The Tribeca experience: being a volunteer

Let's just say that rather than getting myself into meeting the famous actors and actresses or even to watch any or all of the films being screened, this wasn't the experience that I got in this previous Doha Tribeca Film Festival highlight events.

But rather the experience as one of the volunteers working to make the event happen.

So we had our all-out meeting on the Aspire Park and saw all of us wonderful people of mixed races who'd like to participate and dedicate their time to make it happen. Here we were now assigned to our preferred departments. We claimed our shirt and badge two days 'fore the start of the event. And on with the show.

My first shift started on a Friday evening posted in the City Center Cinema area. First work I got was informing the people of a certain movie schedule to stay in this line and wait for the entry. You can see lots of 'em interested in this movie The Time That Remains (must be the word "Palestine" on the book guide that got them interested ;-P). I even got a little chat out front with the press guy who gonna see one. He asked "Why did I volunteer?". I said "For the fun of it. I like movies, but guiding you into the theater is a different experience." :-)

Second part of my first shift was keeping the drivers informed when a guest will need a ride back to their respective hotels. So they gave me a two-way radio, informing them when the drivers are prepped and ready. Well I didn't understand how this thing works at start but I dunno whether I had to comprehend with the drivers' 'sleepy' language to wake them up in the middle of the prep or if they want their proper relaxations thataway. ;-P

Every after one volunteer's shift we gets a free screening of any of those movies...but I ended up not using them all as I always got my work on a night shift and every movie was either sold out or it just started.

Saturday night was my second shift after work. Here I was assigned to the 'rush line' area, where people who didn't and couldn't buy a ticket on the said movie will have to wait outside if there're empty seats yet for the to fill out of being sold out. I got plenty of surrendered tickets for Michael Moore's documentary Capitalism: A Love Story. Funny I gave the tickets out because some people thought it really was a love story movie after trying to convince them it's an effing Michael Moore movie! LOL

Last day of my shift was on the Museum of Islamic Art grounds. I assisted the co-volunteer who sells the merchandise: shirts, sweaters, coffee cup, free bottled water. The open-air big screen (with Cairo Time showing) was just over us in front. We were looking at the spectators passing by our booth. There's even this guy who wants to buy a shirt 4/5's of the actual price! What is this?? Souq?? LOL

Well we also did get a free chow dinner at the back after the closing film. Tried them out as I was hungry. Then the fireworks came in. Spectacular!

Afterwards we closed the booth and we all volunteers claimed our certificates. Some went home afterwards, some stayed for awhile.

Let's just say I enjoyed the filmfest on another side of view. Tiresome but still worth it. So I'd like to thank our volunteer coordinators on this one, namely Jonathan Russo, Rema Sayge, Aya Al-Bouchi, the rest of the support gang, and a special familiar QL member plenty of you knows who. Aaand of course to all other co-volunteers who made the event a successful one. May everyone of us feel the dedication was worth the effort...and fun! :-)