TV, Film and Stage Agent’s Assistant
– Posted April 24th 2024
TV, Film and Stage Agent’s Assistant
With a long-established history in author representation, over 90 books currently under option and a sizeable roster of emerging and established writer clients in all mediums, David Higham Associates is a leading agency in the Literary, TV, Film and Stage industries.
This is a great opportunity to join the TV, Film and Stage department as assistant to two film and TV agents. This will be a very busy role which offers the successful candidate a brilliant opportunity to develop skills in all aspects of agenting including administrative and contractual skills, client management, book/script-reading and pitching writers and authors to production companies. The role might suit an existing agent’s assistant or someone looking to make a move into a new part of the TV, Film or Stage industries. If this sounds like you, we would love to hear from you!
Our offices are based in central London (Soho). Working hours are 9.15am – 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, with potential for part-time work from home arrangements. Salary will be £28,000 per annum.
Job Description
Admin and departmental
• Diary management
• Providing administrative support to your line managers in all areas
• Tracking signature of agreements and addendums, ensuring return of fully executed copies
• Raising invoices for producers and chasing payments
• Liaising with Accounts department and clients on payments
• Keeping records of options and option expiry dates
• Entering contracts on a database and keeping hard copy files in clear order
• Assisting with red-lining of contracts
• Taking notes for book agent and producer meetings
• Preparing departmental newsletters
• Keeping on top of developments in the industry (e.g. downloadable formats, video on demand) and liaising with industry bodies such as Writers Guild, PMA and Society of Authors and attend relevant meetings on this front
• From time to time attending meetings and industry events where required by agent(s) e.g. PMA meetings, producer parties/briefings
• Providing holiday cover and/or general support for other members of the team as required
• Other tasks as required
Writers
• Keeping on top of screenwriter opportunities (e.g. soaps, new media, writing schemes etc) and liaising with the team and clients on these
• Acting as primary contact for enquiries relating to some clients
• Dealing with some writer agreements in consultation with your line manager (once training given)
• Keeping clients’ CVs on the website up to date and posting relevant social media messaging
• Reading scripts and making notes
Authors
• Handling enquiries about film/TV/stage rights to books and checking status of rights
• Liaising with producers about opportunities for book options and reporting back to the team
• Acting as the primary point of contact for enquiries relating to certain clients including Estates managed by your line manager
• Liaising with your line manager on submission lists and submission strategy. Preparing marketing materials for the same
• Dealing with TV, radio permissions and professional stage agreements alongside line manager
• Reading books and making notes
Demonstrable experience
• Support role experience, ideally in a related industry
• Ability to juggle multiple projects, independently prioritise workload and delegate where appropriate to departmental intern
• Good organiser with excellent record-keeping skills
• Confidence working and communicating directly with clients and outside partners
• Diplomacy, tact and discretion
• Working with simple contracts
• Meticulous attention to contractual detail
Desirable skills and attributes
• Self-motivated and able to take initiative
• Ability to assimilate information and learn quickly
• Ability to remain calm and unflustered under pressure
• Good creative judgement
• Knowledge of and passion for the film/TV/Theatre industry – scripted and unscripted
• Assessing scripts and books
• Reads across a range of genres
• Strong level of verbal written communication
To apply, please send your CV and a brief covering email to Emmanuel Omodeinde at dhamediajob@davidhigham.co.uk.You can also contact Emmanuel on this email address if you have any questions about the role.
Please format the subject line of your email/s as “YOUR NAME // FILM AND TV ASSISTANT” and include mention in your covering email of where you heard about this position.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted.
Applications close midnight Sunday 5th May 2024.
Interview dates: w/c 13th May 2024
Start date: TBC but asap.
dhamediajob@davidhigham.co.uk