Thursday
Mar172011
Checking In/VAL Update
Thursday, March 17, 2011 at 02:51PM Hello from San Diego! It's been a pretty crazy trip so far, and we're really just on the tip of the iceberg...AKA 23 more stops after today.
Crowds have been great, we've had amazing feedback, and all in all, it's been an incredibly fun ride.
As for VALs, there's been a bit of confusion with the VAL system recently, and feel as though we should clarify a few things..
First and foremost, thanks so very much to all of you who've either volunteered already, or are on the list to do so on an upcoming stop ofThe Flash Bus Tour!
First and foremost, thanks so very much to all of you who've either volunteered already, or are on the list to do so on an upcoming stop ofThe Flash Bus Tour!
We offered everyone the opportunity to be a VAL with the specific intention of helping out students or emerging professionals who simply couldn't swing the price of a ticket, or for people in cities with sold-out venues who desperately wanted to attend. Although we’re not going to turn you away if you've already purchased a ticket to the event and want to volunteer, we're unfortunately not able to refund the cost of your ticket either.
The “Call For VALs” yielded around 1,000 emails, for which we needed 150-200 VALs. A lot of the emails were from people who legitimately needed to volunteer in order to get into the show for one reason or another. If you have been confirmed as a VAL, and have already purchased a ticket, you are, of course, still welcome to volunteer. But you will not be receiving a refund based solely on the fact that you are volunteering.
The “Call For VALs” yielded around 1,000 emails, for which we needed 150-200 VALs. A lot of the emails were from people who legitimately needed to volunteer in order to get into the show for one reason or another. If you have been confirmed as a VAL, and have already purchased a ticket, you are, of course, still welcome to volunteer. But you will not be receiving a refund based solely on the fact that you are volunteering.
If you’d prefer to bow out and let someone else take advantage of this opportunity, please let us know ASAP by emailing val@theflashbus.com and use the word “CANCEL” and your city name in the subject line.
Thanks once again, and we’re looking forward to seeing you all in coming weeks!
Reader Comments (25)
As I mentioned on Twitter, I paid for my ticket in Boston and would still love to be a valunteer!
It is a cheesy move to avoid paying the help. If you are asking people to work - pay them. You can certainly afford it on the revenue of this cash grab.
Bruce, I think you are missing the point. If they were expecting volunteers to stuff bags, I would have said no. I signed up because I expect to learn a lot more about lighting by helping out rather than sitting on my butt and overdosing on coffee. The opportunity to work with and learn from the best doesn't come around too often. Think of it as a one-day apprenticeship and move forward. At least, that's my personal take on it.
Seshu, you are too diplomatic to Bruce ;-)
But.. (It always starts out that way ...........just saying.)
Can I sell my payed printout ticket to someone else and ask $200 for it? (Kidding) but seriously can someone else use my ticket?
If money is an issue, why would anyone consider learning photography? Cultivating your craft requires an investment in education and equipment. This artform is not for the poorly financed. Try to understand the true value of working with this tour even if just for a day. Personally I think the VAL offer is very gracious.
FYI, at the San Jose stop anyway, it appeared that the VALs did all their work before the "show" started: swag bags, helping check-in, etc. They didn't help with the lighting during the presentation (the FB crew took care of any assistant duties). However, the VALs did have the best, front row, seats in the house!
I would hope that if you have both a ticket and the VAL offer that you would give up one. I found out about the event in boston after it was sold out. I signed up for the VAL in boston in under 45 min from the original twitter post. How I missed out on 5 spots in boston still baffles me. That there where that many people online, on twitter and reacting that quickly to all the post that come in, and where from Boston. What are the odds. So please give up the ticket or the VAL as I would LOVE to go.
So just to clarify does this mean all VAL spots are currently filled, and if you weren't contacted you didn't make the cut?
Hey y'all... Karen here from THE BUS. In response:
1) All of the VAL spots are currently filled. If confirmed VALs that have paid tickets decide to bow out, we will be contact the next names on the list.
2) We had over 450 responses in the first hour alone. Over 1000 in total. I cannot answer every email. If you have not heard from us, you were not one of the first group to get their email in.
THANKS! Looking forward to seeing you all!
Karen
This is for anyone unsure of what is required of you and what to expect. I was a VAL in SJ. When the offer came up on the site, I replied immediately. What was shown on the site, was what we did. Stuff swag bags, move boxes inside, and did what was asked of us by Karen. We helped at registration and 3 of us helped move boxes back to the bus after. During the workshop, we got to sit front row and take it all in. Nothing was asked of us during the workshop itself. All the fun VAL work was handled by their assistants. I was obviously lucky to get selected since I couldn't even afford the $99 for the event...yeah I know. Tough times as a free-lancer. Thanks to Karen and the flashbuscrew for the opportunity. Would have done much more for what we got out of it. It was nice having Joe deliver OJ to us personally. :-)
I would be more than happy to give up my ticket for Denver for somebody else since I got selected as a VAL (I don't think Denver is sold out though). For me it's the whole "preferred seating" thing that caused me to sign up. If I could get awesome seats without having to show up an hour ahead of time, then that's another thing. However I also like helping out a lot, and the early time doesn't phase me at all (which was the second reason I signed up - getting to help out is cool).
So based on Karen's response, it looks like I will be sitting on my butt and overdosing on coffee. At least, I will be among friends doing the same thing. {grin} Either way, I am looking forward to the experience of being there and seeing two amazing teachers do their thing.
Karen, so if there are vals that also have tix is that just a wasted seat?
I think you got so many volunteers who had already bought tickets because people were thrown by the job description that they would "carry, hold, place or otherwise direct a light- preferably a small flash." It sounded like an opportunity to participate more fully in the lighting setups throughout the day, which given the chance, most of us would probably move a lot of boxes to learn from that vantage point. Thanks for the clarification.
So, I barely scraped the $$ together to buy a ticket, took the volunteer opportunity, but now can[t get a refund or transfer my ticket? wow. Wish you had made that clear before issuing the tweet asking for VALs (which didn't specify that there wouldn't be actual VAL work involved)
Karen ... I re-read your initial call for VAL's and the blog post reads:
"A satin V.A.L. Pass (seen above), which gets you not only in for FREE, but also preferred seating."
Curious to know when this policy was changed. If a VAL gets in for free, shouldn't they have the option then to "sell" their paid seat to someone else? Otherwise, it's not logically a "free" entrance for the VAL, right?
Jeez, what a bunch of whiners.
Paul said it best.
It is a low rent move not to pay the help - exploiting people's enthusiasm is a the stuff of classless charlatans. It does not matter that it seems fun and a "terrific learning opportunity" - it is work and the presenters making the cash grab are benefiting from the effort.
This is not the way to treat people or run a business.