ABOUT ELA THIER & THE INDEPENDENT FILM SCHOOL

My name is Ela Thier, and I’m the Founding Director of The Independent Film School. We help writers, actors, and filmmakers turn pipe dreams into award-worthy films.

I began teaching independently in New York City in 2006, and the school became a scalable online business in 2018.

We now have an email list of over 60,000 artists, and over 2000 enrolled students. We also have the funnels, offers, the team, and know-how to grow exponentially.

When artists find us, they feel like they found an oasis of support, encouragement, effective skill building, and respect. In a “bro industry” focused on glamour and competition, and among film schools that feel corporate and faceless – we stick out as human.

Consistent lead generation is our focus now. I’m sitting on top of a goldmine of years of content, with a seemingly infinite capacity to create more. But most of it is hidden in weekly emails, instead of being out in the world where it can:

Genuinely help artists
Grow awareness of the school

SEEKING A CONTENT LEAD TO COLLABORATE WITH

I’m looking for a content strategist and operator to help repurpose existing content for YouTube and social media, and guide the creation of new content.

This is not an execution-only role. I’m looking for someone who can think, make decisions, and grow into building and owning our content systems.

3-12 month goal: I hit record. The rest is handled.

THE SOFT SKILLS

This is a leadership role, so the determining factor is that we enjoy working together.

You understand what’s unique about our school. You connect with the culture of it. You’d be genuinely excited to bring this content to the world because you see the value and impact it can have.

We’d ideally have the kind of creative “mind meld” that leads to more ideas, better ideas, and most importantly – fun.

If we enjoy the work and each other, we’ll be unstoppable.

THE ROLE

We’ll be building two systems:

1) A YouTube channel that drives growth and sales

Educational videos (8–12 minutes) that rank in search and drive viewers to our community
Shorts that increase reach, and bring new viewers into the channel

2) A social media presence built on short-form content

Reels that entertain, inspire, and educate
Content that brings value to our audience, while building trust and connection

RESPONSIBILITIES: YOUTUBE

I’m currently in a coaching program (Content Growth Engine by Shane Hummus), and you’ll be working through it alongside me so we have a shared framework.

Your responsibilities include:

Keyword research and topic selection
Crafting titles, thumbnails, and intros
Improving existing videos
Selecting short-form clips from long-form content
Editing or managing editor(s)
Publishing 1–3 videos per week

Goal:
Reduce my workload so I can focus on recording only, while you ensure the content is strategically shaped, and consistently produced and published for maximum reach of the right audience.

RESPONSIBILITIES: SOCIAL MEDIA

Create or direct the creation of short-form content across Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook
Edit and/or manage editor(s) as we grow
Identify which content performs best and iterate accordingly
Collaborate with our ad manager to scale top-performing content with paid ads

Goal:
Grow brand awareness and build trust with our audience through consistent, high-quality content.

ABOUT YOU

You have the ability (or strong potential) to not just execute, but to take initiative, lead projects, and eventually manage others. You make decisions, not just wait for direction, but you also know when to consult and with whom. To demonstrate your attention to detail, in the optional comments section of the application, please mention one of your favorite colors. You’re extremely communicative. Despite working remotely, I’ll need to feel your presence as my Content Co-Pilot. Sense of humor is a big plus! Let’s not take any of this too seriously… ;)

COMPENSATION & STRUCTURE

This is a remote, flexible, full-time role.

I’m not looking for an agency or someone serving multiple clients, but a Content Lead who wants to build a long-term home with one company that they genuinely believe in.

Typical starting range: $1,000–$2,800/month, commensurate with experience, with significant room for growth as your ownership and impact increase.

If we might be a fit, we’ll begin with a small paid trial project, followed by a 2-week trial, and then a 3-month ramp period, before settling into a longer-term, full-time role with paid time off.

As you take ownership, this role can evolve into a highly autonomous position with a flexible schedule. We don’t track hours, we focus on outcomes.

Over the next 6 months, you’ll also be learning alongside me inside high-level coaching programs, building a shared foundation in content strategy and execution.

Content Lead (YouTube & Short-Form)