A love for the arts led Sara Gunn-Smith to a career in the creative sector.
Read how she became a Marketing & Audiences Officer at Film Hub NI
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
My first job was at Outlet Recording Company when I was 21, cataloguing an archive of old recordings but I also got the chance to help in the studio and in marketing promoting their albums. I was then with the Cinemagic Film Festival before taking a role as Marketing Manager at RipFactory promoting their digital music products globally. But it was at Audiences NI that I developed my fascination with how audiences engage with arts and cultural experiences which has led me to where I am today.
For the past seven years I have been the Marketing & Audiences Officer at Film Hub NI, which works to harness the creativity and energy of the film exhibition sector across Northern Ireland and ensure a wide range of film is available to everyone. It is part of the BFI Film Audience Network and based at Queens Film Theatre.
My responsibilities include marketing the hub and our members’ events though social media, managing all communications with stakeholders and the public, programming and delivering training events such as our new Moving Pictures Podcast series and running audience development projects such as Cinema Day and Collective – a touring programme for Northern Ireland/ Irish film. Alongside these roles, I also undertake freelance consultancy work and I’ve produced a short film, The Curzon Project, with a few other film projects currently in development.
What was your favourite subject at school?
I always enjoyed English and French. I wasn’t particularly academic at school, but I loved reading and seemed to easily engage with languages – something I intend to pick up on again when my children are a little older.
Did you go on to further/ higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I left school at 16 to study performing arts but was chronically shy (and easily distracted) so that didn’t work out. I went back to BIFHE (as it was then) when I was 19 to study Media, Communication and Production. As I reached my mid-20s I started to think about studying again and completed an ILM Diploma in Management. I realised then that even though I had a wealth of experience at this point, not having a degree was holding me back from certain jobs so I completed a part-time degree with the Open University and I recently took part in a Post-Graduate Certificate in Leadership course with Ulster University and Arts & Business.
How did you get into your area of work?
I always knew I wanted to work in the cultural and creative sector, I just didn’t know which area. I got my first job in this field by posting letters to music or film companies all over Ireland (it was 2002 before email was the norm) and pretty much begging for a job!
Is this what you always wanted to do?
Yes. During breaks between jobs I had to take on temp work or short term contracts in other sectors, but working in the creative sector is all I ever wanted to do so I feel extremely lucky to have had the opportunities I did.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
I felt a degree was essential for me to progress in my career but I know that is not the case for all jobs in the creative industries. Getting experience as a teenager in promoting music nights and organising club events on a voluntary basis gave me a good grounding in event management for example – and something I was able to talk about in my first job interview.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
Absolutely, but having knowledge of the film and creative industries and how they work, particularly on a local level, is key.
What are the main personal skills your jobs requires?
Good communication and organisational skills are critical to managing projects and having initiative and showing leadership is also important.
What does a typical day entail?
Pre-Covid, a typical day starts with checking emails and catching up with my co-workers. Then it is time to post on our social media channels, update the website, meet members to discuss projects and sometimes take in a screening at QFT (perks of the job!) or travel to member screenings across Northern Ireland.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
I love my job and I have great colleagues so I enjoy going to work and seeing projects come to fruition. One of the best things is helping members develop audiences for great films and seeing the success of these events. I managed a tour of A Bump Along The Way, a great film from here and we had sell out screenings across the country – the audience response was amazing.
Why is what you do important?
Whether it’s getting a glimpse into other lives through documentaries or simply having a great time with your friends watching a comedy, I firmly believe that film has the capacity to make a difference in people’s lives.
What is your salary band?
£20-30,000.
How has Covid-19 impacted your business/role?
My whole job revolved around hosting events and tours and promoting the collective experience of cinema so having to pivot quickly and refocus on what would be helpful to our members while screens are dark was a mind shift.
What adjustments have you had to make?
We’re working from home, so you lose a little bit of that creative spark that happens when you are all in the same room, but we have managed well. We’re using Zoom and teams to keep connected with each other, our members and industry colleagues in Northern Ireland, the UK and Ireland.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
There are more opportunities for young people wanting to get into this industry now than there were 20 years ago, so keep an eye out for training schemes, opportunities and networking events. Northern Ireland is a small place so get your name and face out there as soon as you can. Watch as many films as you can and keep up to date with developments in the film industry.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
I have just finished renovating my house and enjoyed working with our architect so maybe something creative to do with house design and how we use space in our homes and cities.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Everyone is winging it. I came to this realisation in my early 30s and it has been a helpful thing to remember.
Describe your ideal day off.
My ideal day off is a walk up the Cregagh Glen with my children, then meeting my friends for lunch somewhere on the Ormeau Road, and finishing up with dinner in Stock restaurant with my husband, followed by a trip to the cinema.
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
Persistence, initiative and a confident, but not arrogant, belief in yourself and what you can offer.
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