“At Telluride, one is perpetually grateful for the thoughtfulness of the scheduling, the simplicity of the pass system, the professionalism of the staff, and most of all for the insistence of the Festival to go against the grain of what is hip and fashionable. Telluride has stubbornly remained a unique alternative to the sheer bigness and commerciality of other festivals. It has somehow all worked, and in a great twist, become hip and fashionable and the best, I believe, of all the world’s film festivals.”
– Ken Burns

Sure, there’s the pleasure of rubbing shoulders with the film elite. But plenty of elbow grease goes into producing the four-day Telluride Film Festival. That’s where you might come in — hard-working, problem-solving, movie-loving, people-pleasing, get-your-hands-dirty volunteers make the show happen. The Telluride volunteers are the nuts and bolts of the endeavor; we literally could not do it without them. What kind of talents can we use? Carpenters to build benches. Ushers to finesse the crowds. Food servers. Muscles to haul gear. Your first step is to apply — we’ll figure out where to harness your talents.

For those who want the fullest ‘behind-the-scenes’ adventure, we select 8-10 eager applicants as production apprentices for an intensive month of preparation in Telluride. Remember the elementary school gym that transforms into an galactic movie palace? That takes many hands and long hours. Carpentry, rigging, painting and other production skills — apprentices acquire a real hands-on view of assembling a world-class event from the ground up. More information and the Production Apprentice Application Form are available below.

Past volunteers get first crack at positions for the next festival. Be warned: that leaves few spots for newcomers. First-time workers are primarily chosen by matching your skills to our needs. Help your cause by applying early. Witness the charm of a unique film event while contributing the sweat that pulls it off. Volunteer. As Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland exclaimed: “Let’s put on a show!”

The 2008 Volunteer Application Form may be downloaded here. (PDF)

The 2008 Production Apprentice Application Form may be downloaded here. (PDF)

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“There are two components of any great undertaking like Telluride: hard work and love. But only the love must show...”
– Chuck Jones

“Telluride has the world’s best film festival staff.”
– Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times