AFF POLICY PAGE
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL POLICIES
Austin Film Festival has the right to refuse a sale or admission for any AFF product or event at its sole discretion.
Austin Film Festival Code of Conduct
Austin Film Festival (AFF) prides itself on being a welcoming and inclusive environment for all voices and stories. The Festival is committed to providing a harassment-free experience to registrants of all genders, races, sexual orientations, ages, ethnicities, physical orientations, and religions.
AFF reserves the right to revoke Badges and Festival privileges, without notice or refund, especially in regard to any threatening, discriminatory, or disrespectful behavior. This may include, but is not limited to: physical or verbal abuse or misconduct; sexual assault or unwanted sexual attention; violations of the law; stalking or bullying; inappropriate disruptions at official Festival events; and any other targeted or derogatory language, gestures, or actions that cause offense to another AFF registrant.
If you notice violations of this Code of Conduct, you can alert on-site staff or email conduct@austinfilmfestival.com. Emergencies and infringements of the law should be reported to local law enforcement by dialing 911. Badges and Festival credentials are the property of AFF and can be revoked at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion and without liability to AFF. Visit www.austinfilmfestival.com to review AFF’s Badge Policy in full.
Accommodations for Disabled Persons | Film & Conference Admissions | Crowd Notice | Handicap Access to Film Screenings | Hearing Impaired Patrons | Transportation Info | Collected Info | Store Policy | Refund Policy | Privacy Policy | FAQs | Price Protection Policy
GENERAL TERMS OF ACCOMMODATIONS FOR DISABLED PERSONS
To ensure that all Austin Film Festival & Conference panels, films, and parties are accessible to registrants, Austin Film Festival offers certain accommodations to patrons with disabilities:
- Accessible seating will be provided at all Conference & Film venues where seating is provided. All Austin Film Festival registrants must adhere to the Film Admission Policy.
- An accessible shuttle will be available for all shuttle routes provided.
- Service animals are welcome at all events in compliance with venue policies.
Please contact info@austinfilmfestival.com or call (512) 478-4795 with any questions or concerns regarding accessibility accommodations.
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & CONFERENCE POLICIES
Badges, Passes, and privileges may be revoked at any time for any reason at AFF’s sole discretion, without any liability to AFF. By purchasing a Badge, Film Pass, individual ticket, or other AFF materials, you hereby release and hold harmless AFF and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, successors, assigns, and licensees, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims resulting in connection with an AFF event.
You are solely responsible for ensuring AFF receives full payment for any AFF purchases you make. If such payment cannot be charged to your credit card, or if a charge is refunded for any reason, including chargeback, you agree AFF reserves the right to cancel your order. AFF reserves the right to collect a $100 administrative fee in addition to any unpaid amounts in connection with any bad checks or uncorrected payment problems. If you have any questions about the Festival, your membership, or Badge purchases, please contact info@austinfilmfestival.com or call 1-800-310-3378.
REFUND POLICY:
Badge refund requests for the upcoming Austin Film Festival must be in writing and sent by U.S. first class mail or email to refunds@austinfilmfestival.com, postmarked by July 15, 2023. All refunds will incur a $75 processing fee. After July 15, 2023, all payments are non-refundable for any reason, including but not limited to illness, acts of God, or travel-related problems. All merchandise, Badge add-ons, Film & Food tickets, Film Passes, Competitions entries, Coverage, Summer Film Program classes, membership, individual film tickets, special events, AFF Presents, or Conversation in Film purchases are non-refundable for any reason.
In the event that Austin Film Festival has to cancel its physical event, Badge and Film Pass Holders (only applicable to live event purchases) will have the following options:
- A full refund of your 2023 Badge or Film Pass
- Transfer your registration to 2024’s Austin Film Festival Live event (dates TBD)
- Support our organization by donating the price of your Badge or Pass to AFF to support the writing community! Austin Film Festival is a year-round 501(c)(3)non-profit organization.
Badges are non-transferable and are the property of Austin Film Festival, Inc.
Refunds will be issued either via the original method of payment or other method approved by Austin Film Festival, if such original method is not available. AFF does not refund unused credentials. Unused credentials cannot be credited for future year’s attendance.
Badge and Film Pass credentials may be revoked at any time for any reason without liability to Austin Film Festival. You hereby release and hold harmless Austin Film Festival, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, successors, assigns, and licensees, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims resulting in attendance of an Austin Film Festival, Inc. event.
Special events may require purchase of a separate ticket for entry.
If you have any questions about the Festival, your membership, Badge, or Film Pass purchase, please contact info@austinfilmfestival.com or call 1-800-FEST (3378).
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
Please be informed of the preventative health measures that may be required to attend AFF events. AFF will be following government-mandated guidelines in effect, at the time of the event. Please note that select partner venues may require additional steps prior to admittance, and attendees of these AFF events should be prepared to adapt to each of AFF venue’s specific protocols. This is Austin Film Festival’s policy for the foreseeable future, and it is subject to change.
