Recruiting an Assistant Producer

BRIEF FOR ASSISTANT PRODUCER

Producers Kate Chapman and Pippa Frith are looking for a freelance assistant producer to work on our inaugural partnership project creating three brand new podcast series with leading theatre artists.

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

Contract: freelance contract 15 days from Nov 2019 – Dec 2020 (start dates can be negotiated)

Fee: £1500

Working hours: Flexible. The schedule of working hours will be agreed with the assistant producer based around the record/release dates of each podcast series.

Location: Midlands-based activity (Nottingham and Birmingham) with some activity in Manchester (travel costs will be covered)

Responsible to: Producers.

To support the project we are looking for someone based in the Midlands with experience of social media marketing in an arts and/or media context who can deliver on the following key areas:

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY:

As part of our wider communication plan, create and deliver a social media strategy which will include: sharing agreed content and trailers, cross-promotion of podcasts, identifying opportunities for advertising on other podcasts (there is a small advertising budget), nurturing relationships with social media influencers and engaging with podcasting social media networks.

MONITORING DATA:

- Gather and analyse audience data with the help of Podiant (see below), giving details of the number and location of downloads.

- Give updates and an overview of social media activity including examples of critical responses, sharing activity, recommendations, numbers of followers etc.

- Monitor responses and reviews via all the mainstream platforms

BRAND PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT:

- articulate and establish our brand with an appropriate tone of voice.

- Ensure that the podcasts have parity of tone and presence with other podcasts and producers.

- Ensure that all three podcast series are reaching their target audiences via social media and report back on progress.

PARTNER LIAISON:

- Respond to and make connections with social media activity generated by our partner artists and partner theatres.

- Maintain an overview of social media activity which relate to each podcast series.

- Advise on ways to make the most of audience interest or to improve our approach

- Ensure that all social media activity is consistent and of high quality.

CONTEXT:

Kate and Pippa have made a successful bid to Arts Council to work with theatre artists to create 3 original podcast series with leading theatre artists. The process will be artist-led and supported by partnerships with Nottingham Playhouse, Derby Theatre and Contact Theatre Manchester. Our aim is to support our theatre artists to explore the intimacy and accessibility of podcasts, enabling them to create dynamic content and ensuring that they reach the widest possible audience. As this is our inaugural project, we also aim to establish our brand within the podcast field and amongst national and international digital networks. One of our project partners is Mark Steadman from Podiant, a cloud-hosted podcasting platform based in Birmingham. Mark will be advising, enabling access to monitoring data and creating a network for our podcasts and acting as a technical consultant.

THE PODCASTS

Sickbabe – artist: Suriya Aisha. A podcast series of funny, frank chats with fellow creative #Sickbabes who exist and resist everyday with invisible physical health conditions.

Supported by Contact Theatre, this podcast investigates the relationship between invisible disabilities, capitalism and the awkward bits of life in between.

The Pervert’s Podcast– artists: Milk Presents. In partnership with Derby Theatre Milk presents will develop a bi-monthly audio cabaret with input from the Lesbian and Gay Newsmedia Archive at The Bishopsgate Institute. Each episode will be curated by Milk and hosted by a different queer artist responding to, classified ads, agony aunt letters and other printed ephemera from the queer archives.

Post Mortem– artists: to be confirmed. An anthology of short-form dramas commissioned from leading writer/performers and produced in partnership with Nottingham Playhouse. Each artist will work with an end of life professional of their choice. This might include an end of life nurse, a celebrant, a solicitor, a florist etc. Each drama will be accompanied by a ‘discussion-based’ episode in which the writer and their chosen professional discuss questions and ideas which they have explored in the drama.

HOW TO APPLY

Send us: -

1. your CV (max 2 pages)

2. a short personal statement telling us about your relevant experience and explaining your interest in this role.

Please send these by email to Kate Chapman: chapmank7@gmail.com

NB we accept applications in video and audio / voice note format as well as written documents

The deadline for applications is FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 5pm

After the deadline we will invite a small number of applicants to come and have an informal meeting with us in Birmingham about the role on Tuesday 5 November. We will select the successful candidate following these meetings and we will offer feedback to all shortlisted applicants. Please note that if you are invited to come for a meeting, we will ask you about your access needs and make provision for this.

Kate and Pippa welcome applications from people with a variety of backgrounds, experience and perspectives.

This brief is available in an audio format and if you would like to have an informal conversation about the role of assistant producer before applying, please get in touch with Kate: chapmank7@gmail.com