Theatrical Distribution Assistant

Black Bear; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Bear is seeking an entry-level Theatrical Distribution Department Assistant in Santa Monica, CA to support domestic in-theatre sales, marketing, and finance teams. This in-office role covers admin duties, sales coordination, and accounting tasks across North America.

The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, and eager to grow with a small, dynamic distributor. Responsibilities span administration, sales, marketing, and finance, requiring strong MS Office skills and the ability to

Qualifications

• Exceptional work ethic and willingness to take ownership of every task.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Collaborative team player who shifts smoothly between departments.

Responsibilities

• Administration: Schedule meetings, logistics for the Theatrical Distribution team and Head of Sales, U.S. Theatrical Distribution; provide day-to-day support; coordinate events; collaborate with Marketing, Finance, and internal teams; take on ad hoc projects.
• Sales: Build relationships with exhibition partners and manage assigned accounts; plan releases and book play dates; secure holds and monitor showtimes; inform weekly decisions.
• Marketing: Support in-theatre marketing strategy and executions; build relationships with exhibitors; ensure display of materials and negotiate trailer placements.
• Finance: Collect and troubleshoot Box Office Reports, track balances, ensure final-billed film rental, and research ticket pricing for audits.

Skills

Work ethic

Attention to detail

Organization

Communication

Team player

Humor

Cross-department collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Job description

About Black Bear
Black Bear is one of the world’s leading independent studios, producing and releasing films of the highest quality across all genres. Founded in 2011, with offices in Santa Monica and London, the studio is behind a diversified slate that blends critically acclaimed, filmmaker-driven fare with broadly commercial action and genre titles. The company directly distributes films in the United States, U.K., Ireland, and Canada. Black Bear’s original films include Academy Award nominees Train Dreams, The Imitation Game, Sing Sing, Nyad, and Mudbound, previous releases such as Tuner, Dumb Money, Immaculate, I Care a Lot, A Working Man, Shelter, and In The Grey, and upcoming titles including Spa Weekend, Wicker, and more.

About Black Bear
Black Bear is one of the world’s leading independent studios, producing and releasing films of the highest quality across all genres. Founded in 2011, with offices in Santa Monica and London, the studio is behind a diversified slate that blends critically acclaimed, filmmaker-driven fare with broadly commercial action and genre titles. The company directly distributes films in the United States, U.K., Ireland, and Canada. Black Bear’s original films include Academy Award nominees Train Dreams, The Imitation Game, Sing Sing, Nyad, and Mudbound, previous releases such as Tuner, Dumb Money, Immaculate, I Care a Lot, A Working Man, Shelter, and In The Grey, and upcoming titles including Spa Weekend, Wicker, and more.

About the Role
The Theatrical Distribution Department Assistant supports Black Bear Releasing's domestic in-theatre sales, marketing, and finance teams in distributing all Black Bear releases across North America. The role covers everything from day-to-day department administration to in-theatre sales and marketing, box office record keeping, and account collections. This is an entry-level opportunity for an organized, detail-oriented team player eager to build a career with a rapidly growing independent film distributor.

This is a full-time, in-office position based in Santa Monica, CA.

Responsibilities
Administration

• Schedule meetings and manage their logistics for the Theatrical Distribution team and the Head of Sales, U.S. Theatrical Distribution
• Provide day-to-day support to the Head of Sales, U.S. Theatrical Distribution
• Coordinate events and manage logistics for the team and partner departments
• Partner with Marketing, Finance, and other internal teams on administrative responsibilities
• Take on ad hoc projects as needed

Sales

• Build and maintain strong relationships with exhibition partners, theatre owners, film bookers, and other industry contacts
• Manage an assigned U.S. territory or group of exhibition accounts
• Plan for upcoming releases by strategically targeting theatres to maximize revenue
• Book play dates and play-off theatres for theatrically released films
• Secure holdovers to extend each film's run, using overnight and flash grosses to inform weekly decisions
• Monitor theatre showtimes and ensure compliance with sales policies

Marketing

• Support the Head of In-Theatre Marketing on film marketing strategy, execution of in-theatre initiatives, and ad hoc projects
• Build strong relationships with exhibition marketing executives
• Ensure exhibitors display and/or program all in-theatre materials created for each film, such as one-sheets, standees, banners, and trailers
• Negotiate trailer placements and marketing programs with exhibitors

Finance

• Collect, enter, and troubleshoot Box Office Reports (BORs), maintaining accurate box office records and flagging under-reporting or irregularities
• Track outstanding balances for assigned accounts
• Ensure timely and accurate collection of final-billed film rental
• Research ticket pricing and historical BORs to support audit claims

Qualifications

• An exceptional work ethic and a willingness to take ownership of every task, large or small
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, meet tight deadlines, and manage competing priorities under pressure
• Strong attention to detail, organization, and problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• A collaborative team player with a passion for film and a sense of humor, who shifts smoothly between multiple departments and projects
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in or for a movie theatre company
• Experience in theatrical sales, distribution, exhibition, agency, or a film studio
• Familiarity with box office reporting platforms such as Rentrak, Numero, and Webedia
• Marketing knowledge
• Analytical skills or accounting and financial record-keeping experience

Reports to: Head of Sales, U.S. Theatrical Distribution
Rate:$25/hour

Black Bear is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work visa sponsorship.