FILM & CONFERENCE ADMISSION POLICY
FILM ADMISSION POLICY: Badgeholders and Film Passholders MUST be in line no later than 20 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. Priority admission is given to all Badgeholders. Film Pass holders will be seated after all Badgeholders have entered the theater. General Admission (GA) tickets will go on sale 20 minutes prior to each screening. Once General Admission tickets have gone on sale, Badgeholders and Film Passholders will no longer have priority admittance. Badgeholders and Film Passholders arriving AFTER the 20 minutes mark must go to the back of the General Admission line. ALL theater seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Neither Badgeholders nor Film Passholders are guaranteed a seat, only admission up to capacity. NO ONE will be admitted into the theater 15 minutes after start time. Austin Film Festival Staff will adhere to this policy even in the event of a delayed screening. Thank you for your cooperation. *SPECIAL EVENTS MAY REQUIRE PURCHASE OF SEPARATE TICKET FOR ENTRY.
The Paramount and State Theatres Clear Bag Policy
- Clear bags should not exceed 14″ x 12″ x 6″ in size.
- Small, non-clear clutch bags will be allowed, and should not exceed 4.5” x 6.5” in size.
- The following personal items are NOT permitted: food or beverage of any kind, weapons of any shape or size (including firearms, explosives, pocket knives, etc.), cameras or recorders of any kind.
Please note: This list is in no way exhaustive, and other items may be prohibited at the discretion of management.
Conference Admission Policy: Conference, Producer and Student Badgeholders will be given access to all general panels based on room occupancy. Panels will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis and after the room is at capacity badge holders will not be allowed in. Once the panel begins, registrants will be let in at the discretion of the room manager. Advance signups are available for select panels to Producers Badgeholders. Weekend Badgeholders will receive access to general panels on Saturday and Sunday only. Lone Star Badgeholders will receive access to general panels on Saturday only. General panels do not include: panels for Second Rounders or Semifinalists, Roundtables or Producers Roundtables (which must be registered for separately at the venue during the Conference based on availability.)
* For admittance into parties, all attendees must be 21 or over.
BADGE HOLDER
If you are a Festival Badgeholder, you will be accommodated on a first come, first served basis in regard to AFF’s established Film Admission Policy. When you arrive at a film venue, please check in with the Theater Manager on duty. You can receive a numbered queue card and will be allowed to wait in the lobby of the venue. If you have an aide who provides you assistance, he/she must have the same level of festival access as you, whether it be a Badge or a Film Pass. If your aide has a Badge, he/she can wait in the badge line and hold your numbered queue card for you. If you need continual access to your aide, he/she will be permitted to wait in the lobby with you. When the theater doors are opened to allow patrons in, you may enter the venue. If your aide is outside, he/she will have to wait and enter in order according to his/her numbered queue card.
FILM PASS HOLDER
If you are a Film Pass holder, AFF cannot guarantee entry into a screening due to the priority access given to AFF’s Festival Badgeholders. When you arrive at a film venue, please check in with the Theater Manager on duty and inform him/her that you are a Film Pass holder. The manager should be able to tell you at that time if you have a realistic chance of getting into the screening. If there is, you will be allowed to wait inside the lobby. If numbered queue cards are still available (after being distributed to the Badge line) for guests in the Film Pass line, you will be issued a numbered queue card on a first come, first served basis while Badgeholders are being let in. If you have an aide with you who also has a film pass, he/she must remain in the film pass line and can hold your numbered queue card. If you require continual access to your aide, he/she will be permitted to wait in the lobby with you. Once all Badgeholders have been seated, you may enter the venue to take your seat. If you have an aide in the Film Pass line outside, he/she will have to wait and enter in order according to his/her numbered queue card.
GENERAL ADMISSION TICKET
If there is still available seating after Badge and Film Pass lines have entered the theater, general admission tickets will be sold at the merchandise table. Please be aware that, there is absolutely NO guarantee that general admission tickets will be available for a particular film, no matter how early you may arrive at a venue. When you arrive at a film venue, please check in with the Theater Manager. The manager should be able to tell you if there is a realistic chance of getting into the screening. If the venue reaches capacity with Badge and Film Pass holders, there will not be any general admission tickets sold for the screening. If tickets are being sold and you wish to purchase one (1) general admission ticket, someone (either you or your aide) will have to wait in the general admission line to purchase a ticket. If you have an aide accompanying you, you are welcome to wait in the lobby until he/she purchases a ticket for both you and his/herself, and then you may enter the theater. If you require continual access to your aide, they will be permitted to wait in the lobby with you.
HANDICAP ACCESS TO FILM SCREENINGS
Austin Film Festival strictly enforces the Film Admission Policy above. This policy applies to all registrants; however, AFF allows physically impaired patrons with no aide or one (1) aide the following accommodations:
AFF advises any Festival goers who may be in a wheelchair, on crutches, or use any other apparatus to assist with mobility to arrive at a venue at least one hour prior to the scheduled start time of the event.
