Welcome! What brings you here?
What's your relationship with OEFF?
What area are you working on?
What will you be doing?
Email Support Onboarding
You're the first point of contact for most incoming questions. When you handle the routine stuff well, it frees everyone up to focus on the parts that need creative problem-solving.
Get access
You need: Gmail access to shared inboxes, Google Drive (OEFF 2026 folder), the tracker spreadsheet.
Ask Tech Coordinator if you're missing any of these.
Set up shared inboxes
Add films@ and hosts@ to your Gmail so you can send and receive as the team.
Setup Guide →Learn the escalation rules
Know what you handle vs. what you forward. This is your daily reference.
Escalation Triggers →Skim the response templates
Know what exists — you don't need to memorize them yet.
Response Templates →Read the full onboarding guide
Includes practice messages and your first week schedule.
Support Onboarding Guide →Event Support Onboarding
Thank you for helping during festival week! OEFF runs across ~30 venues simultaneously over 4 days. Each venue has its own screening with a host team, and you'll be helping at one or more of them. Most of the work is greeting attendees, making sure the screening starts smoothly, and being a friendly face if anyone has questions.
Know your assignment
You should have received: venue name, date, time, and your role (greeter, tech assist, etc.)
If unclear, contact your venue coordinator.
Review the run of show
Each screening has a run of show document with timing and responsibilities.
Your venue host should share this with you.
Save the hotline number
For day-of emergencies only. Available 9am-10pm during festival week.
Hotline: [HOTLINE_NUMBER]
Know what to escalate
Technical issues → call hotline. Attendee questions → check FAQ or ask venue host.
General Support Onboarding
Welcome! Here's the baseline everyone needs.
Get access
You should have: Google Drive access (OEFF 2026 folder) and any task-specific tools.
Ask your point person if you're missing access to something.
Get your specific assignment
Your point person will give you task-specific instructions. This doc covers the foundation.
Hosts & Venues
You're supporting the ~30 venues that host OEFF screenings. Your role is to help hosts feel prepared and supported.
Hosts are community partners — libraries, churches, cultural centers, schools — who volunteer their space and staff time. Most are enthusiastic but busy, and many are doing this for the first time. The most common emails you'll see: questions about what AV equipment they need, how they'll receive their film files, what the timeline looks like, and whether they can pick a specific film. Occasionally a host goes quiet and needs a friendly check-in.
Key Resources
Common Tasks
- Discovery calls — Understanding venue capabilities, needs, concerns
- Email responses — Responding to host questions using templates
- Follow-up — Checking in on hosts who haven't responded
- Webinar support — Helping hosts during prep webinars
Films & Content
You're supporting the film delivery workflow — getting films from filmmakers, validated, and ready for delivery to venues.
OEFF screens ~30 films across the festival, each provided by a filmmaker or distributor. Common emails: filmmakers asking where to upload files, confirming format specs (H.264 MP4, 1920x1080, stereo audio), questions about captions, and deadline extensions. Files come in various states of readiness — your QC work catches problems before they reach a venue.
Key Resources
Common Tasks
- File requests — Following up with filmmakers for missing files
- QC review — Checking files meet specs (resolution, audio, captions)
- Asset logging — Updating tracker with received files
- Delivery prep — Organizing files for venue packets
Programs
You're supporting event programming — film selection, scheduling, and coordination with hosts and filmmakers.
Each screening pairs a film with a venue and time slot, often with a Q&A or discussion. Common coordination: matching host preferences to available films, scheduling filmmaker virtual appearances, and making sure the right people have the right information at the right time. This area works closely with both hosts and filmmakers.
Key Resources
Common Tasks
- Schedule coordination — Matching films to venues and time slots
- Filmmaker coordination — Q&A logistics, virtual attendance
- Host preferences — Tracking and honoring venue film preferences
Tech & AV
You're supporting technical operations — equipment, file delivery, and troubleshooting for venues.
