Volunteer role date range: September 20 - October 1, 2017 Hours Required: 30+ Key Results Area: Operations Reporting to: Venue Coordinator Location: Globe Cinema or Eau Claire Roles and Responsibilities CREW LEAD VENUE CREW BACK LOBBY CREW LEAD (BLCL) As the Back Lobby Crew Lead (BLCL) you are the main back of house representative of the festival. You will manage the following volunteer roles: Scanners, Ushers, Ballot-Takers, Re- Entry (at Eau Claire), and the Green Team. You will be working with the Front Lobby Crew Lead and their team of Volunteers to welcome our audiences in an efficient and friendly manner, and ensure that the cinema space is ready for the audience and that they leave safely and efficiently when the film has ended. Your objective is to confirm that the cinema is tidy and ready to be turned-over to you (i.e. that the film has been tested and is ready to play and that the LX-up and LX-down reels are cued), to station volunteers in the correct roles / locations so the audience can be welcomed into the cinema in an efficient and friendly manner, that the pre-show chatter is present and has the equipment needed (i.e. a microphone), and to then turn-over the cinema to the projectionist / usher so the film may start. When the film is about to let-out, your objective is to ensure ballot volunteers are stationed in the appropriate location with the equipment needed, and that the Green Team is ready to tidy the cinema. What You Will Require for Your Shift Volunteer T-shirt Volunteer name tag Pen Watch or phone to keep track of time Snacks * Do not bring valuables! Daily Shiftboard Volunteer Sign-In Sheet (to be picked up from Volunteer Check-in/out station) Daily Master Festival Schedule (to be picked up from Volunteer Check-in/out station) Radio (Sign-Out/In from the Volunteer Check-in/out station) Ballot Boxes (3-Globe; 4-Eau Claire) Start of Your Shift Check-in at the Volunteer Check-in/out station. Review this document! Pick-up your Volunteer Sign-in sheet (from the Check-in/out station). Check-in with the Venue Coordinator and receive any important info.
Check-in with the current BLCL and receive any important info. Read film descriptions for the films that day, study the schedule and make notes of sellouts and/or small dump time turn-overs, films with Q&A s, special events, and any Festivalscape events. Know when shows on your shift are scheduled to start and in which cinema. Check cinemas for cleanliness. Get ready for your Volunteers by assigning specific roles to arriving Venue Volunteers on your Volunteer Sign-in sheet. Meet your Volunteers at the Check-in/out station and sign them in. o If your volunteers have not shown up 5 minutes before their shift, connect with the Check-in Volunteer (at the Check-in/out station) and have them connect with the volunteer and/or the Volunteer Coordinator (Eau Claire) / Volunteer Assistant (Globe). The Check-in Volunteer will update you on the status of your Volunteers. Once all of your Volunteers arrive, conduct a team huddle and run through: the films (including descriptions and running times) / events of the day along with any notes / special requirements, sell-outs, quick turn-overs, Q&A s, and where audiences can find more information (www.calgaryfilm.com, our Facebook page, on Twitter @calgaryfilm). Assign volunteers to tasks, as required (listed below): o Scanners o Ushers o Ballot Takers o Re-Entry (Eau Claire) o Green Team Ask your volunteers if they have any questions. Have everyone ready at their station or assigned if a load-in or load-out of a theatre is about to take place, or to other tasks as necessary. 20-Minutes Before the Show If you have not heard from the Projectionist / Venue Coordinator (VC) that the film is tested and ready for load in (i.e. that the cinema is ready to be turned-over to you), turn on Channel 1 and request an update. Confirm that the cinema is tidy and ready for the audience by inspecting the cinema. Request from the VC that the line-up be brought to the cinema so tickets may be scanned, and confirm Scanner Volunteers are in position with scanners. Begin load-in of cinema with patrons (once confirmation from VC is received): SCANNERS o Ensure handheld scanners are signed out (& back in). o Ensure scanners are working and ready to go. o In case of a sold-out show, be prepared to scan patrons in line early at request of VC / FLCL and/or at the door to the cinema itself. o o Scanners are to welcome patrons with a friendly greeting. Be prepared if scanners are failing to collect hard tickets / make note of tickets on mobile devices. Be sure to have a pen to mark tickets if more tickets than people arrive for the show. o Make sure scanners are proactive, and inviting patrons to be scanned. USHERS o Ensure the Usher has a radio and a flashlight. o Ensure that the Usher is stationed inside the cinema greeting patrons. 2
