Volunteers FAQVolunteers FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Application Process
I'd like to apply. Will you consider my resume?
No. If you want to volunteer, you must fill out and submit a volunteer application online. Volunteers are only considered based on the information they provide in the online application and any information on previous Sundance Film Festival Volunteer experience. You can register for an account apply by clicking here.
I'm having problems submitting my online application. What do I do?
Call or email us. We strongly prefer applications be submitted online, but if special circumstances require, we do have paper, a printer, and mail. We can actually send it to you. We're pretty nice around here. You can call us at 435-776-3456 or email at volunteers@sundance.org.
What if I'm not 21?
This is a hard and fast policy we cannot work around. You really must be 21 as of January 16, 2013, to volunteer for the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Even if you're really mature for your age, it's just not going to cut it. We will verify your ID before you can check in.
What if I'm from a land far, far, away?
We welcome a diverse group of volunteers from around the globe. You will be considered in the application process just as any other volunteer and notified within the same timeframe. The details of your passport, travel, etc. will be entirely your responsibility.
I've volunteered before for the Sundance Film Festival. What do I do to apply for 2013?
If you've volunteered in the past, we consider you an Alumni Volunteer. Alumni Volunteers are ONLY to apply based on a personal email sent to them from the Volunteer Department by August 13, 2012. If you do not receive an email, there could be a number of reasons. Too much time could have passed since you last volunteered, our database could have made an error, the Internet could have made an error, or we, real people, could also be imperfect. If you miss the deadline on October 1 to volunteer at the 2013 Festival, we hope you'll consider coming back in future years! As alumni, you should automatically get an invitation to reapply. But if you don't hear from us by September 2012, feel free to drop us an email.
When will I hear about my application?
We process applications starting in October all the way through the end of December, they are not reviewed based on the date of your application. We fill open positions starting with qualified Alumni Volunteers, then new volunteers, and will inform applicants of their status throughout the process. Some positions are filled later depending on when that department's manager starts. We especially understand your need to make travel arrangements and our need to make the Festival happen, so we'll get you assigned as quickly as we can. We will work diligently to inform Full-Time Volunteers no later than November, and Sign-Up Volunteers no later than mid-December. All volunteers will be notified of their status by January 3, 2013.
Hours and Volunteer Benefits
If I am a local volunteer, can I work all of my required hours before the Festival?
First off, see the details on the Volunteer Positions page under Additional Ways to Volunteer. We love all the help our local volunteers can provide pre-Festival. However, you must work at least 24 hours during the 10 days of the Festival to be eligible to receive any volunteer incentives such as vouchers. The Festival is when we need you the most!
How do I use my credential to get into screenings?
A Volunteer Photo Credential (for volunteers giving 80+ hours) provides entry to Festival screenings and panels on a volunteer space-available basis.
Volunteer vouchers, presented with a Volunteer Non-Photo Credential and matching ID, are redeemable for tickets to Festival screenings and panels on a space-available basis. Volunteer vouchers are based on the number of volunteer hours worked. Four hours = one voucher. One voucher = one ticket through the staff and volunteer ticket line.
A limited number of screening tickets are held at certain theatre box offices for staff/volunteers and are available an hour prior to screening time. If those tickets have all been distributed, you may join the waitlist and use your credential and voucher for admittance. Waitlist patrons are admitted to the theatre on a space-available basis 15 minutes before the screening begins.
Staff and volunteers will be admitted on a space-available basis to the Staff and Volunteer Screenings, no vouchers required! (Credential or photo ID is required for admittance.)
Will I be able to change my shift times/What if I can't drive when it's snowing?
Full-Time Volunteers agree to be available as assigned by the Festival. Sign-Up Volunteers are able to sign up for available shifts in advance of the Festival. From there, in the mind of the Volunteer Department, you are committed to fulfilling your shifts. There are systems in place, however, to change your shift times, which will be detailed at the volunteer orientation and in the volunteer handbook. When committing to shifts you should also be sure to take into account travel times and your ability to travel in inclement weather. The Sundance Film Festival is in January - it's likely there will be some snowy days. As always, change and flexibility are large components of a successful Festival, so we are happy to work with you as situations arise - just contact us! (Advance notice is also always nice!)
What if I change my mind?/What if I can't make it to the Festival after all?