PATRONS WHO ARE HEARING IMPAIRED
Austin Film Festival will provide American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at select Conference panels.
Austin Film Festival’s Pocket Guide will note which movies are close-captioned or subtitled.
WHAT AFF DOES NOT PROVIDE
- Connection to sound boards.
- American Sign Language interpreting during film screenings.
- Personal or individually prescribed devices, such as wheelchairs, prescription eye glasses or hearing aids.
- Services of a personal nature, such as assistance in eating, toileting or dressing.
- Early seating. All hearing impaired patrons must adhere to AFF’s registrant panel and Conference admission policies.
CROWD NOTICE: Please be advised that filming/taping is taking place in connection with the production of audiovisual projects for the Austin Film Festival (The “Project”) throughout the Conference and Festival.
People entering the Festival & Conference areas may appear in The Project and in advertising in connection with The Project.
By entering the area, you grant to Austin Film Festival, Inc., and its licensees/assignees the right to film and photograph you and record your voice, and to use your name, voice, and likeness, without compensation, in connection with the Project and the distribution and exploitation thereof in perpetuity and in all media now or later known, and you release Austin Film Festival, Inc. and its licensees/assignees from all liability in connection with these activities. You agree and understand that Austin Film Festival, Inc. is relying upon this grant and release.
Austin Film Festival, Inc. DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY INJURY TO YOUR PERSON OR DAMAGE OR LOSS TO YOUR PROPERTY.
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION
Austin Film Festival provides one (1) wheelchair accessible shuttle to registrants for each standard shuttle route. The accessible shuttle will only travel on shuttle routes and stop at shuttle stops. For complete details on shuttles provided by Austin Film Festival during the festival, please contact:transportation@austinfilmfestival.com.
OR
For any questions relating to Austin Film Festival & Conference accessibility for registrants with disabilities, please email: info@austinfilmfestival.com or call (512) 478-4795.
Store Policy | Refund Policy | Privacy Policy
What information does AFF collect?
AFF collects information from you when you place an order, subscribe to AFF’s newsletter, respond to a survey or fill out a form.
When ordering or registering on AFF’s site, as is appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, phone number or credit card information.
How does AFF use your information?
Any of the information AFF collects from you may be used in one of the following ways:
- To personalize your experience: Your information helps us to better respond to your individual needs.
- To improve AFF’s website: AFF continually strives to improve its website offerings based on the information and feedback AFF receives from you.
- To improve customer service: Your information helps us to more effectively respond to your customer service requests and support needs.
- To process transactions: Your information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any other company for any reason whatsoever, without your consent, other than for the express purpose of delivering the purchased product or service requested.
- To administer a contest, promotion, survey or other site feature
- To send periodic emails: The email address you provide for order processing may be used to send you information and updates pertaining to your order. You may also receive occasional company news, updates, and related product or service information, etc.
How does AFF protect your information?
AFF implements a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information when you place an order or enter, submit, or access your personal information.
AFF offers the use of a secure server. All supplied sensitive/credit information is transmitted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and then encrypted into AFF’s payment gateway provider’s database, where it is only accessible to those authorized with special access rights to such systems. The payment service provider is required to keep the information confidential.
After a transaction, your private information (credit cards, social security numbers, financials, etc.) will not be stored on AFF’s servers.
How AFF uses cookies?
A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyze web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
The only cookies in use on AFF’s site are for Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a web analytics tool that helps website owners understand how visitors engage with their website. Google Analytics customers can view a variety of reports about how visitors interact with their website so that they can improve it.
Like many services, Google Analytics uses first-party cookies to track visitor interactions as in AFF’s case, where they are used to collect information about how visitors use AFF’s site. AFF then uses the information to compile reports and to help us improve AFF’s site.
Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive. These cookies are used to store information, such as the time that the current visit occurred, whether the visitor has been to the site before and what site referred the visitor to the web page.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
Google Analytics collects information anonymously. It reports website trends without identifying individual visitors. You can opt out of Google Analytics without affecting how you visit AFF’s site – for more information on opting out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites you use, visit this Google page.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.
Does AFF disclose any information to outside parties?
AFF does not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating AFF’s website, conducting its business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. AFF may also release your information when AFF believes release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce AFF’s site policies, or protect its or others’ rights, property or safety. However, visitor information that does not personally identify users may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising or other uses.
Third-party links
Occasionally, at AFF’s discretion, AFF may include or offer third-party products or services on its website. These third-party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. AFF, therefore, has no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, AFF seeks to protect the integrity of AFF’s site and welcome any feedback about these sites.
Online Privacy Policy Only
This online privacy policy applies only to information collected through the AFF website and not to information collected offline.
Your Consent
By using the Austin Film Festival site, you consent to AFF’s privacy policy.
CONTACTING US
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.
Austin Film Festival
1801 Salina St.
Austin, TX 78702
USA
info@austinfilmfestival.com