Venues range from libraries with a laptop and projector to theaters with full AV booths. Common emails on tech@: hosts asking about playback formats, whether their setup can handle the film, requests for loaner equipment, and (closer to festival week) troubleshooting files that won't play. During the festival itself, this becomes the real-time support line.
Key Resources
Common Tasks
- Equipment prep — Testing and organizing loaner equipment
- Packet assembly — USB drives with venue-specific content
- Tech support — Answering venue technical questions
- Day-of troubleshooting — Festival week support calls
Project Contractor
Welcome! Here's what you need to deliver great work in your area.
Review your scope
You should have a Statement of Work defining deliverables, timeline, and payment.
If you don't have this in writing, ask before starting work.
Get access to your area's resources
Check the area-specific resources below. Your primary contact should share Drive access.
Know your contacts
- Primary contact: Who reviews your work
- Final approver: Who signs off (often Executive Director)
- Technical questions: Tech Coordinator
Understand handoff expectations
Where do final files go? What format? Who needs to be notified?
Area Resources
Based on your area selection, relevant resources will appear here.
Project Contractor Onboarding
Welcome! Here's what you need to deliver great work.
Review your scope
You should have a Statement of Work or scope document defining deliverables, timeline, and payment.
If you don't have this in writing, ask before starting work.
Get access to what you need
Google Drive folder with source materials, brand guidelines, any relevant history.
Your primary contact should share this. Ask if you don't have it.
Know your contacts
- Primary contact: Who reviews your work and answers questions
- Final approver: Who signs off (often Executive Director)
- Technical questions: Tech Coordinator if your work involves systems
Understand handoff expectations
Where do final files go? What format? Who needs to be notified?
Clarify this before you finish, not after.
Coordinator Onboarding
Welcome to the core team. Here's the full picture.
Set up communications
Add all relevant shared inboxes to your Gmail. You need visibility into cross-team threads.
Setup Guide →Understand the support system
How questions get routed, what gets escalated to you, what you can delegate.
Support System Overview →Review your area's docs
Templates, escalation triggers, and any area-specific guides relevant to your domain.
Escalation Triggers → Response Templates →Leadership / Admin
System configuration and infrastructure documentation.
Quick Reference
Getting Started
Support Resources
Admin / System Docs
Key links for OEFF 2026 hosts. Share this page or individual links as needed.
Host Prep Webinars
Biweekly Thursdays at noon, February—April. At least one person from your team should attend.
Host Resources
Marketing
Volunteers
Tech & AV
Key Dates
Questions? Email [email protected]
Shared Addresses
- films@ — Filmmaker communications
- hosts@ — Host/venue communications
- tech@ — Technical support
Subject Prefixes
- [Action by DATE] — Need them to do something
- [Q:] — Asking a question
- [FYI] — No action needed
- [Confirmed] — Closing the loop
Escalation Quick Check
- Handle: FAQ questions, template fits
- Try first: Troubleshooting, clarification
- Forward: Money, schedule, cancellation, <48hrs
Key Contacts
- Technical: Tech Coordinator
- Schedule/Budget: Executive Director
- Programming: Programming Lead
How do I switch the "From" address when replying?
Click reply, then click the From field at the top of the compose window. Select the shared address from the dropdown.
What if I'm not sure whether to escalate?
Go ahead and forward it with a quick note about what you're unsure of. A 30-second question now prevents bigger confusion later.
Where are the email templates?
See the Response Templates page. Templates are organized by audience: Hosts (H1-H6), Venues (V1-V4), Filmmakers (F1-F4).
How do I hand off a thread to someone else?
No need to forward — it's already in the shared inbox. Tag in Team Space if urgent, or use the escalation format to add context.
What's the difference between hosts@ and tech@?
hosts@ is for venue coordination, hosting questions, and logistics. tech@ is for file delivery, playback issues, and technical support.