Head of Online Programming For BFI Player Jade Turner On How To Get The Most Out Of BFI London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival (LFF) is kicking off this week, running from 7 to 18 October.
In its 70th year running, LFF continues to be a beacon of global filmmaking talent, bringing together new voices and exceptional filmmakers across the world. Students on the NFTS Film Studies, Programming and Curation (FSPC) MFA are provided with the exciting opportunity to attend the festival on Industry Delegate passes to immerse themselves in this vibrant celebration of cinema.
During her time on the course, alumna Jade Turner found this experience invaluable in giving her the knowledge and understanding to kickstart her career in programming. Since graduating, Jade’s professional trajectory has led her from Northampton Filmhouse to Curzon Home Cinema, and now to the BFI, where she has recently been appointed Head of Online Programming for BFI Player.
We caught up with Jade to find out how she is settling into her new role, and how her experiences at the NFTS helped to inform her exciting career.
What led you to our Film Studies, Programming and Curation course and what were you doing before you joined the school?
When I applied for the Film Studies, Programming and Curation MA I was working at the British Board of Film Classification. This was my first full-time job after my BA and it was a brilliant experience, but I realised my passion was in programming. The only thing I'd programmed at this point was selecting films for the BBFC's staff screenings(!) and I knew it was going to be very hard to make the transition unless I gained practical experience. When I saw the NFTS had introduced the FSPC course, I knew it would be a fantastic opportunity to learn about programming and curation from the very best and gain valuable, hands-on experience of curating and producing film programmes and events that would help me to begin my new career.
You now work at the BFI as head of Online Programming for BFI Player. What does the day-to-day look like for you in this role, and what journey did you take to land it?
My journey since graduating from the NFTS has been quite varied. My first job was programming the Northampton Filmhouse, which was an incredible opportunity to gain first-hand experience of programming for long-term audience development. My approach was very successful, and I am really proud of what I achieved during this time. After several years in Northampton, I was delighted to land a job programming Curzon Home Cinema as well as Curzon cinemas, and I learned an extraordinary amount about online programming as well as programming for a commercial arthouse cinema chain. Following this, I was a programmer at the Independent Cinema Office, before taking a role in the BFI Distribution team. I had some experience of distribution from my time at Curzon, and I was keen to learn more about it, as many higher roles in organisations encompass both programming and distribution. When the position for BFI Player was advertised, I was very excited about the possibility of stepping back into online programming and heading up a team.
I'm still quite new to the role and I'm developing my approach to leading the programme for BFI Player. I am responsible for new acquisitions and catalogue titles in BFI Player's subscription services in the UK, USA, Sweden and Finland. I also manage the team that programmes the rental and free-to-view VOD services in the UK. Day-to-day, my role involves watching films for both BFI Player and BFI Distribution and providing feedback internally and to external partners. I discuss titles and packages with distributors and sales agents in the UK and internationally and negotiate deals for our platforms. I collaborate closely with my team as well as BFI Player Operations and Marketing to make sure that we are aligned. We often discuss introducing new functions and programmes and trialling approaches to continue growing and developing the platform and films available.
Our Film Studies, Programming and Curation students will be attending the BFI London Film Festival this year. What advice would you give them about making the most of the festival and thinking about how programming and curation work in the industry?
The way that students are encouraged to engage fully with the BFI London Film Festival as part of the course is a wonderful opportunity to experience the full breadth of the UK's leading film festival. I recommend watching as many films as possible and trying to attend public screenings where they are able to. This fortnight gives them the chance to take a risk on films they might not normally watch and, in a very short space of time, to understand and compare how different audiences receive films. I would urge them to make the most of the industry events, networking and immersive experiences available, as well. By embracing all aspects of the festival, they will have a first-hand view of what it's like to attend as part of the industry compared to being a member of the public. The intensive immersion in the festival will also, hopefully, help to illuminate and refine their thinking about their own curatorial practice, as they reflect on their time at the LFF and the successes and challenges of putting together a programme for a festival of this scale. Most of all, they should try and enjoy themselves as much as possible! I loved every second of attending the LFF as an NFTS student.
A huge thank you to Jade for taking time out of her incredibly busy schedule to share her journey and offer wise words to those looking to develop their career in this exciting area of the industry.
This year, FSPC students are not just attending LFF, but have also been tasked with writing Festival Viewing Reports, a widely circulated industry asset used to scout for projects with curatorial potential. Stay tuned as we'll be sharing more about this project after LFF!