Anne-Elise Smithson

Relevant Experience:

May 2010- Oct 2010                           BIGFOOT STUDIOS, PHILIPPINES

Story Producer/Researcher for a 22 minute infomercial for the International Academy of Film and Television:

• Story research; pre-interviews with contributors and arranging for their appearance in the infomercial; locating existing stills and footage
• Creative input for the script, including dialogue, appropriate interview questions and interesting facts
• Securing locations for filming
• Responsible for filming permits, location and talent releases
• Supervising post-production and assisting the Editor with making their cut

 Assistant to Writer/Director, John Milton Branton, for a feature-length film:

• Writing character breakdowns, synopses and loglines for Los Angeles-based casting agencies
• Writing crew job descriptions, job advertisements and drafting crew contracts
• Script coverage
• Setting up auditions and production meetings; daily agendas, arranging crew transport and other production office duties 

Dec 2009- Mar 2010                           BBC WANTED DOWNUNDER Series 5

                                                                Researcher:

• Assessing New Zealand contributors’ suitability and availability for the programme, and arranging for their appearance within time and budgetary limits
• Securing locations for filming, including schools, companies, open homes, tourist destinations, transport links, parks and public spaces
• Scheduling and creating call sheets
• Maintaining a network of useful local contacts
• Providing detailed location research notes for the edit
• Providing research information regarding costs of living, mortgages, average house prices and salaries
• Researching  interesting facts about life in New Zealand, and sourcing appropriate interviewees
• Collecting contributor consent forms and location releases
• Organising accommodation for the contributors and the director, and negotiating fees

 Feb 2007 – Aug 2007                         30 DAYS OF NIGHT LTD (COLUMBIA PICTURES)

                              Production Assistant:                                                      

• Reporting to the co-producer and assisting with various personal assistant duties
• Providing transportation for the director and editor and assisting with their accommodations and meals
• Arranging urgent couriers for the rushes and hand-delivering media hard drives to schedule
• Working in a busy production office: handling calls, clearing production emails, updating in-house post-production schedules
• Running errands for the editorial and visual effects team
• Assisting the accountant with various tasks such as filing and invoicing
• Organising catering on a daily basis