Volunteer with GEMFest!
We are seeking volunteers to help coordinate GEMFest 2027 submissions, screen films for our programming teams, and read and evaluate scripts for our Screenplay Competition!
We are looking for volunteers that:
✦ Share GEMS’ values of equity, diversity, and inclusion
✦ Have relevant analytical, administrative, journalistic, curatorial, or other skills
✦ Are passionate about film and/or screenwriting!
Think you might be a good fit? Read below to learn more about each role and apply!
Submissions Coordinator:
GEMS is seeking one person to support GEMFest 2027’s film and screenplay submissions coordination alongside our current Submissions Coordinator. This role requires a basic understanding of FilmFreeway, excellent organizational skills, knowledge of Google Drive/Workspace programs, good spoken and written English, and the ability and availability to consistently monitor emails. The Submissions Coordinator(s) will be expected to commit around 5-7 hours per week until mid-December 2026. Duties include monitoring submissions inbox, answering questions, issuing discount and waiver codes, outreach to potential new committee members and readers, onboarding evaluation and selection committees and screenplay readers, assigning films to evaluation committee members and screenplays to readers, scheduling programming meetings.
Film Evaluation and Selection Committee (Film Screeners):
GEMS is seeking additional members for GEMFest 2027’s Film Evaluation and Selection Committees. The Film Evaluation Committee is our first port of call to pre-screen submissions, weeding out films that are either illegible, inappropriate, incomplete, or otherwise not up to the standards of our festival, per the submission committee guidelines. The Film Selection Committee is responsible for the second level of review, helping identify which films should be watched by our programming team. The Film Selection Committee typically works later into December. The Film Selection Committee may also be asked to watch films typically assigned to the Film Evaluation Committee to aid in the pre-screening process.
We ask that each committee member commit to screen at least 120 minutes of runtime per week, but we are open to special scheduling requests. We will prioritize onboarding committee members that can commit to more screenings and/or screen films consistently in a given time period.
Ideal candidates for this volunteer position are highly communicative and are detail-oriented, offering thoughtful ratings and reviews of their screened films. Applicants must not be the Director or Writer of a film that has been or will be submitted to GEMFest 2027, but film submitters may evaluate screenplays and vice-versa. All other conflicts of interest must be disclosed.
Script Evaluation Committee (Script Readers):
GEMS is seeking additional members for GEMFest 2027’s Script Evaluation Committee.
Scripts are evaluated in three rounds to determine Quarterfinalists, Semifinalists, and two winning Finalists (1 Feature and 1 TV Pilot).
We ask that committee members commit to an average of 100 pages of text per week (approx. 1-4 scripts), but are open to applicants that have special scheduling requirements. In the first round of reading, submissions under the Feature category (80-120 pages) are only read up to the first 30 pages.
The evaluation process is ongoing until the end of January.
Ideal candidates for this volunteer position are detail-oriented and are proficient in the English language, literary devices, and the screenplay format. Applicants that supply writing samples will be prioritized.
How to Apply
Please send your CV/resume and a brief email introduction to submissions@gemsvancouver.org, citing the role(s) you are interested in, mentioning any past relevant school or work experience, past volunteer work experience, and letting us know what excites you the most about the role(s) you are applying to. For the Script Reader roles, feel free to include a writing sample. We will respond to your application as soon as we can – please note we are a small team and replies may take 1-2 weeks.
If you have any questions or require accommodations to make this application process more accessible to you, please email us at submissions@gemsvancouver.org.
