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VOLUNTEER ROLES & RESOURCE LIBRARY

UPDATE: Our volunteer needs are fully covered for the September Festival, thanks to you!

Roles

You’re not just a volunteer…you’re part of the production!

  • Box Office Crew members help guests begin their Festival experience with confidence. Volunteers assist with pass pickup, answer questions, and provide guidance on screenings, venues, and special events, ensuring visitors have the information they need to make the most of the Festival.

    This role requires training.

  • Help create an excellent first impression at the Festival's Box Office. Leads assist guests with ticket sales and pass holder reservations while working alongside the Box Office Manager to support and guide (2) crew members. Some cash handling is required.

    This role requires training.

  • Help host one of the Festival’s most relaxed gathering spaces. Lounge Crew volunteers brew coffee, pitch in to keep the space tidy and inviting, and help guests purchase PTFF merch using our simple iPad checkout. Some cash handling is required.

    This role requires training.

  • Assist with one of PTFF’s most beloved traditions! Parade Crew volunteers help filmmakers check in, coordinate with the classic car drivers, collect information cards, and guide filmmakers through the parade and photo area.

    This role requires training.

  • Join us under the September sky for one of the Festival's VIP gatherings. Held on on Taylor Street, Reception Crew members welcome guests, check lanyards, hand out drink tickets, and help create an inviting atmosphere for filmmakers and special guests. You'll receive a brief orientation before the event begins.

  • Enjoy variety? Float volunteers provide support wherever it’s needed during the Festival. You may assist with scanning passes, transporting materials between venues, or helping staff respond quickly to changing needs. Float volunteers will be assigned to a venue or task upon check-in.

    This role requires training.

  • Help scan passes and welcome attendees at the Forum, a venue full of lively workshops and discussions throughout the Festival weekend. Forum Hosts serve as the main point of contact for staff and (1) fellow crew member throughout their shift.

    This role requires training.

  • As an On-Call Driver, you’ll be one of the essential volunteers filmmakers and special guests count on to get around town. Drivers will also be tasked with food pick-up and drop-offs for special events such as the Opening Night Party.

    This role requires training.

    • Awards Party, Closing Night Party

      Help host one of the Festival's celebrations! Crew members welcome guests and check their lanyards as they arrive, hand out drink tickets, and assist the caterer as needed. You'll receive a brief orientation before "doors open" for the event.

    • Opening Night Food & Drink Crew

      Help bring the Opening Night Party to life by assisting with food presentation and service at the NW Maritime Center. Training will cover the venue layout, menu, food display and plating, event flow, and procedures for packaging leftovers and cleaning up at the end of the evening.

      This role requires training.

    • Opening Night Front Desk Crew

      Welcome guests to the Opening Night Party. Training will cover the NW Maritime Center layout, check-in procedures, distributing programs, passes, drink tickets, and bidder numbers, as well as collecting guest information and supporting silent auction bid tracking throughout the evening.

      This role requires training.

  • Keep the Festival running behind the scenes by starting and monitoring film screenings, operating projection and audio equipment, and coordinating with Theatre Hosts to ensure each screening runs smoothly.

    This role requires training.

    • Set-Up Crew

      Help transform PT into a Festival wonderland. Set-Up volunteers assist with moving furniture, placing signage, and transporting equipment before the Festival. Volunteers must be comfortable climbing ladders and lifting.

    • Strike Crew

      Help wrap things up by resetting venues. Strike volunteers assist with packing supplies, removing signage, moving equipment and furniture, and loading materials for transport. Volunteers must be comfortable climbing ladders and lifting.

  • Help filmmakers and guests travel between the Bainbridge ferry terminal and Port Townsend in a provided van. Shuttle Drivers provide safe, welcoming transportation and ensure that their passenger's visit to PT begins with ease.

    This role requires training.

  • Host one of our 5 indoor theatres for the weekend! Theatre Hosts oversee a crew of (2–4) volunteers, assist with ticket scanning, help pass holders reserve tickets when needed, support crowd flow, and serve as the primary point of contact for PTFF staff during their shift.

    This role requires training.

  • Ushers welcome attendees, assist with seating, answer questions about the venue (like accessible seating, restrooms, and exits), and help reset the auditorium between screenings by helping with tasks like sweeping and collecting leftover items.

