Volunteer
Cine Squad
Interested in Volunteering at the Film Society Year-Round? Join CINE SQUAD!
What is Cine Squad? Cine Squad is a team of volunteers who will help the Film Society spread the word about individual films, film festivals, special screenings and eventually the big festival, MSPIFF. It’s a year-round gig that promises to be a lot of work and a lot of fun. Hours are flexible, you can work in our offices or at the movie theater, and hang out with other cinephiles.
What will Cine Squad members do?
- Represent the Film Society at special screenings, such as Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter, Stage on Screen, and others, handing out material specific to the film, membership forms, and answering questions.
- Distribute flyers, calendars and outreach materials around town and on various campuses.
- Help out in the Film Society office with various tasks as needed.
- Use your special skills and interests year-round
And what do you get for being a Cine Squad member?
- Tiered rewards for hours volunteered including: Memberships, vouchers, and Film Society swag
- Free admission to festivals and events that you’re helping promote. For instance, if you had worked the Film Society table a single screening during the Cine Latino film festival, you would get to see the entire festival for free! Benefits for MSPIFF will be laid out by the MSPIFF Volunteer Coordinator.
- A free Film Society t-shirt to wear at these events.
The Film Society can’t do the great things they do without the help of volunteers, and we’re looking for dedicated souls who love movies to help us do just that. Cine Squad members will be contacted prior to events, and we will holding quarterly meetings as well to keep you abreast of forthcoming films and other events!
Thank you!
Film Society Staff
WHAT DO VOLUNTEERS DO?
Volunteers are broken down into teams, with varying responsibilities. You’re welcome to join one or many of the teams based on your interests. Click on a volunteer team name for more information.
• LEAD VOLUNTEERS
Responsibilities: Manage a shift of volunteers, assist with volunteer check-in and check-out, answer volunteer questions and provide general team leadership, maintain effective communications between staff and the volunteer team.
Qualifications: You must be at least 18 years old. Organized person able to lead, delegate, and work one-to-one with volunteers, and to manage a volunteer team. Patience, communication, and flexibility are important qualities. There will be time when there is not much to do, so the ability to stand for several hours will also be necessary.
• THEATER OPERATIONS TEAM
Responsibilities: This position is perfect for friendly and welcoming people who can solve simple issues such as answering questions, handing out ballots, check tickets, and controlling traffic flow.
Qualifications: You must be at least 18 years old. There will be time when there is not much to do, so the ability to stand for several hours will also be necessary.
• STREET TEAM
Responsibilities: Distribute posters and rack cards to area businesses.
Qualifications: Distribution will be needed before and during the Film Festival.
• GUEST SERVICES TEAM
Responsibilities: Maintain the lounge and VR station. This is not an opportunity to network with the filmmakers.
Qualifications: You must be at least 18 years old. You must have the awareness of yourself and others to understand when and when to not engage with guests.
• OFFICE TEAM
Responsibilities: Ballot-counting, answering phones, assisting with programming needs, helping sign in other volunteers, fulfilling industry and press accreditations, and more.
Qualifications: Office help is needed in the office before and during the Film Festival. You will need to be able to sit for several hours at a time.
• TRANSPORTATION TEAM
Responsibilities: We need people to pick up filmmakers and industry guests from the airport and transport them around the Twin Cities area.
Qualifications: You must be at least 25 years old, have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance, and your own vehicle. You should have the maturity to be able to talk with passengers when needed but also the discretion to leave them be when needed.
• TRANSLATORS
Responsibilities: Provide translation during Q&As following screenings; interpret for filmmakers attending events or media interviews.
Qualifications: Ability to facilitate effective communication between two parties that do not speak a similar language by converting one or more spoken or written languages to another. Excellent customer service experience and mindset. Excellent verbal and written English.
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
Volunteers play an essential role in the Film Society’s ability to support the presence of international and independent cinema in the Twin Cities, and should understand when joining our team that their main reward is the satisfaction of knowing that they contributed in a tangible way to the future of film in the region. In thanks for this contribution of time, we do offer a number of material benefits as well, including:
– One ( 1 ) voucher for any regular-price Film Society screening for every four ( 4 ) hours of volunteering
– One ( 1 ) free Film Society membership (Basic) after 20 hours of volunteering within a calendar year
– Recognition on Film Society pre-reel for all volunteers who contribute 50 or more hours per year
FURTHER QUESTIONS?
Please email volunteer@mspfilm.org. Our staff will be happy to help!
