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RIIFFGuideforWriting&Communication

YourtimewithRIIFFwillinevitablyinvolvesomeormanyformsofcommunicationwith
filmmakers,producers,industryprofessionals,membersofmassmedia,prestigious
figureheadsofthelocal/regionalartscommunity,etc.Whileconversingwithanyaffiliatesof
ourorganization,alwaysrememberthatitisyourdutyasaninterntobothprofessionallyand
respectfullyrepresenttheRIIFFbrandname.Wevecompiledanumberofhelpfultipsto
considerinyourwrittenandoralcorrespondence(s)withbothourlocalandglobalaudiences.

*Thesepointersaresuggestions,notabindingmanifesto.Alwaysuseyourbestjudgementwhendeciding
onthemostappropriatemeansofcommunication,bothwrittenandoral.

I.

Understandwhoweare

Whileitmaysoundobvious,knowingabouttheorganizationyoureworkingforwillalways
giveyoualegupinconversationsthisincludesinformationlikeacompanysmission
statement,generalhistory,detailsonyearlyeventsandoperations,understandingof
products/servicesofferedbytheorganization,officialaccoladesandareasofrecognition,etc.
RIIFFmaintainsanumberofresourcesthathelptospelloutwhoweareasanorganization.
Alotofthisinformationcanbefoundthroughourwebsite,www.filmfestival.org,andthrough
manyothermediums,bothdigitalandprint.

Asanintern,youshouldbefocusednotonlyonthetasksyouareassigned,butalsothework
ofyourfellowinterns.Stayingupondaytodaytaskingwillprovideyouwiththemost
uptodateinformationyoucanusewhenconversingwithouraudiences(providedthis
informationisokaytodisclose).

II.
Understandtheaffordancesandlimitationsofthemedium

Whatyoucansayanddowithanofficialpressreleaseisdifferentthanwhatmaybesaidor
donewithanemail.Alwayskeepinmindhowthegenreyouchooseandtheaudiences
thesegenrestargetcanshape/affectthewritingyouwillcreate.

III.
Email

Thisisourmostcommonlyusedformofcontact.EmailsareusedatRIIFFforavarietyof
reasonswhetheritssolicitingsponsorsfordonations,communicatingwithafilmmaker,or
respondingtofellowstaffmembers,asanintern,youllbeusingemailservicesquiteoften.
Listedbelowaresomepointersforgoodemailetiquette,aswellassomesuggestionsonhow
tousetheRIIFFmailingsystem.

Whensendingemails,alwaysuseyourassignedfestivalemailaddress.Thisaddresswill
probablybeintheformofyourfirstinitial+yourfulllastname+@filmfestival.org.
Refrainfromusingpersonalwebaddresses.

RIIFFutilizesaMicrosoftOutlookwebmailplatformforemailcorrespondences.If
youremorecomfortablewithadifferentplatform(Gmail,Yahoo,etc.)youcanalways
assignyour@filmfestivaladdressasasecondsendingaddress.

IcannotstressthispointenoughCCJamie,Shawn,George,andanyotherfestival
managementonallemailcorrespondences.Notonlywillyourhigherupsbeabletoafford
youinputonthebestwaystocommunicatewithindustryprofessionalsandcandefend
you/thefestivalifcertainargumentsoraccusationsariseinyourinteractions

Whenreachingouttoapersonororganizationforthefirsttime,thecontentsoftheemail
shouldbeformalandrespectful

Usethefullnameofthepersonyouremessaging,precededbyDear.

ex.DearPaulSmith

Introduceyourselfandexpressyourassociationwiththefestival

ex.MynameisMichael,andImcontactingyouonbehalfoftheFlickers:RhodeIsland
InternationalFilmFestival.

Salutationsareimportant.Yourchoiceofasignaturelineshouldbebasedonthe
relationshipyouhavewiththeperson/organizationyourereachingoutto.

