Volunteer Sign-Up
The KFS depends on volunteers from the community to help with screenings. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please sign up for our weekly volunteer newsletter.
KFF 2023 Volunteer Duties
There will be approximately 17 positions to sign up for each night. When you sign up for a position, please note that we may ask you to do a different position if we are short of volunteers on the night of the film. For positions that include a sweep of the Theatre after the film or vote taking, you MUST be present at the end of the film.
For the first weekend of the KFF, you are asked to arrive at the Theatre 45 minutes before the doors are opened to the public. Starting Monday, March 6, 2023, you are asked to arrive at the Theatre 30 minutes before the doors are opened to the public. These arrival times will be on Sign-up Genius when you sign up for a shift.
Volunteers are NOT to talk to reporters about the Festival, get into disputes with patrons or guess at an answer. Call on the roaming Staff member or one of the Volunteer Coordinators. Use common sense.
Traffic Control: 3 Volunteers.
There are 3 doors to the theatre. The role of the outside traffic control volunteer is to direct
patrons to the correct entrance.
- DOOR A – For patrons who already have their Tickets (paper, on phone) or Passes and guests/media
- DOOR B – For patrons who need to buy tickets or Passes and to pick up pre purchased KFF Passes
- DOOR C – All volunteers enter here.
In order to determine which door the patron needs to enter, your questions should be phrased to cover all possibilities. Eg: “Do you have a Film Festival Pass or a pre-purchased ticket either online or from the Theatre?” Please go to Door A. “Do you need to buy a ticket or a pass?” If yes, then please go to door B. “Do you need to pick up your pre-purchased Passes?” Please go to Door B.
Volunteers are NOT to walk together. Pay attention to the patrons.
Volunteer 1 (first film) will mainly patrol from the theatre building entrance “A”, along 5th Ave. to the alley, instructing patrons to enter the building via Door “A” or “B” depending on:
- Already have tickets and/or Passes, Guests and Media: Door “A”
- Need to purchase tickets and/or passes and to pick up pre-purchased Passes: Door “B”
You will be able to leave your position 15 minutes after the start time of the first film so you are able to watch it. Then after the film, please use a basket to collect Ratings cards at the front of the Theatre from anyone exiting the Theatre through the doors near the stage. Also remind Patrons of any event that is following the film.
Volunteer 2 (second film)will patrol the front of the theatre building along Victoria St., instructing patrons to enter the building via Door “A” or “B” depending on:
- Already have tickets and/or Passes, Guests and Media: Door “A”
- Need to purchase tickets and/or passes and to pick up pre-purchased Passes: Door “B”
After the film, please use a basket to collect Ratings cards at the front of the Theatre from anyone exiting through the doors by the stage. Also remind Patrons of any event that is following the film.
Volunteer 3 (second film) will patrol in front of the theatre building along Victoria St, instructing patrons to enter the building via Door “A” or “B” depending on:
- Already have tickets and/or Passes, Guests and Media: Door “A”
- Need to Purchase tickets and/or passes or to pick up pre-purchased Passes: Door “B”
Once the first volunteer finishes their shift you will then patrol from the theatre building entrance “A”, along 5th Ave. to the alley.
Door A: 3 volunteers
Volunteer 1: Ticket Checker & Ratings Card (first film) will check-in Patrons with tickets, either bought online or paper Theatre tickets. The Volunteer will be given a list of names in alphabetical order for tickets bought online. Ask the Patron for their last name and number of tickets and then check their names off. If their names are not on the list, ask to see their ticket, if all seems good, just take down their name and confirmation number and let them in. If anything seems off, find the roaming Theatre Staff person or the Volunteer Coordinator for help. For the white paper ticket just rip it or initial it. Fifteen minutes after the first film starts you may leave your position to watch the film.
Please give each Patron a rating card and ask them to rate the film when it is over by ripping the number they want. After the film, please use a basket to collect the Ratings cards at one of the doors to the lobby. Also remind Patrons of any event that is following the film.
Volunteer 2: Ticket Checker & Ratings Card (Second film)s will check in Patrons with tickets, either bought online or paper Theatre tickets. The Volunteer will be given a list of names in alphabetical order for tickets bought online. Ask the Patron for their last name and number of tickets then check their names off. If their name is not on the list, ask to see their ticket. If all seems good just take down their name and confirmation number and let them in. If anything seems off, find the roaming Theatre Staff person or the Volunteer Coordinator for help. For the white paper ticket just rip it or initial it.
