Omaha Film Festival

The primary responsibility of the Silent Auction Manager is to plan, organize, and execute the Silent Auction during the festival which includes working with local and national organizations and individuals to provide a nice selection of movie-related and general auction items to be used as a fundraiser for the Omaha Film Festival.

Must be fun, welcoming, and positive, must be a team player and able to multitask with an attention to detail, must be able to attend the Omaha Film Festival training events and the Omaha Film Festival.

Attend monthly Leadership Team meetings on the [first Thursday] of each month.

Manage a team of Silent Auction volunteers (if needed).

Coordinate with other departments so only one person approaches a vendor/sponsor for everything we want to ask for.

Responsibilities include:

Prior to the Festival

Use the current list of past donors to reach out to them again

Maintain the list of contributors that you solicit

Solicit new contributors

Gather and inventory items

Work with social media team to create posts about various items

Work with Festival Director regarding price ranges

Work with the Photo Team to get photos for certain items to be included in social media and on the Silent Auction forms

Update the Google Doc as items come in

Create Information Sheets and Bid Sheets for each item

Maintain an inventory of items needed including pens, pencils, acrylics, etc.

Learn the OFF Square methods/procedures for properly logging silent auction winners

During the Festival

Create initial setup of Silent Auction display on setup day (Tuesday morning/afternoon) with tables, toppers, table clothes, etc. 

Set up the Silent Auction display each day during the Festival (Tuesday through Sunday) at least one hour prior to the first screening

Help promote the Silent Auction during the Festival by being available and active around the display, answering questions and highlighting various items. Be available to help pitch various items in the film introductions.

Tear down the Silent Auction display each night after the last screening lets out and secure in our locked room

At the end of the Festival

Work with the front booth to get cash, a cash box, and a Square prior to the close of the auction.

Immediately at close of the auction, turn all of the bid sheets upside down to indicate that no more bids will be taken.

Set up a station at the Silent Auction area to immediately start distributing items after the auction is closed.

Maintain station for an hour after the Closing Night Film ends.

The goal is to distribute as much as possible in those closing hours with a heavy focus on getting rid of large physical items that would be difficult and expensive to ship.

Contact people who were unable to pick up their items on the last day of the Festival and coordinate pickup or delivery.

Set up additional dates and times for people to pick up and make payment for their winnings

Where appropriate, mail simple items like gift cards and certificates once payment is received.

Duties

Begin soliciting donations. The sooner you get started the less stressful it will be! Usually begin no later than mid-October. 

Sample letters or emails available on OFF shared drive

Feel free to add to existing donor list / ideas. 

Some businesses will require the IRS letter confirming nonprofit status in addition to tax ID# also provided by Marc.

Airlines / national brands often ask for additional information like annual operating budget, attendance etc... will need that info from leadership if you apply for those. 

Collect donations 

Many businesses will happily mail documents to the OFFice address listed on your donation request letter.

Typically Marc checks the mail box and provides pics of anything that arrives. You can also check the mailbox and arrange to meet Marc to collect docs.

Some businesses request you come in person to pick up donations. 

Marc and Jeremy obtain the autographed posters, screenplays, dvd's from studios/filmmakers. Try to collect these from them before the week of the festival if possible b/c they will get very busy.

Catalogue Donations 

Add them to the blank Auction spreadsheet for tracking.  Write an easy to view description - IE two $50 gift cards to ABC Store etc... 

As you collect donations you will hopefully get ideas for what can be packaged together and what you decide to auction independently. 

IE Arts basket, Dinner and a show basket, etc… See past auction spreadsheets for inspiration. (available on share drive)

Package items

This is at your discretion what you want to package together or sell independently. Try to have a range of packages vs single items as bidders have different spending limits.

Recommend Hobby Lobby to buy any physical baskets, basket confetti, cellophane bags, or cellophane rolls and ribbon to wrap baskets in. Keep receipts for reimbursement. 

Try to get baskets made no later than 2 weeks before the festival to reduce workload at the last minute. Ask other leadership members for help with wrapping stuff up as needed.   

Update your auction summary spreadsheet page to reflect what is in each package being bid on. Can use past spreadsheets for ideas.

Examples:

Arts package

1. Paints
2. Canvas
3. Brushes

Ted and Wally’s Package

5 free ice creams 

Price baskets/items 

ALWAYS CHECK WITH MARC ON WHAT PRICES AUTOGRAPHED ITEMS SHOULD BE LISTED AT. 

