Multimedia Journalist & Vertical Video Producer

The Role: We're looking for a Multimedia Journalist, TikTok Producer, or Vertical Video Producer to help us build out The Mary Sue's short-form video presence, focusing particularly on TikTok. This is a hands-on production role where you'll be responsible for taking an idea from pitch to finished video, whether that's adapting an existing story or developing an original, timely video concept. The right candidate will understand both journalism and social video: you'll need to identify what makes a story interesting, write a strong but concise script, record and edit the video, and understand how to package it for TikTok. You'll be working quickly and producing timely content, so strong news judgment, creativity, and an instinct for what people are talking about online will be important. We're looking for someone who genuinely understands TikTok and other social-first video platforms rather than simply someone who has experience editing video content. You should be comfortable experimenting with different formats, following trends without chasing every trend, and using performance data to understand what is and isn't working. The goal is to significantly grow The Mary Sue's TikTok and social media presence while maintaining our editorial standards and voice.

What You’ll Do: Create short-form video content for The Mary Sue's TikTok, with a focus on increasing reach, engagement, and followers Write scripts for videos based on The Mary Sue's existing coverage, breaking news, trending stories, and original pitches Pitch original and timely video concepts across entertainment, politics, internet culture, fandom, and geek culture Identify existing The Mary Sue articles that could translate well to TikTok and develop them into platform-native videos rather than simply reading the article aloud Research stories, verify information, and ensure videos meet The Mary Sue's editorial standards and ethics policies Record on-camera videos and/or voice-overs, depending on the format and subject matter Edit videos from start to finish, including footage, captions, graphics, screenshots, clips, music, and other visual elements Develop strong hooks, pacing, and storytelling techniques designed to keep viewers watching Keep up with TikTok trends, sounds, formats, memes, and conversations, and identify opportunities that make sense for The Mary Sue's audience and brand Use TikTok SEO and platform best practices, including keywords, captions, on-screen text, hashtags, and other tools that can improve discoverability Experiment with new formats and approaches based on audience response and performance data Work closely with the managing editor to identify opportunities for written stories to become multimedia content, as well as opportunities for video-first coverage Help establish a consistent voice and presence for The Mary Sue on TikTok Maintain a steady output of video content while responding quickly to breaking news and fast-moving internet conversations

What We're Looking For: Experience creating short-form video content for TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or a similar platform A strong understanding of TikTok and what makes videos perform on the platform, including hooks, pacing, retention, engagement, trends, and discoverability Strong writing and scripting skills, with the ability to turn information into concise, conversational, and engaging video scripts Comfortable appearing on camera and/or recording voice-overs Experience with video editing software such as CapCut, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, or similar A good sense of news judgment and an ability to quickly identify stories, trends, and conversations that are worth covering A passion and familiarity with breaking news, TV & Movies, general entertainment, fandom, geek culture, and internet culture A strong understanding of how online communities and social media conversations develop An ability to work quickly and independently in a high-output digital newsroom Comfortable pitching ideas, taking editorial feedback, and adapting content based on performance Journalism, reporting, or digital media experience is a bonus Comfortable working remotely and keeping communication levels high Experience repurposing and distributing projects across diverse video and social media platforms Equal Opportunities The Mary Sue is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender identity, and expression, and sexual orientation. LGBTQI+ candidates are warmly welcomed and encouraged to apply.