  • Welcome Festival-goers as they arrive at the Forum or one of our five indoor theatres. You'll use an iPad to scan passes and tickets (it's quick and easy-we'll show you how!), then work alongside your venue's Host and Usher to help every guest feel comfortable and cared for.

    This role requires training.

Training Schedule

  • Group of people standing on a stage in front of a dark green wall, engaged in a discussion or presentation, with a projector on a wooden stand and some computer equipment visible.

    Projectionists

    Sep. 15th 5:30 - 7:30PM

    Location: The Boathouse
    1424 14th St

  • People gathered outdoors at a picnic or festival, seated at a long table with food and drinks, some standing or walking around, with trees, buildings, and a large screen or projector in the background.

    The Intermission:
    Food & Drink Crew

    Sep. 15th 5:30 - 6:30 PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

  • A smiling woman with vibrant pink hair, wearing large blue glasses and colorful earrings, waving from a classic convertible car. A man in sunglasses and a white shirt is driving. They are in an outdoor setting with other people walking and talking in the background.

    On-Call Filmmaker & Shuttle Drivers

    Sep. 16th 5:30 - 6:30PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

  • A street performer in a trench coat, hat, and colorful shoes stands on a platform with a microphone in his hand, engaging with an older man with a yellow cap and striped shirt. A large crowd gathers, watching the act, with some smiling and others looking on curiously.

    Filmmakers Parade Crew

    Sep. 17th 3:00 - 4:00PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

  • People waiting in line and interacting at a registration or information table inside a building with large glass windows and an exit door leading outside.

    Opening Night Party:
    Front Desk Crew

    Sept. 18th 1:00 - 2:00PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

  • A woman wearing a yellow hat and a white long-sleeve shirt is holding a tray of bread slices, smiling in an indoor setting with wood-paneled walls.

    Opening Night Party:
    Food & Drink Crew

    Sept. 18th 3:00 - 4:00PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

  • Two women standing on stage at the Downtown Film Festival, one is holding a microphone and speaking, while the other is looking at her. The background has the festival's logo projected on the wall.

    Intro & Q&A Presenters

    Sept. 18th 5:30 - 6:30PM

    Location: Online only via video link.

  • Two people standing in line at a concession stand inside a movie theater. They are both holding digital tablets. The woman on the left is wearing a blue hat with a festival logo, an MARIO-themed scarf, and a maroon shirt with a festival badge. The man on the right is wearing a yellow hat with a festival logo, glasses, a denim shirt, and has a lanyard with a badge around his neck. Behind them, movie posters and a menu board are visible, as well as a sign that says 'Check in at concessions.'

    Theatre Hosts, Forum Hosts, Welcome Crew & Float Volunteers

    Please attend one of the following:

    Sept. 18th 5:30 - 7:00 PM
    Sept. 19th 9:30 - 11:00 AM
    Sept. 19th 1:00 - 2:30 PM
    Sept. 19th 4:30 - 6:00 PM
    Sept. 20th 9:30 - 11:00 AM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

  • Two smiling women standing next to each other indoors, with a large chalkboard sign nearby. One woman is older with gray hair, wearing a black jacket and a gray scarf; the other is middle-aged with glasses, gray hair, and a bright orange cap labeled 'PTFF.' The surroundings include wood-paneled walls, a potted plant, and other people in the background.

    Box Office Leads & Crew

    Sept. 20th 1:00 - 2:30PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

  • Woman wearing an orange hat with 'PTF' written on it, smiling and playing bingo at a game table with markers, markers, and bingo cards.

    Festival Lounge Hosts & Crew

    Sept. 20th 5:00 - 6:00PM

    Location: PTFF Main Office
    211 Taylor St, Suite 401 A

    This is a hybrid training. You may join us in-person or online via video link.

All video links for hybrid trainings will be posted on this page before training commences.
Can't attend your training? Just let us know.
We'll be uploading training materials to the Resource Library as they become available.

Photos on this page provided by Mark Saran, Deja View Photography, and Elizabeth Becker

Training Slides

Emergency Preparedness

Please take a few moments to review the emergency plan for the venue(s) where you’ll be volunteering.

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