Rest of package starting prices are at your discretion.  Recommend starting bid no lower than 50% of item(s) Value 

During the course of the Festival check bidding history each day and if an item is not being bid on after a few days you can lower the starting price.

Create bidding sheets; template on same spreadsheet at Auction Summary page.  Proofread! 

Create package description pages.   

Display placards (acrylics) will be provided for you to insert description sheets into for the Auction Display.

Include name / number of the package for easy reference (suggest adding footer/header saying Package # and insert page # to correspond with package #) 

Describe each item in the package briefly & include company logos to make it look more attractive to bidders when possible. 

List donated by, any expiration dates and/or exclusions (items valid for M-TH only etc...)

Proofread and make sure your package descriptions match your Auction Summary spreadsheet and bid sheets.

Create 3-4 copies of the sign that states the Silent Auction will run Tuesday 5:00 PM to Sunday at 4:30 PM. Recommend including your name / email or phone on sign for bidders not present on Sunday if they want to contact you to see if they won any items. Note that pick-up will begin immediately following the awards ceremony and closing night film.

Paper items

Recommend anything not in a physical basket on display be placed in an envelope and labeled with Package # and Name. Double check against your Auction Summary Spreadsheet / Packaged description sheets that will be on display.

This should include any screenplays, autographed DVDs.

Tuesday - Festival Day #1

Tables, tablecloths, pens, easels, and acrylics for item descriptions will be provided and set up with/for you depending on your availability that day.

Recommend allowing at least 2 hours to set up all your baskets on the display tables with display placards before the festival opens at 5 PM.

Coordinate with Box OFFice and Merch on suggested hours for the week.

Festival will provide easels for large autographed posters.

Once items are set up, the auction begins. Keep an eye on items through the night to ensure everything looks good and isn't missing.

At the end of the night (preferably after the last show lets out) store all of the auction items in the locked Festival room at the theatre.

Wednesday - Saturday - Days 2-5

Arrive before the first film (5:30pm weeknights and 10:00am on Saturday) if possible to set items back out on display; sometimes other volunteers will do this for you if they have time earlier in the day.

Make sure everything is in place and nothing goes missing throughout the night.

Check bid sheets throughout the evening/day; if you see one is filling up, print a new bid sheet; laptop and printer will be available at the theater.

Double check bid sheets for clarity. If you can’t read someone’s phone number on the sheet, there can be opportunities to see the bidder throughout the week to verify.

At the end of the night (preferably after the last show lets out) store all of the auction items in the locked Festival room at the theatre.

Sunday - Day 6

Arrive before first film if possible to set items back out on display; sometimes other volunteers will do this for you if they have time earlier in the day.

Make sure everything is in place and nothing goes missing throughout the night.

Check bid sheets throughout the evening/day; if you see one is filling up, print a new bid sheet; laptop and printer will be available at the theater.

Be ready to shut down auction bidding immediately at 4:30pm! (coordinate time with festival and other departments) Collect bid sheets, pens, packages, and take down display placards so roadies can dismantle tables once awards are over.

You and your team check winning bids and match up any bid sheets from people who won multiple items & have packages grouped together.  This will make it easier to check them out at pick up. 

Begin calling people during the closing movie to let them know they won, what the price is and to pick up that night if possible. You can usually get rid of 90% of items that way. Some items can be brought to the closing night party and distributed there (if desired).

iPad/Square (can swipe cards w/it) and cash box can be obtained from the booth - just ask Kari / Kayleen to prep one for you earlier in the afternoon.

When checking out add “package #1” to the Square checkout description for record keeping.

After the final movie lets out and the last person has arrived to pick up their item, pack up the remaining items, iPad, and cash box to take home with you.

Give people a deadline to collect their items from you; you can ask them to meet at your home, public place, movie theater, festival OFFice, etc...

Post Festival

Give people a deadline to collect their items from you; you can ask them to meet at your home, public place, movie theater, festival OFFice, etc...

Update Auction summary spreadsheet with winning bidders name, ph# and how they paid cash, check, or card

After 2 weeks of no response or pick-up, move on to the next bidder to see if they will claim the item.

You can usually get rid of almost all items before the monthly meeting / wrap meeting in April. Return the iPad and cash box to the Festival at this time.

If someone pays with a check, try to get it to Marc or the OFF bank for deposit asap so it doesn't mess up someone’s account.