Video Contests, Film Festivals, and Awards

My Festival Experience Volunteering at Sundance 2009

By Craig Schenkemeyer
posted Dec 1, 2009, 07:53

What could I do to stay involved and get my foot in the door in film industry? The answer: become a full-time volunteer at the Sundance Film Festival.

by Craig Schenkemeyer

It was July of 2008 when I signed up to be a full-time volunteer at Sundance. I finished college at SUNY Fredonia in the fall of 2007 with a bachelor's in TV/Digital Film, and I was ready to hit the real world. I moved down to NYC in January enthusiastic about finding a job in the entertainment industry. Month after month, I kept plugging away, applying for jobs, and hearing no reply. I was determined to stay involved with the film industry, so what could I do to stay involved as well as get my foot in the door in film industry? The answer: become a full-time volunteer at the Sundance Film Festival!

To tell you the truth, it was a complete coincidence, I checked Sundance's website in July. I say 'coincidence' because the first posting that allows you to apply online for volunteer work at Sundance is up in July. This year they had over 5,000 applicants and only accepted 1,600 full-time volunteers. So it's important to apply online as soon as you can. Also, when I applied, I had no film festival experience. I worked a few jobs as a production assistant in NYC, and I shot documentary footage of the Woodstock Film Festival once for a class, but no real film festival work yet. But I needed to take the first step in getting to Park City, so I applied online.

The website said that they would get in touch with me in December if I was considered. So between July and December, I decided to figure out how to get some local film festival experience to give me the edge with Sundance. In October, I applied online to volunteer at the Woodstock Film Festival in Woodstock, NY. The smaller the festival, the easier it is to get involved. After working at WFF for the weekend, I went back home, updated my resume, and re-applied online to Sundance, stating my experience working at a film festival.

In the first few days of December, I received a phone call from one of the coordinators that runs the Sundance Volunteer Program asking me if I was still interested in volunteering at Sundance. Oh hell yeah! He asked me about my previous experience and I told him about Woodstock and how much I enjoyed working at the festival and working with the people. He followed up by asking me why I wanted to work at Sundance. I had told him my personal passion for film and how I wanted to have the opportunity to establish good contacts within the film industry. The last question he asked me was "Do you mind paying for your way out to Sundance this year?" THE MONEY IS WORTH THE EXPERIENCE! Sundance Film Festival, here I come�

I flew out of JFK airport to Salt Lake City, UT on January 14, 2009. For the next 12 days I would be living in Park City working full-time at Sundance. Even though I had to pay the cost of my plane ticket, the cost was, honestly, not so bad. I bought a round trip ticket for $300 from US Airways a month before my departure. Plus, they said they were going to put me up in living quarters for my time there. The only costs I would have to worry about during my trip out there would be food (and beer). I saved a fair amount of money by shopping at Albertson's grocery store on Park Ave.

I arrived in Salt Lake City and boarded an express shuttle bus to Park City. After I got the phone call confirming me as a full-time volunteer, I received two coupons in the mail for $10 discount for the express shuttle bus. I only had to pay $20 each way for a 45-minute drive. The first place I needed to get to was Sundance Headquarters at the Marriott in Park City and I was supposed to check in by 4pm. When I got there, it was like an assembly line with free hand outs along the way. I had to go to one person to check in and get my room key, another person was responsible for handing me my credentials folder (with work info) and jacket, and so on down the line. Oh yeah, that's right I got a jacket! That's not all I got, I also received a Sundance water bottle, Sundance film catalog ($25 value) and a ticket for the awards night celebration party.

Next I had to go to my "room" which I found out was a condo that I was sharing with five other people. I admit, I got a little lost on the way to my condo, but I didn't sweat it, because all the buses run for free throughout Park City for the duration of the festival. When I got to where I was staying, condo #85 in Three Kings Condominiums, my first though was, "This is way too nice to be my place." My new (temporary) home was a two-story condo, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms, with a fully furnished kitchen and living room. If you ask me, I would say without a doubt this is a solid three-star hotel.

My condo mates were from all over: a couple from Washington, one from Chicago, another from Denver and a local. Our ages varied from early twenties to late thirties. They were all very nice people and I enjoyed staying with them, for the next twelve days these five strangers were going to become my best friends. It wasn't long before I got to know each of them pretty well. Some had volunteered for the festival in the past, the others were first timers like myself. One of the senior volunteers was participating for the eighth time. They were also, like me, pursuing careers in the entertainment industry. The woman of the couple, Breven Angaelica Warren, is the founder of the Washougal International Film Festival, a small film festival in Washington.

