no environment more beautiful than Traverse City. – Lindsey Brendel, Film Prep Intern

DESIRABLE SKILLS
Please note in your cover letter any experience in the following: basic HTML, office management, movie theaters or film festivals. Please also detail any writing and communication skills, experience with detailed work, people and customer service skills, and organizational skills. If applying for a writing internship, please include a brief writing sample.

“You have every opportunity imaginable to take initiative and make a project your own. You’re able to craft your own experience and have access to people in the industry that are patient, clear in their instruction, and willing to teach you whatever new skills you want to learn. You also get to network with people your own age with a variety of skill sets and make connections that outlast the festival. I couldn’t have asked for a more complete internship experience.” – Alicia Hartz, Drama Major

DATES AND HOURS
Full internships begin anywhere from mid-May to the first of July, depending on position. Festival-only internships begin July 22. All positions are full-time and all interns must be available through the week after the festival ends. Festival internships run 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday during festival preparations. Shortly before and during the festival, hours will vary and daily schedules change based on position.

LOCATION
The festival is located in Downtown Traverse City, Michigan. Unfortunately, at this time, festival cannot provide housing for out of town interns. Many interns decide to live at Northwestern Michigan College, where dorm rooms are available for a fee, visit their summer housing website for more information. Accepted interns will be able to connect via a TCFF intern Facebook group regarding housing and other summer plans. Please let us know if you need assistance finding housing for the internship and we can do our best to share additional recommendations.

Interning at TCFF has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The warm community and the exquisite location make for an unforgettable summer. You’ll be hard pressed to find an internship with as many opportunities to pursue personal interests and achieve professional goals. – Noelle Gibeson, Film Prep and Print Traffic Intern, Two Years

Our partnerships with Michigan State University and Central Michigan University provide a few scholarships for students to help cover housing and a stipend. If you are a student at one of these schools, reach out to your advisor to see if you qualify, and let us know during your application process.

TO APPLY
Please send your resume, completed Internship Questionnaire, school transcripts (unofficial is ok) and a cover letter explaining your interest in the festival internship program, along with your pertinent experience and qualifications, to Susan Fisher at interns@tcff.org. We will not process applications until we’ve received all of the paperwork listed above. Please submit documents as PDFs. Interviews will be conducted via Skype. Applications for full internships are due April 15. We conduct interviews as content is received, so some positions may not stay available until the deadline.