Volunteer
Festival Volunteering Opportunities (Wed 5 - Sun 9 November)
Front of House Team
Venue Managers
Working from one of our venues, you'll be responsible for managing a front of house team. It’s is a high responsibility role, and you need to be able to work independently, with limited supervision. Can you think on your feet, manage your venue, whilst all the time maintaining a amiable attitude towards our delegate? If you can - this role could be for you!
Front of House Team
As a part of the Front of House Team you will be responsible for meeting and greeting, checking tickets, keeping attendance records, running microphones during Q + A’s - for all our exclusive parties, sessions, masterclasses and film screenings. You need to be confident, amiable and full of energy, with an ability to think on your feet.
Guest Services Team
Guest Service Coordinators / Assistants
Often working from the festival's registration desk, you will be the first point of contact for many of our delegates and will be working from the heart of the festival. You need to be friendly, approachable and calm, cool headed under pressure. As you will be dealing with some of the documentary world’s most influential figures - providing them with key festival information and assisting in all areas of their registration. A background in customer focused work experience is desirable.
Information Desk
Information Officers
The Information Desk is situated in the Delegate centre, at the heart of the festival, which is buzzing with industry professionals. You need to be friendly, bright and able to absorb a lot of information and then deliver it confidently. We’ll provide you with all the information you need to know about the festival but a living knowledge of the city is desirable.
Videotheque
Videotheque Assistants
During the festival we run a digital documentary library for the exclusive use of the Doc/Fest delegates. Delegates can book time to watch docs at one of our online stations. We are looking for a reliable team of volunteers to work on the Videotheque desk, taking bookings and assisting delegates. Confidence, patience and good communication skills are essential for this job.
MeetMarket Team
MeetMarket Coordinators / Assistants
MeetMarket is a new pitching initiative at Sheffield Doc/Fest, designed to match documentary makers’ most innovative project ideas with UK and international buyers. We are looking for a group of bright, team players, who would be comfortable offering high level support to international buyers and filmmakers. In return you get to see firsthand how a documentary marketplace works.
Production Team
Production Team Assistants
The festival has a wide range of exclusive parties, sessions and special events. You will assist with the setting up and then the running of these events. You need to be very hands on and practical as part of your role will involve lifting and moving, full of energy, hardworking and a real team player as the venues and events need to setup in a limited amount of time.
Executive Assistants
Roles in include assisting the Festival Director, Film Programmer and Special Events Coordinator
We are looking for volunteers to provide high level personal support to key members of the Doc / Fest team. Including; the Festival Director, Film Programmer and Special Events Coordinator. You need to be calm, quick on your feet, not easily flustered and available for the whole festival period. In return you'll be shown the inner workings of the festival, get to shadow senior staff, allowing you contact with VIPs, filmmakers and buyers.
Conference Programme
Conference Programme Assistants
You will work closely with Session Producers, assisting them in the delivery of high profile events, including behind the scenes access to the festivals most prominent keynotes, debates and masterclasses, allowing you an insight into the industries inner workings. You need to be well mannered and friendly, with a happy to do attitude and a real passion for filmmaking.
Ambassadors
Very much the public face of the festival and the first point of contact for many of our international VIP delegates,. You will meet and greet international delegates on arrival, whether they arrive by plane, train or automobile. Delegates will be tired and weary so a smiley, helpful personality is essential.
Event Crew
The life blood of the volunteer team - you will assist and support all areas of the festival. This isn't a job for the faint hearted and you will need an almost inexhaustible reserve of energy, adaptability, quick thinking and happy to do anything. However, your hard work will be rewarded - with broad experience of all areas of the festival. Included within this crew is the Lunch Team - the most popular people at the festival - Who will distribute lunch to everybody working at the festival.
Marketing Support Coordinators
You will be responsible for the sale and promotion of Doc/Fest merchandise available at the festival. You need to be welling presented and confidant at selling - in a considerate and appropriate manner and be able to work independently with limited supervision.
Other Opportunities
Throughout the year, we recruit teams of volunteers on an ad hoc basis to help with marketing the festival. Tasks usually include putting together info packs and helping with mail outs. It’s a really good way to see the festival operations early on and build up your experience and knowledge of the festival. The work is based in our office, so you would need to get to Sheffield easily.
As we get closer to the festival period we will need a good team of volunteers to help out, with duties including preparing delegate bags, packs and passes for hand out during the festival. As we get even closer it will involve setting up venues for sessions and flyering. You will need to be committed and hard working with a good sense of humour. We need people during office hours, in the evenings and some weekends... so whenever your available, please let me know.
If you have any questions at all please contact me:
Tom Gatis – Volunteers Coordinator
E: volunteers[at]sidf.co.uk
T: +44 (0)114 276 5141