WFA 2020 Home Schedule Explore the Film Guide Education Parties WFA 2020 Winners Photos
Thank you for volunteering on Winter Film Awards International Film Festival!
We will be setting up a WHATSAPP group for communications with each other and the WFA Staff. If at any time during the Festival, you have a question, comment or issue, please post on WhatsApp. Please also ensure you have notifications turned on while you are on shift so we can find you if needed.
Who from the Festival staff should I know?
- Fulden Kologlu Oner is our Volunteer Manager. She is your first line of contact if needed and will be at all parties and discussions.
- Steffanie Finn is the Festival Executive Director. Steffanie will be at the theater most of the time and at all parties.
- George Isaacs is the Festival Founder. George runs the Awards Show and will be at all the parties.
- Vashti Persaud is Awards Show Production Tech manager.
- Fernando Camacho is Awards Show Production Creative manager.
I see my assignments, but where should I go?
- For all screenings (Feb 21-Feb 27): go to Cinema Village (22 East 12th Street). We will have a table setup in the lobby. When you arrive, look for Steffanie
- For Opening Party (Feb 20): go to SkyRoom (33o West 40th Street). Take the elevators in the back up to the Penthouse. When you arrive, look for Fulden
- For Awards (Feb 29): go to Club 230Fifth (230 Fifth Avenue). Take the elevator to the EMPIRE ROOM. When you arrive, look for Fulden
What time is my shift?
- Opening Party (Feb 20) SKY ROOM
- Party Team – 5:00pm – 11pm
- Photo/Video Team – 7:00pm – 11pm
- Theater (Feb 21-27): Cinema Village
- Friday Feb 21 – 5:30pm – 10:00pm
- Saturday Feb 22 – Day: 12:00pm – 6:00pm, Evening: 6:00pm – 11:00pm
- Sunday Feb 23 – Day: 12:00pm – 6:00pm, Evening: 6:00pm – 10:00pm
- Monday Feb 24 – 3:30pm – 9:30pm
- Tuesday Feb 25 – 5:30pm – 9:30pm
- Wednesday Feb 26 – 2:30pm – 9:30pm
- Thursday Feb 27 – 3:00pm – 9:30pm
- Saturday Awards (Feb 29): 230 Fifth
- Tech Team – 2pm – 12am.
- Earlier Team – Setup, put together awards bags, decorations: 2pm – 6pm
- Later Team: Greeters, Interviewers, Photo, Video, Media Wrangler, Talent Wrangler, Awards Guards – 6pm – 11pm
- Photo/Video Team – 6pm – 11pm.
I’m listed as photo/video, what do I need to know?
Photo/video people are expected to bring equipment – the Festival equipment will be tied up with shooting the awards ceremony.
Photographers just need a camera and will be roving. In general, you want to shoot happy crowds, any sponsor products, cool looking people, behind the scenes photos, etc. The point is to make the venue look really nice and the festival look exciting and crowded. During the Awards Ceremony, we want photos of the room, the presenters and happy winners on stage accepting their awards. You are welcome to add your small watermark to photos, but please don’t cover faces or logos.
After the event is over, please pick your best photos (please don’t upload 800 pics!) and upload to our dropbox. If you have just a few photos, please name the files with YOUR NAME and the event date so we can properly credit you. If you have more than, say, 10, please create a subfolder named with YOUR NAME and the event date and put all the photos in there.
Videographers should have a camera and a microphone; lights are cool too if you have. We will assign a volunteer to you as an assistant. Some of you will be parked at a red carpet (with an assigned interviewer) and some will be roving.
After the event is over, please pick your best videos and upload to our dropbox. Be sure your upload file name includes your name and the event date. If you shot an interview and know the person’s name, it’s nice to include that in the file name, but not necessary.
Can I attend the screenings and parties when I’m not working? Can I bring my friends? Will we have to pay?
- You and your friends (so long as they are 21+ with ID) are welcome to attend all of the parties for free.
- You are welcome to attend any screening/discussion for free.
- For lightly sold sessions, we will email a message letting you know — for these sessions, you are welcome to come and bring a bunch of friends for free!
What should I wear?
- For screenings and discussion – wear whatever you want so long as it is neat and clean. Wear comfy shoes. We have t-shirts for you!
- For Opening Party, No sneakers, athletic wear or hats
- For Awards, feel free to bring a change of clothes for the actual party. Tech staff should be dressed decently in dark clothing. Other staff is welcome to wear whatever party outfits you like.
What exactly will I be doing?
- For opening party and awards: initial time is setup (posters, decorations, step&repeat, assembling swag bags, etc). Once party gets going, two people will be at the door checking in filmmakers and press. Two will be at each step&repeat keeping everyone moving. One or two will be in press area keeping everything smooth. One will go with each photographer to help them out. We’ll swap you out frequently so you can enjoy the party as well.
- Videographers will be stationed on the red carpet or will be moving around the room talking to people. Photographers will be assigned specific things to look out for (products, winners, sponsors, general feel of room, etc)
- For Awards, we will also have a bunch of production assistants running the show, directing winners, organizing awards/prizes, organizing the talent, working on the livestream/video switching, etc.
- For Screenings/Discussions, one will be selling tickets, two will be directing traffic and taking tickets. During slow times, you’ll be outside passing out flyers or you can watch the films.
I’m working during mealtimes. Will you provide food?
- Yes, we will feed you! And, when working at the theater, you are welcome to all the soda and popcorn you’d like
What can I do before the Festival begins to help?
Please help promote us on SOCIAL MEDIA: This is such a huge help — the higher our social media numbers, the more appealing we are to sponsors, and Facebook’s algorithm is more likely to show our stuff if we have interaction
- Please LIKE us on Facebook , FOLLOW us on Twitter and SUBSCRIBE/LIKE videos on YouTube
- Please keep an eye out on our page and LIKE our posts/tweets and watch the film trailers
- Please click GOING on our events and invite any of your friends who you think would be interested
- Please share our posts to your timeline and whomever in your network you think would be interested.
- If you are really feeling it, please comment on posts (even something like “This sounds really cool, I can’t wait to see it!” or “I got my tickets!”) – Facebook loves this kind of engagement and will place us highest in the Newsfeed algorithm.
- Please post about us on other social media channels, meetup groups, blogs, online boards for your school, Facebook Groups, Snapchat Stories, Instagram and any other outlet you have access to Post about the Festival and the Opening Party, and then post about the various workshops as you see fit
Can I post on social media during the Festival?
- Please! Take lots of photos too! Use hashtag #WFA2020 and tag Winter Film Awards. Please also LIKE us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and tell your friends about us!
- Please also collect your photos together and email them to INFO@nullWinterFilmAwards.com so we can share them.
I have friends who work in media or are celebs. Should I tell them about the festival?
- Please do. If they’d like to attend, please email info@nullwinterfilmawatds.com
Oh no! I’m going to be late to my shift! What do I do?
- WhatsApp or email to Fulden
Something terrible happened and I cannot make my shift! What do I do?
- WhatsApp or email to Fulden
I have more questions!
- WhatsApp or email to Fulden
OMG! Dire emergency!!! What do I do?
- For “normal” emergencies, please text or call Fulden at (646) 510-4627
- If a filmmaker, venue or sponsor is freaking out or being horrible, please text Steffanie at (646) 522-2004.
- Please do not call Steffanie unless there’s really a lot of blood, the cops or fire department have been called or something really bad is happening
