PUBLICITY/PR
Deciding to involve myself with the production team was largely based on my previous skillsets and abilities and many of the tasks I worked on within that role felt relatively second nature. However, when the opportunity to work as MOFF’s publicist appeared I took on the role in hopes to break free from my comfort zone and acquire some new skills in the industry, and that I did. My first task as MOFF’s publicist was to create a press/media release that would cover all important MOFF information for public knowledge (films and events, submissions, venue and location, ticketing etc) and compile a list of relevant contacts to forward said release to. This was a lengthy process and required constant communication with all MOFF teams to ensure I could compile as much correct information into the release as possible before it was distributed.
Once the release was out, I quickly needed to filter through responses to ensure I could get any requested material (extra images, film stills etc) out asap. One of the greatest skills I think I acquired during this time was professional email etiquette, as I was replying to and forwarding plenty of emails, and as the face of MOFF’s media relations it was essential all communication was of a professional manner. MOFF’s PR resulted in some interesting opportunities for our team, including an opening for our programmers to speak on Another Bloody Movie Podcast, a local film podcast hosted by critic Sean Coates (linked below). We also garnered some attention on websites and blogs, including a very visually appealing feature on The Capitols official website.
I did face some difficulties as MOFF’s publicist, especially when it became apparent that our festival would need to be shifted online. This required me to quickly put together another greatly detailed press release, however when it came time to send out the release, I faced some major technical issues that greatly impacted our release plan. Thankfully our hard-working social media and marketing team were able to work quickly to resolve any gaps in communication about MOFFs change of pace as a result of Melbourne’s COVID-19 crisis, and we were still able to keep MOFF’s audience and media partners well informed and up to date.
ANOTHER BLOODY MOVIE PODCAST EPISODE:
POST ON THE CAPITOL WEBSITE:
https://thecapitol.tv/event/melbourne-overlooked-film-festival-2021/
MISSION STATEMENT
In the early stages of MOFF’s production, it was essential we all worked together to create a mission statement that would reflect who we are and what we set out to achieve at MOFF. To do this we researched some popular film festivals mission statements to get a sense of form and tone before grouping together to produce a draft and final mission statement. This statement gave MOFF a sense of shared purpose and identity and its creation was incredibly integral to all creative and administrative decisions made. Our mission statement was made available on our website, film freeway, Indiegogo campaign and social media platforms and served as a reference point for other areas of production, such as our media release and copy. MOFF’s official mission statement is as follows:
The MOFF is an RMIT student run initiative of cinema lovers determined to shine a light on the underground, under-appreciated and unconventional films from local and international filmmakers.
Through thematic programming we are highlighting films which don’t fit the mould of the mainstream.
We welcome a diverse audience to participate in an inclusive event for film fanatics interested in unveiling the weird and wonderful.