[Filmfestivalresearch] help to research pay levels?

Thu Jun 23 11:52:23 CEST 2011

Dear Dina,

I write under Teresa's answers. My research in this case is from 2004, but in general it's still the same.

Best, kai

Kai Reichel-Heldt
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Am 23.06.2011 um 11:12 schrieb Teresa Hoefert de Turegano:

Some general thoughts on festival salaries and contracts:

Q: What are the directors of festivals (which festivals matters, of course) paid? 

As you say, it matters what festival you refer to.  I would estimate that directors of Berlin, Venice receive salaries of around 200,000 a year - more or less. We can then assume that Frémaux in Cannes receives something higher. Smaller festivals then less, according to ranking, prestige, wealth of country. So Dubai will be high and the Maputo Doc festival will be a lot less! But that is not based on any offical or concrete information, just some experience in the industry. 

-> Feature film festivals pay much higher salaries (I agree with Teresa's approximation) than children's or even short film festivals (with the exception of e.g. Oberhausen's short film festival director) getting paid round about 15.000 - 40.000 EUR/year).    

Q: Is it a round-the-year salary or a term one? Are they normally on term contracts (what length) or permanent ones (highly unlikely).

I would say contracts - at least a year, but then probably 3-5 but then it depends, renewable. But if you just look at many of the some of the A festivals, the directors tend to stay around for quite some time: ie Cannes: Fremaux has been running Cannes for many years and Gilles Jacob for many more - never left! Berlin, Venice, New York, etc.  The directors don't change very often. 

For Edinburgh you might try doing a closer comparison with a festival like Rotterdam. 

Would be great to see the Edinburgh Film festival find some of its past glory again!

-> In Germany the big festivals (e.g. Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Oberhausen...) have full year contracts with their directors, the regional festivals and especially the short film festivals have normally part time contracts for several months (6-9 months) or not full time contracts. Often they also work in associated local cultural agencies the rest of the year or the film festival is part of their annual programme. It's tiring, but often low salaries are still caused with "higher creative potential generated by a certain lack of money".  

Best,  

Dr. Teresa Hoefert de Turégano
Förderreferentin / Advisor - Film Funding
& International Relations

Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH 
August-Bebel-Str. 26-53, 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg, Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 331 743 87 25  Fax: +49 (0) 331 743 87 99
Email: t.hoefert-de-turegano at medienboard.de www.medienboard.de

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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: filmfestivalresearch-bounces at listcultures.org [mailto:filmfestivalresearch-bounces at listcultures.org] Im Auftrag von Dina Iordanova
Gesendet: Sonntag, 19. Juni 2011 11:45
An: filmfestivalresearch at listcultures.org
Betreff: [Filmfestivalresearch] help to research pay levels?

Dear all,

I hope you can help me to research something that may have real practical implications in the are of festivals.
I am now on the Board of Trustees for the Edinburgh International Film Festival; a position for Artistic Director will be advertised soon.
In the context of the Board meeting earlier in the week, possible salary levels were discussed. As everybody else on the board are either lawyers, accountants or businessmen, people looked at me (as someone who supposedly knows more about film festivals than they) expecting me to provide comparisons of what the salaries of other artistic directors of film festivals are. I realised, however, that I cannot quote a reliable figure; in their eyes I surely came across as superficial researcher - how is it possible to claim expertise in a certain area if I do not know the basics of a festival operation (as the director's salary would be considered a key element of the business model).

So, I wonder if those of you who know bits and pieces of information on the matter of remuneration level for festival directors would like to share privately or through the list? What are the directors of festivals (which festivals matters, of course) paid? Is it a round-the-year salary or a term one? Are they normally on term contracts (what length) or permanent ones (highly unlikely).

I believe we could come up with a piece of meaningful research if we manage to compare notes. In most professions this information is available; let's investigate it in the area of our interest.

Looking forward to hearing from you. Best: Dina

Prof. Dina Iordanova
Provost, St. Leonard's College
Director, Centre for Film Studies
University of St. Andrews

To order my new book Film Festivals and East Asia and my other books, please visit http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/filmbooks/

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