Hi,
This is my first TIFF. I realize now I am looking to buy tickets too late now. =(
I heard you can get rush tickets for no shows 10 minutes before or was it after a show. Where can I find more information? And how does this work?
Thanks,
Robin
Rush Tickets
(6 posts) (4 voices)-
dejavu
Memberif the screening is sold out, then you come to the theatre and line-up in the rush line - for some popular films this can mean up to 3h, 5h beforehand
after they usher in all the ticket holders (who actually have guaranteed seating only up to 15min before the film), they count how many seats there are left and allow in that many people from the line
if you're among the first in line, chances are usually great as there is often a few no-shows. Sometimes the whole line gets in, sometimes not a one. So, it's a gamble.Posted 1 year ago # -
saareman
MemberAt large theatres like Roy Thomson, Elgin and Ryerson a good number of the Rush Line get in it seems, but often they will have missed 5 to 10 minutes of the film as the process of getting in and only then just buying your ticket etc. will take extra time. Even the smallest theatre like Varsity 7 should still have several Rush Seats, but your best bet is if you are within the first 10 or so Rush Liners. 3 to 5 hours is if you absolutely must still see 127 Hours or Black Swan or something like that. You can take a chance on an unknown film and maybe only line up 15 minutes, because it isn't high profile enough for others to Rush for it.
You won't have much of a seat selection, usually you will end up at either the very front or have to cross along a row to get to the single solo seat left in the middle somewhere. Or at Roy Thomson, you are likely going to be way up on the side in the 2nd balcony. If there are 2 of you, do not expect to sit together so make plans on where to meet afterwards. Also, one of you may not get in, so decide ahead of time what you would do in that situation.
You can buy the tickets with VISA/Debit at the box office, but considering carrying cash. Sometimes someone will come along with tickets to sell and they are obviously not taking VISA. Also the fastest cash in hand might win the tickets. Usually a ticket seller is selling at face value, but that might include their service charges so basic TIFF tickets are $22.50 cash. About double that for Premium Galas. Even if only 1 ticket is available, grab that when you can and one of you can get into the regular line that way and maybe save a seat. This is also a case where being able to text or phone each other might help coordinate. It is Rush Line protocol that a ticket seller should not be scalping, also they should be offering to those at the very front of the line first. Often the TIFF volunteer or the line itself will help police this.
Definitely try this out, there is a Rush Line at every theatre and they are separately marked from the regular Ticket Holders line. Sometimes the theatre box office will have some seats still available before they start the Rush Line process as well, so you may luck out that way.
Hope this helps.Posted 1 year ago # -
saareman
MemberOne other tip. In a theatre where there are several TIFF movies, say AMC Dundas, there is one generic rush line for everything. So not everyone is necessarily rushing for the same movie. You may be 20th in line, but you might actually be the 1st for the film you are going for. Unless you feel outgoing enough to actually walk up to everyone to ask, you won't know this until the TIFF volunteers* start coming to the Rush Line and asking for a show of hands for who is Rushing for "So and So Film?" at which point they start pulling those people out of line in groups of 4 or 5 to go to the box office for the ticket buying process.
An official TIFF Rush Line rule (which they post) is that you can only hold a spot in the Rush Line for one single other person and they have to be physically there before you can buy a ticket for them.*Some volunteers in the past used to be super-motivated to organize the Rush Line at theatres. I remember at the Cumberland (no longer used for TIFF 2010) the volunteers came up the line and asked for your movie and then wrote down on a clipboard which # in line you were for it and told you that you were 15th in line for '....' etc. You felt like it was more ordered and controlled that way. But I haven't seen that done this year yet and that sort of knowledge seems to have to get re-learned every year with new volunteers.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Nanabush
MemberI've stood in a couple of rush lines this year. In particular the rush line at the VISA Screening Room (Winter Elgin) was pretty well organized in terms of someone consistently coming down the line to check on us and give us a number in the line.
The worst was probably standing in the rush line at the Varsity where they made us poor desperate souls stand outside in the freezing pouring rain for over an hour. A lot of us were soaked to the bone even though most of us had umbrellas. But I got in! Thank god.
I recall people getting pretty bitchy at the Ryerson based on how unorganized they were in terms of getting rush line people into the theatre and making us individually wait in line to purchase our tickets at the box office. The flow of issuing rush tickets could have gone a lot faster and smoother if they knew what they were doing.
Overall I've had a variety of good and bad experiences standing in rush lines. About 90% of time I've got into the screening of my choice.
Enjoy the rest of the festival TIFF-ers!
Posted 1 year ago #
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