o At screenings that are near-capacity or sold-out, ensure the Usher is encouraging patrons to not leave empty seats between themselves and their neighbor. o Ensure the Usher is assisting patrons in finding seats. RE-ENTRY (Eau Claire) o Ensure Re-Entry Volunteers have Re-Entry tickets. o Ensure Re-Entry Volunteers know to catch patrons and distribute re-entry ticket when leaving the cinema prior to their film starting. o Ensure Re-Entry Volunteers have re-entry tickets ready to hand-out. o Ensure Re-Entry Volunteers know to collect and dispose of re-entry tickets when patrons return. o Ensure Re-Entry Volunteers know to remind patrons that latecomers (more than 15 min) will not be seated. 5-Minutes Before the Show / Start of the Show Ensure the pre-show chatter (very often the Programmer) is in position at the back of the cinema and is waiting for your cue to go to the front. Inform VC, Front Lobby Crew Lead and your Volunteer Team that you are ready to turnover the cinema to the Projectionist and start the film. Get the go-ahead from the VC to start the film. Turn-over the house to the Projectionist & request the go-ahead from the Projectionist to send the pre-show chatter to the front. When you receive the go-ahead from the Projectionist to send the pre-show chatter to the front, hand the microphone to the pre-show chatter (it will be LIVE) and send them to the front; stay and ensure that the spotlight turns on. After the pre-show chat is done, take the microphone back from the pre-show chatter (they ll meet you at the back of the cinema). USHER o When the film has begun, ensure the usher is in the cinema monitoring the quality of the film (sound level, picture quality) and relaying any issues directly to the projectionist. o Ensure that the usher remains in the cinema, monitoring: The playback quality, and alerting the projectionist if there are any issues, That any individual disturbing other patrons is kindly and firmly asked to stop using the flashlight to identify the individual. If a patron is unresponsive to instructions after being asked twice, ensure the Usher radios the BLCL and VC to assist. That no un-authorized reproduction of a film takes place (e.g. someone recording the film on a phone, camera, etc.) If this occurs ensure the Usher radios the BLCL and VC to assist. During the Show After all shows have gone in, meet with the Scanner, Re-Entry, and any remaining Usher (those who are not currently in a cinema) Volunteers to review load-in and what to expect next (e.g. the load-out of the cinema, including timing of when Ballot and Green Team Volunteers will need to be in place). This is a good time for volunteers to take a 15-minute break if required. USHERS 3
BALLOT TAKERS GREEN TEAM o Empty garbage bins if full. o Continue to tidy lobby. o Check washrooms and clean if/when necessary. SCANNERS o Re-charge scanners if there is enough time. RE-ENTRY VOLUNTEERS Check-out any Volunteers on your team whose shifts are finished and ensure that they also check-out at the Check-in/out station. 10-Minutes Before the Show Ends The projectionist will radio VC, FLCL and BLCL that the film is 10-minutes from ending. This is your cue to assemble and arrange your Volunteer team. USHER o Remind the Usher to radio the BLCL when the film has JUST finished (first credits) and the audience is just about to leave. NOTE: This is the cue that the cinema has now been turned-over to the BLCL; you are now responsible for the cinema. o Remind the Usher that they will need to keep-time if there is a Q&A Each Q&A is ~15 minutes in duration. The Usher will need to give a hand signal to the Facilitator at the 5-minute mark and the 2-minute mark The 5-minute signal is provided by turning the flashlight on towards the front and displaying an open-palm (5 fingers). When the facilitator acknowledges this, turn off the flashlight. The 2-minute signal is provided by turning the flashlight on towards the front and displaying a peace-sign (2 fingers). When the facilitator acknowledges this, turn off the flashlight. BALLOT TAKERS o Ensure Ballot Takers have boxes and ballots. o Ensure 2 volunteers are stationed on either side of the cinema doors with boxes and ready to accept ballots. o Ensure only one ballot per patron is accepted GREEN TEAM o Ensure Green Team knows where to find garbage bags, mops, brooms, etc. can be found. o Ensure Green Team knows where garbage bins and recycling bins are located. o Ensure Green Team knows where full bins of recycling and garbage are taken. o Ensure Green Team is in place, ready to tidy the cinema after the film / Q&A. If there is a Q&A, be present outside the cinema ready to meet the facilitator of the Q&A. They may be with the filmmaker / Q&A guest, welcome them! At the End of the Show IF THERE IS A Q&A 4
