Saturday, August 25, 2012

TIFF 2012 Sold Out Screenings

Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 9:01 AM |  Permalink  117 comments

This post is a placeholder for people to add comments for any films that they notice as sold out when completing the online ticketing process for My Choice packages for TIFF 2012. Feel free to post a comment for anything you see as sold out when you log in to make your picks to help others out.

Update (2012/09/02 9:33 PM): Updated list with additional off-sales:

2012-09-06
After the Battle
End of Time, The
Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story
Kinshasa Kids
Looper
On the Road
Rust and Bone
Ship of Theseus
Tabu

2012-09-07
7 Boxes
After the Battle
All That Matters is Past
Anna Karenina
Call Girl
Deep, The
How to Make Money Selling Drugs
Imogene
Like Someone in Love
Master, The
Me and You
Men at Lunch
On the Road
Out in the Dark
Pervert's Guide to Ideology, the
Picture Day
Place Beyond the Pines, The
Rust and Bone
Seven Psychopaths
Shanghai
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #1
Spring Breakers
Stories We Tell
Wasteland

2012-09-08
Amour
Anna Karenina
Argo
Attack, The
Blancanieves
Brass Teapot, The
Capital
Cloud Atlas
Color of the Chameleon, The
End of Time, The
End of Watch
Everybody Has a Plan
Imogene
Inch'allah
Jackie
Kon-Tiki
Liar's Autobiography: The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, A
Lunarcy!
Master, The
Me and You
Men at Lunch
Much Ado About Nothing
Perks of Being a Wallflower, The
Picture Day
Place Beyond the Pines, The
Road North
Satellite Boy
Seven Psychopaths
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #1
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #2
Stories We Tell
Thanks for Sharing
Underground
Wasteland
Wavelengths 2: Documenta
West of Memphis
What Maisie Knew
Yellow

2012-09-09
7 Boxes
9.79*
American Masters: Inventing David Geffen
At Any Price
Blackbird
Brass Teapot, The
Byzantium
Call Girl
Central Park Five, The
Cloud Atlas
Deep, The
Gatekeepers, The
Ginger and Rosa
Holy Quaternity, The
I Declare War
In the Name of Love
Krivina
Last Supper, The
Like Someone In Love
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God
Mr. Pip
Much Ado About Nothing
Museum Hours
Perks of Being A Wallflower, The
Pusher
Reluctant Fundamentalist
Road North
Sapphires, The
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #2
Silver Linings Playbook
Something in the Air
Spring Breakers
Thermae Romae
Wavelengths 3: I Am Micro
When Day Breaks
Zaytoun

2012-09-10
Capital
Casting By
Color of the Chameleon, The
Company You Keep, The
End, The
Ghost Graduation
Hunt, The
Iceman
Inch'allah
Late Quartet, A
Lords of Salem, The
Love Is All You Need
Midnight's Children
No
No Place On Earth
Quartet
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #3
To The Wonder
Underground

2012-09-11
Arthur Newman
Camp 14: Total Control Zone
Disconnect
Eagles
Hyde Park on Hudson
Key of Life
Museum Hours
Mushrooming
My Awkward Sexual Adventure
Passion
Sapphires, The
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #3
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #4
What Richard Did

2012-09-12
Beyond the Hills
Clandestine Childhood
Ghost Graduation
Hijacking, A
Hunt, The
Imagine
Late Quartet, A
Leviathan
Reality
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #4

2012-09-13
Bright Day, The
Inescapable
My Awkward Sexual Adventure
Passion
Penance
Reality
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #6

2012-09-14
Arthur Newman
Ghost Graduation
Ginger and Rosa
Leviathan
Paperboy, The
Passion
Penance
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #6
Spring Breakers
Thieves, The

2012-09-15
Argo
Capital
Cloud Atlas
Dangerous Liaisons
English Vinglish
Everybody Has a Plan
Hannah Arendt
Me and You
Paperboy, The
Song for Marion
Thermae Romae

2012-09-16
Amour
Color of the Chameleon
Imogene
Master, The
Picture Day
Reluctant Fundamentalist, The
To The Wonder
Zaytoun

Tags: ,,

117 comments:

I don't select until the 29th, so hopefully a lot of people can help out here, so I can cross screenings off as they go off-sale over the next few days...

