Acquisitions Assistant

Searchlight Pictures is a global specialty film and television company that develops, produces, finances and acquires motion pictures and series for both worldwide theatrical and streaming releases. It has its own marketing and distribution operations, and is part of The Walt Disney Studios, a division of The Walt Disney Company. Founded in 1994 as Fox Searchlight Pictures, the company’s titles have grossed over $5 billion worldwide, amassing 52 Academy Awards including five Best Picture winners since 2009:  Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, The Shape of Water, and Nomadland; 64 BAFTA Awards; 35 Golden Globe Awards, and 10 Grammy Awards.

Job Summary:

As an Acquisition Assistant, you will play a crucial role in supporting the Acquisitions & Production team by organizing and managing festival preparations, tracking films in various stages of production, and much more. This position requires a strong understanding of the acquisitions and festival landscape, excellent organizational and communication skills, and a passion for film and television, particularly specialty/arthouse films

RESPONSIBILITIES

Festival Preparation

• Gather and organize pertinent data on available films playing at each festival/market

• Compile and distribute festival documents such as tracking grids, bibles, and informational guides

• Coordinate slate calls with external parties for pre-festival planning

• Coordinate inter-departmental travel arrangements and festival logistics

Film Tracking

• Gather extensive information on available films in all stages of production

• Identify and track competitor projects through all stages of production

• Be across industry trades to identify available projects and update our creative tracking systems

Film Coverage

• Read and watch a high volume of weekly script and film submissions

• Write concise coverage analyzing submitted films for consideration of acquisition or talent tracking

• Write script/film feedback on internal projects in various stages of development/post-production

Department Organization

• Provide administrative support to SVP Acquisitions & Production, Director, and Manager, including updating and maintaining their calendars, phone coverage, preparing travel arrangements & itineraries for business and film festival trips, updating contacts, filing expense reports and managing correspondence.

• Create & maintain tracking and festival grids, including updating production status

• Maintain submissions, coverage and record keeping

• Help coordinate memos, presentations, research, meeting agendas, etc., as needed.

• Liaise communications between the Acquisitions team and all other departments including but not limited to Production, Marketing, and Distribution

Industry Relationships

• Build relationships with sales agents, festival programmers, producers and executives, internal & external

• Engage with multiple tracking boards for production & industry information

QUALIFICATIONS

• Strong understanding of the acquisitions and festival landscape as well as industry people, processes, systems & routines

• Bachelor’s degree – Theater, Film/TV or Communications majors preferred

• 2 + years previous agency experience or comparable industry environment. Acquisitions or film sales experience a plus

• Proficient in operating, using, and troubleshooting iOS systems: Mac, iPhone. Excellent operational knowledge of Microsoft Office, Outlook, Airtable and Google Workspace

• Demonstrate the ability to proactively problem-solve

• Demonstrate superior organizational skills, the ability to take initiative on assignments and to work independently, with minimum supervision, and in a team-oriented environment.

• Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills

• Flexibility to work on ever-changing priorities in a time sensitive environment and ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks with exceptional attention to detail.

• Enthusiasm for film and television, particularly specialty/arthouse films. Familiarity with the Searchlight brand, films, filmmakers and upcoming slate is ideal.

The hiring range for this position in California is $65,600.00 to $84,800.00 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.