MostCordiallyandWarmestRegardsaregreatcomplementivesignoffsforearly
correspondences

StayawayfromSincerelyitsrobotic

Evenasyoubecomecloserwithyourcontacts,neverstepawayfromcommemorative
signoffsMyBest,Best,Regardsallworknicely

IV.

Filmmakers/FilmmakerRepresentatives
Thisisourfestivalstargetaudience.Ourgoal,daytoday,istodevelopandmaintain
relationshipswithfilmmakersandtheiraffiliates.ThroughRIIFF,filmmakersare
affordedaninternationallyrespectedvenuetoshowcasetheirwork.Youllbeintouch
withfilmmakersforanumberofthings,including:theiracceptanceintothefestival
(andpossiblytheirinitialrejection)congratulationsonanawardtheacquisitionof

certaininformationandforanumberofotherreasons.Alwaysrememberthatwithout
filmmakers,theredbenoRIIFF.Ourmission,aboveallelse,ismarshalingfilmmaker
talentsandkeepingourfilmmakershappy.

TheEssentialsofFilmmakerCorrespondence

Employpositiveandwelcomingdialoguewewantourgreetingstosoundlikewere
invitingfilmmakersintoourownfamilies

Suggestionsforelegantintroductoryphrases:ItismyhonortosharewithyouIdliketo
takethistimetotellyouItismypleasureto

Usethefestivalnametoyouradvantageitaddsprestigetomanytypesofgreetings:Dear
RobertGordon:OnbehalfoftheFlickers:RhodeIslandInternationalFilmFestival

Peoplealwaysliketohearnicethingsaboutthemselvesthisisparticularlytruewhen
correspondingwithfilmartistsbeactivewhencommendingfilmprojectsbe
expressive

Yourfilm,TheGreatGatsby,isverymuchinkeepingwiththetypeofgroundbreakingand
explorativecinemathatourfestivalstrivestofosterandshowcase.

Atthefestival,weneverofficiallyrejectafilmmaker.Whiletheirworkmaynotbe
consideredforourofficialsummerfestival,thereareancillaryeventsthatwehold
throughouttheyearthesearealternativevenuesthatwillaffordfilmmakersanother
chancetogettheirworkouttothepubliceye

Whileyourfilmwillnotbeapartofoursummerprogramming,weholdmultiplefilmic
eventsthroughouttheyear,andwouldliketokeepyourfilminconsiderationfortheseother
screenings.

Afterhavingmultipleconversationswithfilmmakers,yourtonewilllikelybecomemore
friendlyandrelaxed,asbothyouandthefilmmakerbecomemorefamiliarwitheach
other.Thisisgreat,butjustkeepprofessionalisminmind.Keepprofanityandinsulting
languageandinformationoffthetableatalltimes.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsorconcernsonhowtodealwithspecific/uncommon
situations,donothesitatetoaskyoursuperiorsitslikelytheyveencountered
somethingsimilarbefore

V.

NewSponsors/Partners

Anumberofyouwillspendyourtimesolicitingrespectedorganizationsandbrandsfor
donationsandsponsorship.Whileaskingformoneyandmaterialitemscanbe
nervewrackingforanyone,wevecompiledsomehelpfulsuggestionsforthesetypesof
interactions

Tellthemwereanonprofitorganizationpreferablyearlyoninyourmessage.This
letssponsorsknowthatwhatevertheydonateisgoingtowardssomekindof
developmentofourprogramsand/orcommunityoutreachwerenotlookingtopocket
anymoney.

Explaintheeventthatyourecontactingthemabout.Providethebasicsupfront
nameoftheevent,date&time,location.

Throughouttheemail:Useexpressiveandelegantlanguage.Getthesponsor
excited/interestedaboutwhatweredoing.

ex.Thisamazingandeclecticcollectionoffilms...

ex.Thisisoneofourmostrenownedandprestigiousannualgatherings

Tellthesponsorwhatwerelookingfor.Beconcise.Onlydedicateasentenceortwo
totalkingaboutwhatweneed.Providingtoomuchinformationupfrontcanseem
pushy.

ex.Wearelookingfordessertplatterstofeedabout150people.

