Film and TV drama
Marketing assistant
Also known as: Brand marketing assistant, Junior marketing assistant, Marketing communications assistant
What does a marketing assistant do?
Marketing assistants do anything that’s needed to ensure the success of a campaign to market a film or TV drama; whether that’s scheduling tweets or ordering in lunch for meetings.
Marketing campaigns for film and TV dramas can include posters, newsletters, content on social media as well as trailers.
Marketing assistants help with proofreading copy, filing, and inputting contact details into research spreadsheets. They often coordinate market research projects and use the data to help assess the effectiveness of current campaigns to help with future ones.
Marketing assistants might be employed by film sales agencies, marketing agencies, production companies or broadcasters. Big production companies will have their own marketing departments for their film and TV dramas. Smaller ones will use a separate marketing company or agency. For TV dramas, marketing assistants are more likely to be employed by the broadcaster or channel, such as Channel 4 or BBC Studios.
Watch and read
- Marketing and PR Assistant
- Cutting Through the Noise: Marketing and PR Strategies for Film - UK Pavilion Panel
What’s a marketing assistant good at?
- Audience awareness: know audiences, research audience statistics, understand how they watch films or TV dramas, be aware of the commercial ‘performance’ of these
- Watching film and TV drama: have a passion for the genre and a love of the industry, have a critical eye and analyse the content
- Taking initiative: observe what’s happening, be proactive, ask questions at the appropriate time
- Social media: enjoy creating a buzz on social media platforms, use scheduling software
- Communication: write compelling copy, engage people from a wide range of backgrounds, seize initiative
- Organisation: anticipate, prioritise and stay on top of tasks, provide support to your team
Who does a marketing assistant work with?
Marketing assistants work with marketing managers and possibly junior production accountants or junior executives within an agency or department.
How do I become a marketing assistant?
There are no set routes to becoming a marketing assistant. However, a degree in a marketing, communication or a film subject is useful. Become familiar with how various social media platforms work and operate.
At school or college:
If you want to go to university, A-levels or Highers in business studies or English are useful. Or you might want to take a Level 3 vocational qualifications in business, media or marketing. Look at what your local college offers in those subjects such as:
- T level in marketing
- OCR Technical Diploma / Extended Diploma in Business 
- T-Level Management and Administration 
- UAL Diploma/Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production and Technology 
- OCR Technical Diploma in Digital Media (Moving Image and Audio Production) 
- T-Level Media, Broadcast and Production 
Get an apprenticeship:
Apprenticeships are jobs with training. They’re a great opportunity to earn while you learn. However, it can be challenging to find jobs as an apprentice with production companies. It might be worth looking for a job as an apprentice in an industry that uses similar skills, such working in advertising. This could help you develop your craft and create a body of work for a portfolio that you can use to find your way into film and TV drama at a later point.
Before taking any apprenticeship, check what you’ll be learning with your prospective employer and college, so you can be sure it will be giving you the skills you want. Check out What’s an apprenticeship? to learn more about apprenticeships and Find an apprenticeship to learn how to find one in your region, or approach companies directly. Go to ScreenSkills information on apprenticeships for the main apprenticeship schemes in film and television.
Get a degree:
A degree in marketing, communication or a film subject is relevant. Subjects related to business can also be suitable. Have a look at ScreenSkills’ list of recommended courses in film and TV. Look for ones that include marketing. We recognise courses with our ScreenSkills Select award where they offer training in the relevant software, dedicated time to building a portfolio and have strong links with the film and TV industries.
Volunteer:
Find charities, amateur theatre or student film productions. Ask if you can do their social media for them. Create a campaign and keep track of how your campaign has increased visitors to the website, donations or ticket sales. Put that on your CV.
Start your own channel:
Set up a review blogging site or content channel. This is the marketing version of having a portfolio. You can send a link with your CV to show your writing and online skills, and, equally importantly, your interest in film and TV drama.
Search for jobs:
Make a list of all the companies that you would like to work for, be that TV broadcasters or specialist film marketing companies. Look on their websites to see if they’re advertising for junior positions. If not, write to them anyway and ask if you can do some work experience. Go to approaching employers for advice on how to do this.
Look outside the industry:
Marketing is important in all industries, not just film and TV drama, so there are plenty of agencies and departments elsewhere that have marketing assistant roles. Apply for junior marketing roles in any industry to build up your skills. You can transfer those to the film or TV industry later on.
Meet people in the industry:
Go to  ScreenSkills’ events, follow your local film office and any local community arts and media organisations and attend their events. Go to  how to network well for some tips. 
Network online:
Create a LinkedIn profile. See if there’s a Facebook page or other social media group for people making films or videos in your area. Join it and take part. Create a ScreenSkills profile.
Explore ScreenSkills Resources:
ScreenSkills careers information:
The your career hub has a wealth of resources designed to help you start or progress your career.
ScreenSkills e-learning:
ScreenSkills has a suite of  free e-learning modules for those who are over 18 which can improve your knowledge. The  ScreenSkills Passport modules also prepare you as they are essential for some production roles. Some modules are available for those under 18. For anyone wanting advice about first steps, the  Getting into the screen industries  modules are very useful.  
ScreenSkills skills checklists:  
If you would like more detail about the tasks, responsibilities and skills required for many key roles in film and TV drama, children’s TV and unscripted TV you can look at our  skills checklists. 
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