Please give each Patron a rating card and ask them to rate the film when it is over by ripping the number they want. After the film is over, please use the basket you are given to collect the ratings cards at one of the lobby doors. Also remind Patrons of any event that is following the film.
Volunteer 3: Pass and Guest/Media Counter & Ratings Card (second film): will use a “counter” to keep track of all patrons entering the Theatre on passes. There are some other acceptable passes such as life members, “Access” (disabled) card holders, or anyone without any kind of ticket but who actually is allowed to be there, i.e. Film Festival Committee members will show their “pass” (this covers all movies). “Special Guests” (directors, actors, producers, etc. associated with the movie), usually are given a special guest pass. If they don’t have one, don’t worry. The Committee member accompanying them will identify them as “Special Guests”. Count them with the “counter” only if they do not have a paper or online ticket.
Also, media, with media I.D., plus one guest, get in free and need to be counted. If you are unsure, ask a staff member or the volunteer coordinator. Please give each Patron a rating card.
Door B: 2 Volunteers
Volunteer 1 (first film) will ask the Patron if the patron is purchasing a ticket or picking up a pass. Direct the Patron to the concession to buy tickets or to the Inside table to pick up their passes. Fifteen minutes after the first film has started you can leave your post to go watch the film.
Volunteer 2 (second film) will give each Patron a rating card and ask them to rate the film when it is over by ripping the number they want. Once the first Volunteer has gone to watch the film, you will then also be directing patrons to the Inside table for pick up of Passes or the Concession to buy tickets. After the film, please use a basket to collect the ratings cards at one of the lobby doors . Also remind Patrons of any event that is following the film.
Door C: 1 volunteer (first film)
This volunteer will hand out Sponsor or prepaid full passes to Patrons from the inside table. You will be given a list of names that have purchased passes and of Sponsors. Ask for the patron’s name and check them off the list. If they are not on the list, check their purchase information (on their phone or in print). If it looks good and they bought it recently, add them to the list and give them their pass. If anything seems off, bring a staff member over for help. Give them the appropriate pass on a lanyard. Use a counter to count all patrons who will use a Pass for a film tonight. Also give the patrons for that night’s film a rating card and ask them to rate the film when it is over by ripping the number they want. After the film, please use a basket to collect the ratings cards at one of the lobby doors. Also remind Patrons of any event that is following the film.
Concession Volunteers: 4 volunteers (2 Volunteers per film)
These volunteers will work with theatre staff and be directed by those staff. Generally their duties will be:
- Make and dispense popcorn.
- Butter popcorn
- Make donuts
- Dispense drinks.
Once the first film has been playing for 15 minutes the 2 first film Volunteers can leave their posts to watch the film. If you are working in the concession, it would be a good idea to not wear good clothes or
shoes as it gets pretty messy back there, especially the popcorn area. Closed toed shoes are mandatory. Concession volunteers will also make a sweep of the theatre after the film to pick up drink containers, candy wrappers and popcorn bags. DO NOT pick up tissues, napkins or spilled food.
Wildcard Volunteer: 1 volunteer (second film)
This volunteer will be positioned as needed at each film. Positions could include helping
out at the Inside Table, Traffic Control, Ticket checking, Pass/Guest counter for patrons or
selling Raffle tickets in the lobby. This person must be adaptable and reasonably familiar with
all the volunteer positions as we will not know where we are going to use them until they
arrive at the theatre.
The Wildcard volunteer will also make a sweep of the theatre after the film to pick up drink containers, candy wrappers and popcorn bags. DO NOT pick up tissues, napkins or spilled food.
Raffle Ticket Volunteers: 3 volunteers
These 3 volunteers will circulate in the lobby and theatres selling the raffle tickets (cash only or direct them to the concession counter for credit or debit sales) both before and after each film. Make sure the patron legibly completes the required info on the ticket. If we can’t read their name or phone number, we won’t be able to let them know they have won!
Volunteers can leave their posts to watch the film 15 minutes after the start of the film.
For Volunteers staying for the Film, at the end of the film and shortly after the credits have started please open the doors to the lobby so Patrons can safely exit the Theatre. If there is an event following the film, remind Patrons of the event as they are leaving the Theatre.
Movie tickets
The current film’s tickets can be purchased from Theatre sales through Door B and future film tickets and/or passes can be purchased on-line on our website: thekfs.ca/kff OR at the Theatre concession.