Once accepted, volunteers will sign an agreement committing to the volunteer position they have been offered. If you are signing and committing to the volunteer agreement, you should have no reason that you know of that you cannot volunteer. The deadline for final cancellations is December 5th for new volunteers! However, change has been known to happen, and volunteers need to inform us by the cancellation deadline to allow us time enough to fill the position again. Volunteers who cancel after the deadline will jeopardize their ability to volunteer with Sundance Institute in the future. Of course, extreme circumstances may negate following the deadline. In such extreme cases, please contact the Volunteer Department as soon as possible to discuss your situation with a staff member.
At the Festival
Can I take a friend to the screenings?
The easy answer is to get your friend to volunteer! Benefits, such as volunteer vouchers and credentials, are provided to allow Festival Volunteers access to films. We work to reserve tickets specifically for volunteers and wouldn't want a hardworking volunteer to be turned away because too many volunteers brought their friends. Volunteer film access is meant to be a benefit specifically for volunteer use. The challenges of available volunteer seating, timing volunteer ticketing with waitlist ticketing, and scalping have made it too difficult to accommodate volunteers' friends at screenings. We are able to provide some vouchers to volunteers for guests to use to eliminate the cost of a waitlist ticket. Guest vouchers will only be provided to volunteers upon their completion of 40 volunteer hours, and to volunteers giving 80+ hours but to whom the Festival is not providing lodging.
How do I get into parties?
Volunteers will receive one ticket to the Staff and Volunteer Opening Night Party. Everyone is encouraged to attend! Full-Time Volunteers will receive a ticket to the Awards Night Celebration. Anyone attending an official party must have a hard ticket and their credential for admittance.
How do I get into the Music Café?
Your volunteer credential allows you access to all of the non-theatre venues on a space-available basis. This includes the Music Café, New Frontier, Sundance House, and Filmmaker Lodge. You may be asked to observe the "Family Holds Back" rule for high-profile performances or panels, waiting until 15 minutes prior to the start of the event before being admitted. In these cases, staff and volunteers may not be admitted if the event is full.
What about food?
Every morning bagels are available at all official venues and theatres for volunteers. Full-Time volunteers will also receive a set number of Grub Stubs which can be exchanged for a pre-determined meal at participating locations in Park City. We also offer light snacks throughout the day at the Volunteer Hub located in the Marriott Headquarter. Officially, though, meals are not provided by the Festival, so please plan accordingly.
Volunteer Housing
Does the Sundance Film Festival provide lodging for volunteers?
Housing is only provided for select pre-determined Full-Time Volunteers who reside outside of the Park City and Salt Lake City areas. Housing for volunteers is extremely limited and is provided primarily to returning Alumni Volunteers. It is highly, highly unlikely that lodging will be available for new volunteers, and volunteers' ability to provide lodging for themselves is influential in the selection process. If at all, first-year volunteers (and many second-year volunteers) will be lodged on sofa sleepers in shared condos with other volunteers.
Volunteers who are not in housing provided by the Sundance Film Festival are responsible for getting to their volunteer shifts on time, knowing that the Festival occurs during very snowy months in January, even if you're driving from... we know, we have to get here, too.
Where will I be staying?
If you are one of the lucky volunteers to be lodged at the Festival, you will not know where you are staying until you arrive in Park City to check in. Whatever the location in Park City, you will be staying in a moderate condo, shared with other volunteers, including sharing a bathroom, and most likely, sharing a room (but not a bed!) with another volunteer or being assigned to a sofa sleeper in the living room. We assign lodging based on the volunteer's job location, duties, etc. It is likely that you will need to walk a few blocks and depend on the free shuttle system to get around Park City and to your work location. See below for info on roommate requests.
What do I need to bring to Park City?
All volunteer accommodations are equipped with bedding, towels, TV, and a phone. We cannot guarantee alarm clocks, so be sure to set your watch or bring your own. It is unlikely that you will have wireless internet access in your condo, so please plan accordingly. We recommend joining our Sundance Film Festival Volunteers group on Facebook to find out what other volunteers recommend you bring to Park City, and get all your questions answered! You can join by clicking here: Volunteer Facebook Group
Will my condo have a kitchen?
We do our best to secure accommodations with amenities such as kitchens and even washers and dryers, but there are no guarantees. Many facilities come without these extras, so be prepared to accept whatever is available. We'll do what we can to make sure you're comfortable. And there's one thing we can guarantee-your front door will have a lock.