Askingifthesponsorwouldliketodonateworkswelltoo.Usejudgementwhen
decidingbetweenasking/telling

ex.Wewerewonderingif[insertcompanyname]wouldbeinterestedindonatingdesserts
forourevents?

Aftertellingthesponsorwhatyourelookingfor,spendagoodamountoftimetelling
themwhattheywillreceiveinexchange.Wewantsponsorstofeellikewereoffering
themagreatopportunitymakethebenefitssoundenticing.

Introductionofbenefitsmaysoundlike:Bydonatingtothisevent,wecanguaranteea,b,
c,detc.

Alwaysleavethesponsorwithawaytogetintouchwithyouoneortwochannelsof
communicationwilldofine.Stickwithyourfestivalemailandtheofficephonenumber.

Alwaysbethankful.Theperson/companyyouresendinganemailtodoesnothaveto
readitandeveniftheyactuallyhaventreadtheemail,youwantyoursignofftobe
grateful.

Thankyoufortakingsometimeoutofyourdaytoreadthismessage.

TheclassicIhopetohearbackfromyousoon,canbeabitpushyusejudgmentbefore
closingwiththisline.

VI.

ExistingSponsors/Partners
Besuretocommentonthesponsorsexistingrelationshipwiththefestivaldonot
expectasponsortorecallapreviouscollaborationstaffsarealwayschanging,and
thepersonweworkeddirectlywithbeforemaynotworkforthiscompanyanymore

Keepitbrief:Lastyear,DecadentCateringdonatedthreedessertplattersforourannual
RedCarpetExperienceheldattheVetsAuditoriuminProvidence,RI

Ifyourelookingforthesametypeofdonation/support,orarelookingforsomething
elsefromthesponsor,nowisthetimetoask.Bedirectbutpositive.

WedlovetoworkwithDecadentCateringagain.

Asalways,besuretothankthesponsorfortakingthetimeoutoftheirdaytoread
yourmessage

VII.
Phonecalls

Ascommonasemailcommunicationmaybe,itisstillintegraltousethephoneasoneofour
primaryresourcesingettingintouchwithvariouspeopleandorganizations.Wealsoreceive
anumberofphonecallsthroughouttheday,especiallyduringoursummermonths.Hereare
somesuggestionsforgeneralphonecallinteractions

Whenansweringthephone,usethisgreeting:

RhodeIslandInternationalFilmFestival,thisis[yourname]speaking,howcanIhelp
you?

Whencallingaperson/organization,usethisgreeting:

Hello,mynameis[yourname].ImcallingfromtheRhodeIslandInternationalFilm
Festival.IwaswonderingifIcouldspeakwith[nameofperson/company]?

Useapositivetoneofvoice.Somethingassimpleasforcingyourselftosmilewill
reallyboostthepositivityofaphoneinteractionwhoeverisontheotherendofthe
phonecallwillbeabletotellwhetheryouresmilingornot

Takenotes.Ifthephonecalldealswithsomethingthatyoucannotdirectlylookinto
yourself,youllneedtopresentthecallersmessagetoyoursuperiorslateron.
Notetakingwillgetparticularlyimportantduringthebusysummermonths

Attheendofthephonecall,thankthemfortakingtimeoutoftheirdaytotalkwithyou,
andalwaystelltherecipienttohaveagoodday

Ifyouhaveanyconfusiononhowtodealwithspecifictypesofinteractions,alwaysreferto
yoursuperiorsforguidance.Thisguidehasbeenwrittentoprovideyouwiththebasicsof
festivalcorrespondences,butRIIFFveteranscanalwaysprovideagoodinsightintothemany
differenttypesofrhetoricalsituationsthatthefestivalhasencountered,andmayencounter
again

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