| Q: | Is the Waterfront Film Festival a non-profit organization? |
| A: | Yep. Waterfront Film Festival was set up as a non-profit organization from the inception in 1999. It is run based on donations and volunteer support.
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| Q: | I would like to make a donation to this worthy event. Is it tax-deductible? |
| A: | Yes it is! Isn't that great?! Help support the arts and have some fun at the same time. If you would like to give $500 or more (yes, give more), we suggest you look into our sponsorship program , which gives you all sorts of cool privileges.
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| Q: | How do I stay informed on what's happening? |
| A: | Please consider joining our fabulous mailing list.
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| Q: | I have emailed / called the Waterfront Film Festival office but haven't gotten a response yet. What should I do? |
| A: | Whip up a tasty Mai Tai and relax. Due to the increasing popularity of the Festival, it is sometimes difficult for us to respond quickly. We are inundated with numerous requests daily that must be handled by our VOLUNTEER support staff. Please be patient, someone will get back to you. However, if it has been a week or more, feel free to contact us again.
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| Q: | I want to submit my film, but I'm broke. Can the submission fee be waived? |
| A: | We are a non-profit, volunteer-based organization. We have a submission fee to help cover the costs of the film selection process. You are free to submit your film without the fee, however, due to the large volume of submissions we receive, it probably will not get the same thorough consideration as paid entries.
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| Q: | I really want my film to get into the Festival. Will calling or emailing the office a lot increase my chances? |
| A: | No. We're as busy as bees, and it's never good to poke the hive. If you have a legitimate question, please contact us. Otherwise, fill out the entry form completely, label your tape clearly (with running time), pay the submission fee, send it to us, and keep your fingers crossed.
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| Q: | When do you notify filmmakers of acceptance or rejection of their submissions? |
| A: | All results will be posted on this website no later than Memorial Day Weekend. We strive to contact every filmmaker personally (with an email or phone call) but sometimes this becomes tricky with the high amount of films, and low amount of VOLUNTEER support staff.
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| Q: | Are there any requirements as to length, content or otherwise, regarding my film submission? |
| A: | Nope. We welcome film submissions of all types. However, for our Main Program, films should not have been completed more than 15 months ago, and should not have had any type of commercial release. Our recommendation is that you review the films in the film archives for previous years. Additionally, please review our guidelines for entry.
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| Q: | What formats do you accept for film submissions? |
| A: | VHS (NTSC) or DVD, baby.
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| Q: | Do you accept student films for submission? |
| A: | We sure do! We are proud to offer a Student Filmmaker Showcase as a sidebar during the Festival. Please review our guidelines for student film submission.
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| Q: | Are there awards for films? |
| A: | Na-da. The Waterfront Film Festival prides itself on being a fun, non-stressful and non-competitive event. It is a festival designed to celebrate independent film and filmmakers. Therefore, no awards are issued.
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| Q: | The volunteers look like they're all having so much fun! How do I sign up? |
| A: | Fill out the application on our Volunteer page, and someone will be in touch with you. The Festival is volunteer-based, so the more time you donate to make the event happen, the more cool perks you get.
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| Q: | Do you have any internships available? |
| A: | Usually we do. They are unpaid. Please submit a cover letter and resume to info@waterfrontfilm.org - it will be forwarded to the correct department, and someone will contact you if we have an opening.
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| Q: | I am interested in organizing a seminar. How do I approach this? |
| A: | Please write up a two-page proposal on what topics the seminar would cover, what panelists it might include, and other details. Email it, along with your resume to info@waterfrontfilm.org.
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| Q: | I have a great idea to make the Festival even better. What should I do? |
| A: | Please email your suggestions to us at info@waterfrontfilm.org - Or, better yet, volunteer to spearhead helping to make the change yourself. We strive to make this event the absolute best it can be, but sometimes we're a little short-handed on VOLUNTEER support staff.
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| Q: | I wanna buy tickets! When will films be announced? |
| A: | Films will be announced no later than Memorial Day Weekend, at which point the website will be updated, schedules published, tickets for sale, and so on. Please consider joining our mailing list and we will automatically notify you when film selections are published.
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| Q: | Can I get a discount on ticket prices for my group? |
| A: | Not at this time. Sorry. Seats are very limited, and the Festival is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization. All ticket sales are a donation, and we strongly rely on these ticket sales to make the Festival happen each and every year.
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| Q: | I live in Egypt! How the heck do I get to Saugatuck?! |
| A: | The nearest major airport is about 30 minutes away in Grand Rapids, Michigan (GRR). Those of you lucky enough to come by private jet may land at Tulip City Airport, in Holland, Michigan. This is only a 5-10 minute ride from Saugatuck. To learn about the wonderful array of lodging Saugatuck has to offer, including Bed & Breakfasts, private cottages, condos, boats, and quaint motels, please visit our area info page.
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| Q: | What are the festival office hours? |
| A: | The Festival office opens to the public on May 25. Office hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. During the festival, June 7-10, the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
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| Q: | What is your seating policy? |
| A: | Purchased seats are only guaranteed up to 15 minutes prior to showtime, at which time vacant seats for sold-out shows will be resold to waiting patrons, so please ARRIVE EARLY!! Seating at screenings is first come, first serve. Please be aware our policy is NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES for unused or resold tickets (all tickets sales are a donation, as the Waterfront Film Festival is a non-profit volunteer-based organization).
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