TIFF: Interview with last year’s volunteers.

Utropia decided to interview some of the students taking part in last year’s TIFF. The reason was to give the possible 2012-volunteers some idea as to how it is to be a part of the festival’s crew. During the search for volunteers we noticed two things: first, we didn’t have to look far to find them; second, they seem to speak in one voice. Anyway, see for yourself…

Josh, Free-mover at UiT, Layout editor at Utropia

1. What was your position during TIFF?
I worked at Aurora Kino Fokus, taking people’s tickets, and at the closing ceremonies.

2. What do you think about how the festival is organized?
I think it was extremely well organized. I was well taken care of. There was no problem with changing my schedule. I felt that the people managing it were really competent.

3. Did you enjoy working as a volunteer?
I really enjoyed it because I felt that the festival spirit pervaded the whole town and I think I saw 19 or 20 movies in the course of two weeks. Every day we met friends at Verdens Teatre. I met lots of people, made a lot of friends, saw a lot of movies. The town was beautiful in the snow.

4. Will you take part in the festival this year?
Absolutely!

Jean Baptiste, Geology student at UiT

1. What was your position during TIFF?
I was a substitute. I worked in different places to replace people were sick or if they needed more people at a given place. It was quite interesting because I wasn’t stuck in one place and I visited all the places where TIFF took place. You could also see all the movies you wanted even when you were working. I was checking tickets and sometimes cleaning the venues after the movie was over.

2. What do you think about how the festival is organized?
They took great care of me.

3. Did you enjoy working as a volunteer?
It was very pleasant. I was with a lot of volunteers and some friends. We had food and drinks and we watched a lot of movies. It was a great experience.

4. What did you enjoy the most?
That it was well organized.

5. Will you take part in the festival this year?
Unfortunately not I have a very intensive course then.

Hanna, student of Peace and Conflict Transformation at UiT

1. What were your responsibilities?
I was in charge of checking tickets before screenings at Kulturhuset.

2. Did you enjoy being a volunteer?
Volunteering was fun, I could either go and see the film if it seemed interesting to me or stay outside the cinema helping late-comers in and reading compendium. I was also surprised how good care they took of us, even brought some lunch, which I didn’t expect at all!

3. What did you like the most?
I like the festival because it fits the time of the year perfectly: it’s dark outside which makes me sleepy and not very motivated to study. So why not take a week off and open yourself to new impressions in the form of random movie experiences! The best thing about TIFF is that it’s is not only entertainment. For me TIFF is about films that make you think and give an opportunity to learn about and meet previously unknown worlds.

4. Will you be a volunteer at TIFF 2012?
Yes!

Tarjei, History Student at UiT, Utropia’s Chief Editor

1. Hva gjorde du under TIFF?
Jeg passet på publikum og organiserte dem. Jeg sette folk i ledig setter. Etterpå fikk jeg å gå inn å se på filmen. Også ryddet jeg salen og slå lyset. Det var kult å ha ansvar for dette.

2. Tror du at festivalen vær bra organisert?
Ja.

3. Hva likte du mest?
Jeg ville se på en film også jobbet jeg som frivillig, men filmer gikk mange ganger, så jeg sa alle filmer at jeg ville se. Det var også en stor arrangement. Jeg er glad at jeg vær med på det.