COMMUNITY.
STRATEGY.
TOGETHER.
I'm John Wamsley. I'm a Social Media Producer, Community Manager, and Graphic Designer with nearly 10 years of experience shaping digital narratives through community and strategy. I’ve led high-impact digital campaigns for nationally recognized cultural organizations, growing and engaging with large online communities, and collaborating with creative and corporate teams bringing bold ideas to life.
Photography by Kristina Ruddick
Departure Festival + Conference
Working with Departure Festival + Conference in its second year — formerly Canadian Music Week — was an exciting opportunity to contribute as Digital Content Manager. I produced high-level video content and edited social-first assets for Instagram and TikTok, including wayfinding videos and talking-head features. I also conducted red carpet interviews with major industry figures such as Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney, KPop Demon Hunters creator Maggie Kang, NPR Tiny Desk’s Bobby Carter, and more. During festival week alone, we garnered 1.4 million views and over 1200 new followers.
Outside the March
Collaborating with the team at Outside the March, I've created original content, digital and print media assets, and devised marketing strategies for their current 25.26 season, as well as Dora-Nominated productions of "...The Death of Walt Disney" (a co-production with Soulpepper Theatre Company), and Performance Review. I was able to develop and execute paid Meta ad campaigns, utilizing A/B testing to optimize targeting, creatives, and ad performance.
Toronto International Film Festival
2020-2022
As a Community Manager and member of the TIFF Social Team, I produced high-impact social content amplifying TIFF and TIFF Industry offerings, events, and initiatives across social platforms, including sponsor and partner campaigns. I led community management and engagement for TIFF’s social channels, supporting an online audience of 500K+. I also partnered with Letterboxd to produce a series of conversations on Twitter Spaces, connecting filmmakers and film lovers alike to discuss their most-anticipated films of #TIFF21.
I also collaborated with Indigenous and LGBTQ+ community clusters through ongoing working groups, helping curate year-round programming, exclusive events, and internal HR and accessibility initiatives that increased cultural awareness and representation.
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Check out some of my favourite moments interviewing talent on the TIFF red carpet, and fun posts that gained a lot of traction from fans of The Worst Person in the World, Manari, and Spencer. Thanks for the retweet, Viola 💞
Paprika Festival
2018-2019
As the Paprika Festival Communications Manager, I designed original digital and print media assets and managed online communications: participant call for submissions, social media postings, newsletters & website updates. Working alongside the Artistic Producer and General Manager, I collaborated on devising online marketing strategies, writing press releases, ​and Festival operations. I was also responsible for ensuring appropriate sponsor recognition and tracking assets from various stakeholders. Click below to learn more!
BOAT ROCKER MEDIA
2017-2018
With Boat Rocker Media, I was able to work on television shows like "The Next Step" and "Ollie, the Boy Who Became What He Ate." This gave me the opportunity to create meaningful online relationships with diverse audiences - developing and sustaining an online voice that excited and resonated with an already established fanbase. I was also tasked with designing aesthetically pleasing and profitable marketing content for distribution on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to 300,000+ audience internationally. Click below to learn more!
