Sneaking into Music and Film Festivals

[demonicMAGE!]

I'm wondering how difficult it would be to sneak into something like Coachella, SXSW, or some sort of indie film festival. I have friends that sneaked into Vegoose when RATM played, but I think that is much much smaller. Has anyone tried or been successful? any tips? thanks

[shetlan]

In what way is this hard?
If it's outdoor, find a fence and go over it.

If it's indoor, go the day before and leave through a back entrance - stick something in the door frame to stop the latch from closing. When you're outside use a door stop to keep the door shut (when they check the doors at closing time, they will appear to be shut as they should be). When you come back, remove the door stop and go inside.

[Call_Me_Bitches]

Some film festivals take place in large cities with unorganized borders around the festivals, thus you can usually walk right into the crowd no problem. Getting into the buildings is the trick, some require passes, some only glance at your passes, but a few have no one at all checking for passes and you just walk straight into the room holding the particular targeted event you want to attend. I've seen this a couple of times at festivals I had passes too, one for very famous screen writers too.

Go the Gig route:

Some festivals allow volunteers and temp work on the spot or few days before. Ask around, pitch in, get free legal access, bad ass! Be a slack-off volunteer or temp worker.

[DIzzIE]

For a more elaborate method of gaining free access, see the 'Free Admittance to Events' section of Get Free Shit by (not) Working for the Press.

[demonicMAGE!]

Originally Posted by shetlan

In what way is this hard?
If it's outdoor, find a fence and go over it.

If it's indoor, go the day before and leave through a back entrance - stick something in the door frame to stop the latch from closing. When you're outside use a door stop to keep the door shut (when they check the doors at closing time, they will appear to be shut as they should be). When you come back, remove the door stop and go inside.

I thought of that but for one that is entirely dependent on other people not screwing around with your set up and two you would have to sneak in anyway the day before which is near impossible.

Originally Posted by Call_Me_Bitches

Some film festivals take place in large cities with unorganized borders around the festivals, thus you can usually walk right into the crowd no problem. Getting into the buildings is the trick, some require passes, some only glance at your passes, but a few have no one at all checking for passes and you just walk straight into the room holding the particular targeted event you want to attend. I've seen this a couple of times at festivals I had passes too, one for very famous screen writers too.

Go the Gig route:

Some festivals allow volunteers and temp work on the spot or few days before. Ask around, pitch in, get free legal access, bad ass! Be a slack-off volunteer or temp worker.

exactly what i had in mind, thanks

Originally Posted by DIzzIE

For a more elaborate method of gaining free access, see the 'Free Admittance to Events' section of Get Free Shit by (not) Working for the Press.

that is amazing, thanks a ton

[demonicMAGE!]

is there any way besides impersonating a press worker that you could get into normal concerts at say the House of Blues? or is Dizzie's link my best bet?

[itoro]

If you have passes or wristbands a couple of people buy tickets then one person takes all the passes out and gives them to a load of other people, who come in for free.

The problem with this is that some festivals give you wristbands which you cant take off without breaking them, unless they're done loosely.