LIGHTBOX DIVERSITY INITIATIVE WINTER 2022 DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE MICRO-JOB
Lightbox has long been committed to diversity and inclusion as moral and business imperatives. It is essential that our content and creative partners reflect the diversity of our society and the world around us. Together with other production companies, networks, guilds, unions, talent agencies and others in the industry, we all must ensure there is greater inclusion of underrepresented groups in greater numbers both in front of and behind the camera.
For our part, Lightbox pledges to use our best efforts to ensure that a diverse range of stories and crew members are considered for film, television and other projects, and to work with directors and producers who also seek to promote greater representation and inclusion in our industry. To that end, Lightbox has created a limited-term development associate position, and we are seeking applicants from underrepresented groups. This is an eight-week paid micro-job opportunity focused on the creative development process in our Los Angeles office.
Please read the micro-job responsibilities and opportunities (attached).
Key dates for applicants for Winter 2022 Development Associate micro-job:
• October 4 – November 5, 2021– application window
• November 8 – December 10, 2021 – top applicants phone/video conference meetings with
Lightbox diversity steering committee members
• December 13, 2021 – candidate notified of selection
• January 10 – March 5, 2022 – Winter 2022 micro-job experience
Lightbox is an equal opportunity employer and has a commitment to diversity and inclusion. But there is much more we can do, and we believe real progress can be made in the industry. We are working with our partners in the entertainment community to make this commitment a reality.
Lightbox Development Micro-Job Responsibilities and Opportunities
WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT
Development is where your favorite series are born. Working in the development department of a production company allows one to learn every aspect of the industry. At some production companies, this role is very research and writing heavy. At other companies, it’s a great chance to learn about how to work in the field and gain hands-on experience with cameras and audio
equipment. It’s also a great way to learn how to edit, work with editors, and experience how the post department works.
The development department works closely with buyers at networks to gain an understanding of marketplace opportunities and needs. For example - does Netflix need its next dating show? Or does HBOMax want their version of Tiger King? The team then takes this feedback and through research and discussion we come up with creative concepts to address what buyers are looking for. This involves searching for personal stories that relate to the concept, outreach to potential characters, and when applicable skyping with those characters.
Once we’ve learned about how we want to shape the idea we write up what the show could be. We also create a visual deck to help sell the concept on PowerPoint, Keynote, or Photoshop. When helpful we also create a sizzle reel which is a 2 - 7 minute video that demonstrates what the show could look like - it’s like a movie trailer for something that doesn’t exist yet. Building these involves writing a sizzle script, pulling videos from Youtube, and finding great music that gives the tape the correct tone and energy. Sometimes we attach celebrity talent or an experienced director to the project in order to make it a stronger sale. Other times we go straight to market – it depends on the project.
Once the materials are complete the concept is ready to be pitched to a buyer. The development team strategies about the best way to verbally pitch the project and then the meetings get set and fingers crossed the project gets sold!
APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION MATERIALS
We are looking for people who are eager to work in the entertainment industry. If you are particularly interested in development even better! No matter what this is a great place to learn about all aspects of the industry. Every applicant will have to submit a resume and a personal statement in order to be considered - this can be a one-page written statement, a two-minute self-shot video, an animated short, a graphic deck, or a unique combination of the above.
The statement should showcase the applicant’s goals and experience. We’d like to learn about why you’re interested in working in television and why this opportunity would be a great steppingstone in your career. This is a way to get a sense of what YOU are interested in creatively.
This is not a statement about how you could make projects for Lightbox, but rather how we can help you grow and direct you towards what you would like to learn more about. In order to get more specific insight into what excites you we’d also like you to share a list of your top five favorite documentaries or documentary series in your submission email.
Please send your resume, personal statement, and list of top five favorite documentaries to Lightboxmicrojob@gmail.com
THE MICRO-JOB
Responsibilities:
• Conduct research on existing projects and translate this research into written materials.
• Join brainstorms with the larger development team. The more perspectives we can have on these the better!
• Searching for clips for sizzle tapes.
• Searching for images for decks.
• Generate potential series concepts.
• Set and execute informational interviews with other employees at Lightbox.
Learning Opportunities:
Develop your own show:
Beyond working on ongoing development projects, you will have the opportunity to develop a concept from ideation to pitch. At the end of eight weeks, you will have market-ready materials you’ve created for a concept that was all your own. You will be offered instruction and feedback throughout the process in order to hone your skills and create the strongest materials possible. This could help you eventually sell your concept; you will also have materials that you can share for future job interviews to demonstrate experience.
Throughout this process, you will:
• Join weekly internal brainstorms where you can pitch ideas, they’re interested in.
• Learning how to build decks.
• Learn how to write a sizzle script
• Sit in on internal weekly development meetings to learn about strategy with the development team and company owners.
• Gain an understanding of the development landscape as it pertains to networks and streamers.
Informational Interviews:
Throughout the experience you will be encouraged to set informational interviews with other employees at Lightbox in order to learn about other aspects of the production industry. From Academy Award-winning Directors, to production executives, to the company owners themselves, you will be provided with a list of employees who are happy to set aside time for these conversations and their contact information, but it will be up to you reach out and set aside the time to have these informational interviews.
DEVELOP YOUR OWN SHOW EIGHT WEEK LAYOUT:
Week 1: Research and Ideation.
You will scour the internet and use your own personal interests to create a list of potential
concepts. We will discuss the ideas and zero in on 3 - 4 concepts that would have the best chance in the market. You’ll learn about MOPS (most often pitched) and why some ideas have more market potential than others.
Week 2: Narrowing in more research
You will dig into your ideas a bit more. Find real-life examples that support the concept. Through this research, we’ll narrow in on the concept that has the most promise. You will gather information for episode examples and character narratives.
Weeks 3 & 4: Write-up and Review
You will translate your research into a one-sheet write up. This will be shared with the Director of Development and the Head of Development who will provide feedback on the write-up. You will then complete a second draft...there’s always a second draft!
Weeks 5 & 6: Building a deck
At this point in the process, you will have seen multiple decks we’ve used for projects, you also will have learned how we put them together since you’ve contributed to ongoing projects. We’ll make sure you learn a few extra helpful tricks to really make the look of your show pop. The development team will provide feedback on the visuals and you will have a chance to work up a second draft.
Weeks 7 & 8: Honing the verbal pitch
We will work to develop a sizzle script for the project and look for relevant links and music that could be used in a sizzle (since we have limited editors it’s unlikely we would be able to make a full tape during the course of the experience - but this way you will have a sizzle script ready to go that you can use in the future).
You will practice your pitch with the Director of Development during week 7 we will work together to make the pitch the best it can be. On week 8 you will pitch your concept to the head of development and both of the company owners.
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