The first day I was there, we had a volunteer orientations during the day. Although, that night, there was a pre-festival volunteer party. The party served as a good first impression because along with putting in eight-hour work shifts for the next ten days, we were all there to have fun! It was also a great way to meet the other volunteers. We were pretty easy to spot, because we all had our green wristbands on with three green tear-off tabs attached. These tabs were important because that's how we got our three free drinks (that's right, you read that correctly) from Stella Artois. Stella Artois was one of the sponsors for the Sundance Film Festival this year. Our choices for drinks were beer, gin and tonic, or vodka with juice.

They even had entertainment for us including the video game Rockband and a DJ. However, the best part of the party would have to be three course buffet they had going during the party. Appetizers included vegetable trays with ranch, salad, and tortilla chips and salsa. Main course was mashed potatoes, stuffing, mixed wild rice, and rotisserie chicken. Desert included making your own ice cream. The party started at 8pm and lasted into the late hours of the night.

On the actual first day of work, I was truly nervous. It was so surreal to think that I was working at the Sundance Film Festival! I would be working eight hour shifts, 4 afternoon and 5 in the morning. I was working as crowd liaison at the Holiday Theatre. As crowd liaison, I was required to wear a walkie-talkie with headset. I was a little uneasy using the walkie-talkie and head set at first, because I had never used one before, especially for crowd control. As the day went on I began to get more comfortable with my position and started to get acquainted with my co-workers on my shift. I soon found out not only were there people from all over the U.S. at Sundance, people flew in from all over the world. On my shift alone, there were two young guys, one from Manchester, England, the other from Turkey. There was even an older fellow on my shift that flew all the way in from Sydney, Australia!

So what were the best parts of volunteering at the Sundance Film Festival? Seeing the films for free of course! As a full time volunteer I was allowed to see as many movies as I wanted, if there was enough room after all the ticket holders and sponsors were seated. However, just to give a tip, there are no ticket holders allowed in press screenings, therefore, as a volunteer you are a guaranteed a seat. Being that it was my first time there, I did not take full advantage of this, as I wanted to explore Park City, unlike one of my roommates, who saw 51 films! The films I saw included Johnny Mad Dog, Black Dynamite, Paper Heart, Tyson, Big Fan, and The Clone Returns Home. I also was able to get in to the premiere of The Informers. Afterwards the cast and crew took some Q&A's from the audience, including the director. I waited in line forever for the nazi-zombie film, Dead Snow, twice and was unable to get in both times. My favorite movie I saw was foreign film The Clone Returns Home.

As the festival drew to a close, I was actually a little sad. It seemed like my time there had passed too quickly and it was already time to attend the awards party. I got along quite well with most of the people I met, especially my roommates at the condo. I couldn't have been stuck with a better group. The awards party ran similar to the volunteer party. We were given green wristbands, allowed three drinks, and an assortment of food. There was a DJ and the room was filled with trendy lights like a crazy rave party. I was surprised to see Mike White there having a couple of drinks and talking to fans. Mike White was one of the jurors for the Sundance Film Festival this year. I went over to him and introduced myself and told him how I admired his movies (Orange County, School of Rock). I asked what he was doing next and he told me he was working with Jared Hess on his new upcoming film.

Overall, going to Sundance was a really encouraging, uplifting experience. It allows you to see the world of film from a different viewpoint. Not to mention, it can't hurt to put on your resume. Your volunteer efforts might really pan out in the future as I hope mine will, but most of all, minute for minute, screening for screening, it was a blast.

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About the Author

Author Craig Schenkemeyer Craig Schenkemeyer (www.imdb.com/name/nm3327305/) is a college graduate from the State University of New York at Fredonia with a B.A in Digital Film. Craig has volunteered at film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, Woodstock and Woods Hole in Cape Cod, MA. Recently, Craig won for best inspirational documentary short at the Washougal International Film Festival in Washougal, WA.

Resources:

Sundance Film Festival: www.sundance.org/festival

Woodstock Film Festival: www.woodstockfilmfestival.com

Washougal International Film Festival: www.washougalfilmfest.org