What’s your name/age/job title?

Chris Nunn, 25, Screentest: The National Student Film Festival Director

Please give us an overview of your average day.

The Festival Committee meets at least once a week. Depending on the time of year, we either spend stupidly long hours planning or watching submissions. This is usually combined with some other meetings or networking events with sponsors and supporters: The BFI, Film London or our hosts, London South Bank University. 

What’s the most common misconception about your job?

That part-time means part-time! I don’t think there’s a day in any week between September and March when I don’t have to deal with something related to festival planning or promotion (I’m filling this in on Saturday morning!).

What’s the hardest thing about your role?

I struggle, or the festival struggles, to work with increasingly fewer resources and money – a definite symptom of our economic climate. I was responsible for moving the festival from Bristol to London three years ago and whilst it’s grown massively in popularity, we seem to have less and less to work with, a constant challenge! 

When did you decide what you wanted to do with your life and how did you set out to achieve it? 

I’ve loved film and been a filmmaker since I was fifteen. I studied Film and Media at A-Level, then a BA and am soon to finish an MA in Digital Film. The festival work has become an extension of that. 

What can you do to get a head start?

If it’s filmmaking you’re into, don’t stop making films! Be prolific and make sure you’re promoting yourself. I am shocked by the number of young filmmakers who send stuff to us but have no web presence on YouTube or Vimeo or here on IdeasTap. 

I’d add that being involved in film festivals and other arts events is not only a great networking opportunity but it’s also a really rewarding experience. There’s this feeling at Screentest that we’ve all come together to celebrate each others’ work ; that’s an important thing to be doing. 

Could you describe the creative element to your job?

When and where are the special events and talks to take place? Where are the screenings positioned in the festival as a whole? How do the films get categorised within the reels? And not forgetting the individual watching and categorisation of each film. A very rewarding but time consuming exercise (this year we had 186 submissions!)

What’s the one thing you wish you had known at the start of your career that you know now?

Don’t expect an easy ride. I work with passion for Screentest but receive little financial remuneration. In order to supplement that I work in cafes and restaurants and do some freelance stuff; it’s a juggling act that I think most creative professionals will find themselves having to perform at one stage or another. I’m just not sure I was prepared for the volume of work needed to survive, so watch out!

Which organisations/websites/resources do you think would be useful for people entering your industry?

I think the guys here at IdeasTap are great. For film career advice and film courses check out Skillset. For festivals, make sure you’re looking on Withoutabox.com and in a shameless plug young filmmakers ought to stay in touch with us at screentestfest.org.uk.

Screentest takes place from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 March at the South Bank University. To find out more about Screentest, visit the website  

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