BIFF’s success depends on our fun-loving and hardworking volunteers! Volunteer Festival Crew members join their favorite Festival Teams and book at least 8 hours during BIFF to receive full volunteer benefits (ticket vouchers, BIFF t-shirt and badge, special offers, etc).
Please click on the Shiftboard logo below and fill out a new volunteer registration form so we can get to know you better.
The BIFF Staff is committed to holding a safe, fun Festival. We will be following Colorado’s Covid-19 safety guidelines and protocols. In order to attend BIFF, we’ll be requiring masks, social distancing, and providing hand sanitizer at every event and film screening.
As we approach the Festival, our BIFF Front Office volunteers help support the Festival Management Team. BIFF Front Office volunteers are based out of our offices in Downtown Boulder. They’re a friendly, dynamic crew that can easily transition from answering ticketing and volunteer inquiries to assisting in administrative projects.
Box Office volunteers are the helpful, friendly people who handle ticketing and sales at film venues, as well as check-in for Special Events like Opening Night, CineCHEF, and BIFF Noir. New last year in 2020, the Box Office has expanded to handle advanced sales and guest services in our new Festival Box Office inside the Downtown Boulder Visitor Information Center (VIC) on the Pearl Street Mall.
Call2Action is our showcase of films that have compelling messages that filmgoers may want to learn more about. Our motto is “You’ve been moved? Now get moving!” Volunteers in Call2Action line up non-profit partners whose missions support the film’s message and facilitate TalkBacks afterwards, often with filmmakers, activists, and professionals to explore concepts raised in key films during the Festival.
Decorating Boulder for a film festival requires equal parts flair, vision, and attention to detail. BIFF’s Décor Team manages our signage and décor at our Venues, Festival Tent, and Festival Box Office on Pearl Street.
Events volunteers help produce our very special parties during the Festival. From greeters and servers to TIPS certified bartenders, our volunteers ensure our guests have a wonderful experience. Events include Opening Night Gala, Filmmaker Lounge, CineCHEF, and more.
Green Team volunteers work with our partners at Eco-Cycle to fulfill our Zero Waste efforts for the Festival. And they educate guests at each venue on how to use our recycle, compost, and trash containers.
BIFF needs your help running day-to-day operations during the Festival. If you’re interested in being a Production Assistant, this is a great place to learn about event production. If you have production experience, we’d love to have you onboard as a Production Manager. BIFF Production Managers are responsible for managing the show office and coordinating the efforts of our fabulous Production Assistants as we work to support all of the activities throughout the Festival and keep things running smoothly.
The BIFF Program book is the most comprehensive guide to the Festival available. It’s also the principal signal to the community that the Festival is coming soon! Volunteers in Program Distribution travel across the Front Range delivering Programs to businesses, coffee shops, waiting rooms, etc. All together, we distribute over 30,000 BIFF Programs and directly improve our box office success!
Our friendly Registration volunteers provide Festival badges to pass holders, sponsors, and filmmakers. They pass out volunteer credentials and coordinate with other teams to make sure check-in runs smoothly.
Volunteers in Setup-Strike rise early or retire late to make the Festival run smoothly. They load in equipment, hang curtains and screens, and wrap locations.
Volunteers in Stage Management help us keep our film programs informative, efficient, and running on schedule. And they communicate directly with BIFF moderators and guests. We’re looking for experienced Stage Managers who have a good deal of technical expertise, theatrical or production experience, and great people skills. You’ll be leading a team that includes video projection, sound, and lighting. If you’re interested in being an Assistant Stage Manager, this is a great place to learn about Stage Management.
We’re looking for individuals interested in learning technical troubleshooting and management. The Tech Wizards will be responsible for WiFi setup and maintenance, iPads and scanners, TV’s and Amazon Fire Sticks, and any connectivity or Internet questions. This is a job on the move. Time will be split between the main BIFF production offices and on location work at the various venues around town. If you want to learn or already have a mind for fixing technology issues, this is the job for you!
During the Festival, Venues volunteers help facilitate our many film venues and the Festival Tent. They work in concert with Stage Managers, Box Office, Production Assistants, and others to ensure the smooth execution of the film and tent venues. They also interact with Festival customers to ensure an excellent experience for everyone. A Venue Crew Volunteer is a multi-functional role involving line management, ushering, People’s Choice voting and ticket scanning at film venues, as well as general support at the Festival Tent. Every other year, the Venues Team also facilitates guest surveys to provide feedback to the Festival organizers. From time to time, we have Venues Festival Staff opportunities that open up like Venue Manager and Line Manager.
Volunteer Support is the behind-the-scenes team that ensures everyone is ready for Opening Night! We’re looking to grow our bench of dedicated, detail-oriented and computer-savvy Volunteer Support Coordinators who know the intricacies of the Festival schedule and team structures. Together, we:
If you’d like a behind-the-scenes look at planning the Festival, please consider stepping up into a Festival Staff role. You can find our current opportunities HERE.
Returning Crew click HERE for Shiftboard.