Prop open the doors to the cinema allowing those patrons who are not staying for the Q&A to leave. Monitor the performance of the Ballot Takers. Radio to the Projectionist to ensure they are ready to turn-on the spotlight and microphones. Receive confirmation from the Projectionist that they are ready. Hand the microphones to the facilitator / Q&A guest and send them to the front of the cinema. o Always hand-off at least 1 microphone for the facilitator and at least 1 microphone for the Q&A guest(s). Ideally, there is 1 microphone for each guest, but with large groups this is not always possible and they will need to share communicate this if that s the case. USHER o Ensure the usher is in position and ready to keep-time so the Q&A does not exceed the ~15-minute duration. o Ensure the usher closes the door to the cinema once the Q&A starts to avoid disturbances from the Lobby area. At the End of the Show NOTE: IF THERE IS A Q&A this all will all take place AFTER the end of the Q&A. Prop open the doors to the cinema. Monitor performance of Ballot Takers, and Green Team. GREEN TEAM o Once the majority of the audience has left, ensure Green Team cleans the theatre as required minimum of 3 individuals o Ensure Green Team delivers any lost & found items to venue concession. When theatre is clean, turn to channel 1 and tell the VC that cinema is cleaned and ready for the next audience. Radio the Projectionist and turn-over the cinema to the Projectionist. Close the doors to the cinema. End of Shift Let the VC know your shift has ended and you are in the process of checking-out. Ensure you have graded (refer to scale below) each of the volunteers on your team on the Volunteer Sign-in sheet. Include any comments / notes. o Comments / notes may include items such as whether the Volunteer followed instructions well, or showed initiative, etc. We want to ensure outstanding volunteers are recognized and promoted if/when necessary! Hand over Volunteer Sign-in sheet to Check-in/out station so that your grades and notes can be added to Shiftboard. Speak with on-coming Crew Lead and update on the day and on-board them Sign back in your radio Sign out at the Check-in/out station. Go watch some films! Other Notes If a patron comes to you or another volunteer with a complaint: 5
o (1) LISTEN, o (2) LET THEM KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD THEM o (3) Offer to bring the matter to the VC if they do not want to bring the matter to the VC or any further, offer to take their complaint, write it out and TAKE A CONTACT NAME AND EMAIL / PHONE NUMBER. o (4) Pass this information along to the VC who will deal with it directly and/or push it to the Operations Manager and/or Executive Director We take feedback VERY seriously at Calgary Film and make a concerted effort to respond to all complaints. Respect the full-time theatre staff. If any member of the theatre staff instruct you to do something different than what the VC has instructed, inform the VC. Always be respectful of the full-time theatre staff. Pair volunteers up when there are enough, so they can learn from each other. Remember volunteers who are ON SHIFT or just finishing their shift may have FREE popcorn and cast POP. You must be wearing your Volunteer t-shirt and Volunteer name-tag to obtain this perk. o NOTE: There is to be NO EATING while working. Volunteers may enjoy popcorn / pop between the start/end times of films when the cinema is slow and/or while they are on break. Please ensure that you and the volunteers refrain from personal texts / calls while working with the public. We want all of our volunteers to be engaged and welcoming our patrons. o If there is a personal emergency that you or a volunteer needs to attend to, it must be conducted away from the eyes / ears of the general public. Everyone can help with theatre cleans when available! Be aware of the BIGGER PICTURE at all times. How you do your job effects the flow of the next volunteer team and festival as a whole. Don t get caught up with the small things! Try to have your volunteer meetings / huddles away from the public and at slow times. If you are unsure of the answer to a question be honest with whomever is asking and let them know that you will find out and then find out! Always communicate with your team when it is time for you to leave everyone appreciates a goodbye! Questions Email: volunteer@calgaryfilm.com please be sure to include your phone number Emergency Contact: Operations Manager Joshua Dalledonne 587-228-5239 Rating Guide Evaluation - Ensure all volunteers have a manager's note and have been evaluated. 1 = Not welcome back (did not arrive for their shift, were detrimental to the patron experience) 2 = Did not fulfill their role 3 = Fulfilled their role 4 = Fulfilled their role and took initiative 5 = Exceeded expectations, a recommended leader 6