We are a group of committed volunteers united by our interest in film. We also help and look after each other. Anyone joining us will find that help is always at hand.
Our entire operation is run by unpaid volunteers and we pay only for our professional projectionist and the media/ licenses for each film. This allows us to hand surpluses to the National Film and TV School’s Student Support Fund. A timely helping hand has, for instance, allowed student teams to complete their graduation film set against the unexpected and vastly increased costs caused by social distancing rules.
If you can help, please send an email to bookings@beaconsfieldfilmsociety.com or have a chat with our chair, Dieter Shaw, who would welcome your call on 0785 8482032/01494 678785.
Other volunteer roles for which help is sometimes needed are:
- Main Committee Member – Most committee members have a specific role which means no-one has too much to do. Nothing takes a huge amount of time. Just access to a computer, confident using email and around 2-3 hours per month. During absences, full cover will be provided and this isn’t a job for life. Typically we meet around 3/4 times a year. We would welcome some new faces and ideas.
- Programme Selection Committee Member (this role is currently filled) – If you are interested in film and happy to search out films others might like, then we could do with your help to come up with our 6-monthly programme. To create the programme, we meet every 6 months and discuss films we have seen or reviews read. The LONG LIST that emerges will go forward to check for available licenses, followed by a SHORT LIST where different genres, subjects etc are fairly represented. Each film is then viewed by at least two committee members before a final list of 12 films emerges.
- Front of House Organiser (this role is currently filled) – Overall responsibility for front of house (FOH) arrangements. Every six months, you would need to prepare a rota of Helpers to ensure a full team on-site for each film. There is no need to attend every time as the task can be done by email.
- Front of House Helpers (these roles are currently filled) – Involves arriving at 6:45pm and then helping either on the bar or the check-in desk until 8pm when the film starts. You can select dates that suit you and all front of house helpers benefit from a free seat to see the film.