Sundance Film Festival

The Film and Media Studies program in the Department of English is pleased to announce its Sixth Annual Sundance Film Festival Student/Faculty trip from January 24 – January 29, 2017, available for Film and Media Studies and Department of English undergraduate and graduate students, brick-and-mortar and ASU Online. Students will volunteer as members of the Sundance Film Festival theatre team, helping to usher, take tickets, manage lines, and run its theatres. Accommodation, accreditation, and some meals will be provided for all selected students. Students will be responsible for airfare to and from Salt Lake City as well as shuttle to and from Park City. Accepted students can also earn one Internship credit of FMS 484 or ENG 484.

Information on the Sundance Film Festival can be obtained at http://www.sundance.org/festival/

Requirements:

• Must be over 21 by January 25, 2017, and be a part-time or full-time undergraduate major or minor or graduate student in the Film and Media Studies program, the Department of English, or the School of Film, Dance and Theatre.  No December graduates are eligible.
• Have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 overall and in the major.
• Volunteer at least 24 hours (three 8-hour shifts) with shift times assigned by the Festival so as not to overlap with Sundance Film School events.
• Complete a report within two weeks of the Festival detailing your experience.

How to Apply:

To apply for the Sundance Film Festival Student/Faculty trip, a general application comprised of a one-page resume and a one-and-a-half page cover letter on your background detailing how this Sundance opportunity would benefit your career aspirations and goals must be received no later than Wednesday, October 26. Email your application to Dr. Kevin Sandler at kevin.sandler@asu.edu. This opportunity is extremely competitive so please take your time with the application materials. A panel of Department and English faculty and staff will make the final decision on applicants.

Scholarships:

Scholarships are also available for the Sundance Film Festival Student/Faculty trip. Scholarship determinations are based on financial need, grade point average, year of study, and career goals as they relate to independent filmmaking and the Sundance Film Festival. Up to four scholarships are awarded to those students accepted to the trip after a formal selection process of all applicants. The formal selection process is conducted every October/November by four-to-five faculty and staff members from the Department of English. Awarded funds of $150 to $500 will be deposited directly into each recipient’s student account. Students interested in applying should also submit a one-page separate scholarship request with the general application materials.

Living Accommodations:

Living accommodation will be a multi-bedroom condo in the heart of Park City that is walking distance to many festival venues and directly on the Sundance bus line. Faculty members will serve as mentors and share accommodation with 6-10 students.

Benefits:

• Festival Access: Students are given Volunteer Credentials to allow access to Festival panels and some official Festival venues on a space-available basis. There are also a few screenings just for volunteers. For almost every screening, a certain number of tickets are set-aside only for volunteers.  Students receive one volunteer voucher for every four hours volunteered.
• Uniform: Jacket and Volunteer Credential
• Film School Events: Students can an attend several Film School Events run by the Sundance Institute, for free. They may include:

1. Festival Welcome with the Programmers
2. Filmmaker Roundtable
3. Speed dating interaction with current Festival filmmakers to learn their process and the steps they took to come to the Festival.

Other benefits as Sign Up Volunteers is detailed here: http://www.sundance.org/festivals/sundance-film-festival/volunteer