It's not too early to be thinking about TIFF

Summer seems like it's only begun.  Luminato just wrapped up and now the Toronto Jazz Festival's in full swing (heh, no pun intended), all of this making TIFF seem so far off all the way out in September.  But the truth is, with new membership advance sales, TIFF passes are already on sale to members and opening up to Visa card holders next week and the general public shortly after.  There are a limited number of passes and folks have been buying them up for week now, so shouldn't you plan to get yours?

Admittedly the prices can be pretty daunting, who's got close to $600 to drop on movies and the time to watch 50 films in 11 days??  However if you're willing to put in the time to plan and corroborate a bit, great deals can be had from purchasing a TIFF pass.

This year I've opted for a 20 Film Day Pack which came to about $190.  Given my involvement with volunteering and getting film vouchers that way, it might seem a little excessive, but after some primitive math I still see it as the best value for me personally.  It breaks down crudely like this:

50 anytime film pack = $10.48+tax/film
30 anytime film pack = $12.87+tax/film
20 daytime film pack = $8.50+tax/film
10 anytime film pack (this one also lets you get up to 4 tix per film) = $16+tax/film

My day pass will only allow me to redeem for shows that start at 5pm or earlier, however with a bit of time off and 4 weekend days, I can easily see 3 films before 5pm each day.  If there are 6 days where I can do this, I will have already used 18 of my 20 pack!

Perhaps this isn't realistic, at some point I will have to do a volunteer shift during the day, but I have friends who are purchasing anytime film packs, with whom I might be able to exchange a show or two.  For evening screenings I have my volunteer vouchers, and together should make for a pretty complete festival experience.

When you've been going to the festival for as long as I have, and know as many people from the festival as I do, you will find you rarely wind up attending a screening alone.  There will always be someone else you know at the same movie, but if you want to take it one step further and make a concerted effort, you can select similar shows as your package-holder friends.  Or redeem vouchers for a pair of tix.  Or even trade with friends, pick up an extra ticket for a show for them on your pack and ask them to get a ticket on their pass for you.

If value is your primary concern, take a few days off and get that day pack.  Or team up with a friend and split a 50.  There are many opportunities to make the festival what you want it to be, these are just some of our tips and hints for picking your pass.

More festival-ing pointers to come over the summer!

Summer Movie Freebies

It's summer in Toronto and the movies are free!  Harbourfront, Metro Square (which is actually called David Pecaut Square now, like anyone will remember that?) and Yonge Dundas Square free screenings return with the warm weather, here are their schedules:

Harbourfront Centre - http://media.harbourfrontcentre.com/mediaDisplay.php?id=931
Metro Square - http://www.torontoed.com/tiff
Yonge Dundas Square - http://www.ydsquare.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=109

No more complaints of boredom Tues/Wed nights come July!
(and on a completely unrelated note, if you're looking to fill your Monday evenings as well, my friend Chris organizes weekly pick-up frisbee at the Ryerson quad http://www.facebook.com/#!/home.php?sk=group_2417738825)

Summer blockbuster season is also underway as well as some stellar programming at TIFF Lightbox, it might be a little hard to spend quality time outdoors if this release schedule keeps up!