Who are my roommates?
You may request one roommate on your volunteer agreement. The person that you request must also request you for your names to be produced on the "requested roommate list" from our database. If you request more than one person or the person you request does not request you, your request cannot be considered. We cannot guarantee that roommate requests can always be met. Remember that the dates volunteers are in Park City differ based on the specific volunteer assignment and location, and these dates and job assignments often dictate with whom you room.
You will not know who your roommates are until volunteer check-in. After you have checked in, please do not ask to be moved. We lodge more than 800 people during the Festival and once everyone has been placed, we can only adjust accommodation assignments in emergencies. We try our best to accommodate everyone's requests.
How come she's in the master bedroom?
All accommodations, along with other Festival benefits, are assigned based on job responsibility and seniority.
What about my chihuahua/girlfriend/baby?
Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in any Festival accommodations. If you need a referral for pet boarding in close proximity to the Festival, please contact our office. Also, please remember that guests are not allowed to stay in Festival accommodations. This rule is strictly enforced to be fair to everyone in your condo. Unless your significant other or baby is over 21 and a Full-Time Volunteer during the Festival who has been assigned to share a bed with you or is your requested roommate, he or she needs to stay home.
If we find that you have unauthorized guests - even if they are volunteers that have not been assigned to your lodging unit - you and the guest will be asked to leave your lodging and the Festival immediately. You will also be giving up any opportunity to volunteer for Sundance Institute in the future.
Will my condo have parking?
We are generally able to obtain a very limited number of parking permits for all accommodation facilities; although we cannot guarantee that you will have a parking pass at your lodging unit. If there isn't enough parking at your assigned unit, you will need to work with your roommates to park the extra vehicle(s) at a designated park-and-ride. We can help you find the best parking option. We also offer a discounted shuttle coupon to get from the Salt Lake City Airport to Park City so if possible, try not bring a car with you to Park City!
After you're settled in Park City, it's most efficient to use the FREE shuttle, which stops at all theatres and venues.
How do I get to work in the morning?
All of the lodging properties are on or near the Festival shuttle route. You will need to be prepared to walk Park City in the winter and rely heavily on the Festival shuttle system. Please do not drive your vehicle to your venue unless you have received a parking pass, or your car will most likely be towed.
Why isn't my place being cleaned? And other housekeeping issues!
The frequency of housekeeping depends on the company that rents the unit. The accommodations information sheet you receive at check-in will state the housekeeping frequency.
What if someone tries to reach me at my condo?
We do not give out accommodations information about anyone staying with us at the Festival. If someone asks for the location or phone number where you are staying, we either refer that person to you during work hours or get a message to you. Your managers are given a list of all of the locations and phone numbers for their volunteers.
What if I have an emergency at my condo?
All of the accommodations have a number listed in the unit for maintenance emergencies (e.g., floods, heat not working). If something breaks or damage is done to your condo (accidents happen), please let us know so WE can fix it and work everything out with the company before we leave Park City.
Please remember to immediately report any problems at your lodging (e.g., bad beds, problematic heater). We will try to solve them ASAP. This also helps us know what units to book in the future.
How do I get to Festival Headquarters in Park City from the Salt Lake City Airport?
We offer a discounted shuttle coupon that you can use for a shuttle from the Salt Lake City Airport to the Festival Headquarters in Park City. Beyond that, if you are driving or taking a shuttle, you can look at your options by visiting the map which can be found here: Getting Around
What time should I arrive on my scheduled arrival date?
It is important to clearly understand your start date as a Full Time Volunteer-this is the date you will want to plan to arrive in Park City. Arrive no later than 4 p.m., and we recommend 3 p.m. - or 1:30 p.m. at the Salt Lake Airport to allow travel time to Park City. Check-in is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Festival Headquarters. If your lodging will be provided by the Festival, you will not be able to check in until after 4:00 p.m. If you arrive before then, please plan on hanging out for a few hours until lodging keys can be distributed.
How do I get in touch with the Volunteer Department?
We invite you to contact us if you have questions that are not addressed in this FAQ or on the Volunteer Pages. If you are interested in applying to volunteer for the Sundance Film Festival, please read the Volunteer Overview, where you can link to the application. We're open Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (MDT).
Email: volunteers@sundance.org
Reception Phone: 435-658-3456
Volunteer Hotline: 435-776-7870
