Dead Parrot's PRIMER ON
MEMBERSHIP IN THE FILM SOCIETY OF
AND OBTAINING TICKETS FOR THE
I
have assembled this Primer because the movies in the New York Film Festival
(NYFF) are so wonderful that it is often difficult to impossible to
purchase tickets for them if you are not a Film Society member--and becoming a
member is such an easy and good thing to do: not only will it provide you with
an advantage in getting access to tickets to the Film Festival, it will also
keep you abreast of other Film Society events (including the Spring Gala and
other special
events, the New Directors
Film Festival, the French FF, the Spanish FF, etc., etc.) and it will enable
you to contribute to the support of this wonderful organization and the great
work it is doing.
(An
alternative strategy is to show up in front of Alice Tully before a particular
screening and buy tickets from people outside selling them, or to wait in the
standby line to see if any tickets have been returned for resale. This strategy
does, in fact, work for all but the most popular of films--but it is,
naturally, risky if you really want to see a particular film.)
N.B.: being a member does
not guarantee anything with respect
to getting tickets; it just gives you preference over non-members. The only
way to guarantee you can get tickets is to become a patron. But, back to membership in the FSLC.
MEMBERSHIP Categories:
Here
is a summary of the MEMBERSHIP categories for the Film Society (a complete
listing is available at www.filmlinc.com/membership/membership_pro.htm):
INDIVIDUAL
MEMBERSHIP is the cheapest way to do it. Priced at $75/year
($50 of which is tax deductible), it provides advanced notice at the end of the
summer of the films that are going to be in the Festival, and an opportunity to
place an order before tickets go on sale to the general public. This is the key
issue, as the NYFF tends to be 90% sold out before tickets are on sale to the
public. The trick is then to get one's application back immediately to
FSLC, remembering that within each membership level, applications are given
priority according to when they are received. This does not guarantee that you will always
get the tickets you want-- especially if you delay at all in returning
your application; but it has a very high probability of success, and is a
fairly sure thing except for the most sought after of tickets—Opening and
Closing Night performances of popular films have been known to sell out the day
they go on sale to members! Like all
FSLC memberships, an INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP comes with numerous other benefits,
such as a subscription to Film Comment (a magazine published by the
FSLC), one discount ticket to screenings at the Walter Reade Theater, discounts
on tickets to films In the New Director's FF, and several other benefits
(enumerated on the FSLC web site, link given below.)
DUAL
MEMBERSHIP, priced at $95/year ($70 of which is tax
deductible), provides identical benefits, with the addition of the right to two
discounted tickets to screenings at the Walter Reade Theater--but makes no
difference in getting NYFF tickets.
PARTICIPATING
MEMBERSHIP, priced at $150/year ($105 of which is tax
deductible), provides only the same ticketing benefits. Itcomes , however, with an invitation for two
to one of the private Patron Screenings that take place though out the
year. (These happen approximately monthly and are pre-release opportunities to
see a variety of different films, and--this is
PATRON Categories:
In
addition to knowing that you are contributing to making the work of this incredible
organization possible, being a PATRON pretty much does guarantee
your ability to get up to four tickets to any of the films in the NYFF and get
great seats for the screenings. It also provides tickets to the Patron
Screenings throughout the year. (See
the Film Society’s PATRON PROGRAM page for complete details: www.filmlinc.com/membership/membership_patron.html. To become a FSLC Patron or for more
information about the program, call Rob Mooney, Patron Program
Coordinator, at 212.875.5668 or email rmooney@filmlinc.com .) Here is a summary of the basic PATRON
categories (along with the Film Society’s listing of benefits):
Supporter $1,000 ($650 is tax-deductible)
The first level that makes a significant difference
in priority for NYFF tickets is the SUPPORTER. This level includes invitations
for two to 10+ Patron Screenings
throughout the year—plus one complimentary small popcorn and soda at all Walter
Reade screenings. It also includes
access to the VIP Patron Hotline for reservations to all Film Society
programming (including the NYFF) and access to sold out events.
• Invitation for two to 10+
private Patron Screenings and receptions throughout the year
• Discounted tickets for two to all Film Society programming (NYFF not
included)
• Discounts on Film Society merchandise and special publications
• The Film Society of Lincoln Center monthly calendar
• Optional 1-year complimentary subscription to Film Comment magazine
• New benefit!: One complimentary small popcorn and soda at all Walter
Reade screenings (with presentation of your Patron card)
• New benefit!: VIP Patron hotline for reservations to all Film Society
programming (including NYFF) and access to sold out screenings
Partner $3,000 ($2,450 is tax-deductible)
This category of membership provides two free tickets to opening and
closing nights of the New York Film Festival, including invitations for two to
the Opening Night Party--which is a black tie event held after the screening,
and is always a tremendous amount of fun.
The price of this membership may sound exorbitant, but if you figure the
price of the free tickets you get and the tax deduction involved, it isn't at
steep at all.
All of the preceding, plus…
• Two tickets to the New York Film Festival (NYFF) Opening and Closing Night
screenings, including passes for two to the Opening Night After Party
• New benefit!: Six pairs of complimentary tickets (total 12) to Film
Society programming (NYFF not included)
• New benefit!: Press Pass admitting two to all NYFF daytime press
screenings (reservations required, subject to availability)
• New benefit!: Opportunity to purchase two NYFF VIP Passport Packages
at a 20% discount
Benefactor $5,000 ($3,975 is tax-deductible)
This category of membership provides all the benefits of the PARTNER
category, but gives one four (rather than just two) tickets to Opening and Closing
Nights of the NYFF and party after—so it is the perfect package if you want to
bring family or friends to the big events.
All of the preceding, plus…
• New benefit!: Twelve pairs of additional complimentary tickets (total
24) to Film Society programming (NYFF not included)
• Two additional tickets (total 4) to NYFF Opening and Closing Night screenings
and Opening Night After Party
• New benefit!: Invitation for two to major opening night screenings and
receptions including Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, New Directors/New Films
and Film Comment Selects
• New benefit!: Access Pass for two to VIP Lounge at the NYFF
HIGHER Categories:
There
are higher PATRON categories, with even more wonderful benefits, and
that provide really important, significant financial support for the NYFF. If
you have the resources, I whole heartily suggest you look into a more
substantial involvement in the FSLC. If you can and wish to become active on
these levels, I'd suggest you contact the Film Society’s Director of Individual
Giving, Susan Sharer at 212.875.5630, or some other member of the
Development staff of the Society for more details.
So,
that's the deal. Anyway you cut it, your should at least become a
MEMBER: Click
here to sign up to be a MEMBER online now. You'll be in on the action, get
advanced notice of schedules and events, and have a great shot at getting
tickets for the NYFF, provided you act very quickly.
If
you can, the even better way to do it is to become a DONOR: Click
here to sign up to be a DONOR online now. That way you're sure to be
able to see whatever great films you want, and you'll be able to join the stars
and celebrities at all the wonderful parties!
It's a great organization--become a part of it!
Return to
the Dead Parrot Film Society homepage.