I'm pretty certain the 8pm closing night gala for 'Song for Marion' (Saturday 15th) is off-sale/sold out now too. Only the 6pm showing was available for me to select.

The Iceman screening on the 11th and Cloud Atlas on the 15th are also both gone now.

Cloud Atlas on the 15th is still available.

Yes, the person I know that selected said they may have made a mistake, so that Iceman screening may still be avaliable as well...

I was just able to get tickets @ noon for Sept 6th screening of On The Road, which I've heard was otherwise sold out. Contributor Level, if that makes a difference... used Safari/Mac with no problems. Purchased Premium 6 and Flex 10 in < 10 minutes. Pretty slick compared to previous years.

This comment has been removed by the author.

I just completed my selections and the process was very smooth. I took a browse through all of the non-premium screenings and only 3 were marked as off sale: the two previously mentioned SCC screenings and the first screening of Short Cuts Canada Programme #2 on September 8th.

There was one instance where I attempted to select tickets for a screening (The Deep on September 9th at 9:45AM), but the quantity dropdown was empty. When I went back to try again a few minutes later, I was able to select up to 4 tickets, so the system may be a bit hiccup-y or else other folks had those tickets reserved.

Don't give up if you see a quantity of '0' tickets available for a screening. Come back to it after doing another selection. I was successful in getting On the Road Friday tickets that way, and also Firefox on Monday. System glitches? Otherwise it was a smooth operation.

A few of the earlier screenings that were rumored to be Off Sale were still available as of 3:30pm Saturday, including BOTH showings of On the Road. (I think people are getting confused by a screen that shows the number of tickets to purchase as 0...that is a bug...films that are OFF SALE are explicitly listed as such before you get to the quantity to purchase page.) As of 3:30pm, both premium shows of Looper were OFF SALE. For regular screenings, only the following were OFF SALE: Shorts #2 on the 8th, Brass Teapot on the 9th, Midnight's Children on the 10th, Shorts Programme #3 on the 10th, and Shorts Programme #4 on the 11th. All other regular screenings were available at that time.

Just made my selections and can confirm what Madeleine just listed, didn't see anything else off sale yet besides those ones.

I never thought these Canadian short films would be the hottest movies at the Festival, selling out before the films by Ben Affleck, Robert Redford, and Dustin Hoffman!

It seems as those the time slots go from 7AM-4PM by day, I haven't seen anyone say they have a time starting before 7 or after 4, can anyone confirm this?

@mathew5000 Its probably venue related. Lightbox 3 only seats 250. Lightbox 4 likely less.

Just finished my 80 picks. New system is excellent. As of 5:30pm, the only things Off Sale remain the short cuts programs. I successfully got tix to many high profile films - Master,Cloud Atlas, beyond pines, On the Road, etc.

My recommendation for how to use the system:

1. Organize your films by Date and alphabetically (no need to sort by start time).

2. Have a total column for each day.

3. Use the system by going through each day.

Once you're done each day, double check your day's total with your totel selection in your cart. Doing it this way has 2 benefits:

1. You don't mix up screenings since there generally only 1 screening per day.

2. You notice right away if you missed something if your total "so far" doesn't match.

Just my advice.

Good luck all!

I was told by TIFF that principals started at 7 today, contributors at 8. Here in Minnesota, that meant 6am for me.

If I have a choice pack can i get premium screenings?

You can only get premium screenings if you bought the 6 or 12-premium-ticket package. If you bought a Flex pack, a Back Half Pack or a Daytime pack, you can only select non-premium screenings.

If you want to buy premium screenings, then you'll have to wait until September when single tickets go on sale.

I'm the one quoted in the post as saying that On The Road was off sale. RE: "Anonymous" who said he got tickets at noon and maybe it was because of "Contributor Level, if that makes a difference," no, that's not true. I'm a $300 member and my slot was 8 AM. They were unavailable then. Contributor level only affects when you're allowed to go in and select, not what is available to you. RE: Madeleine who said "rumored to be OFf Sale,: no it wasn't a rumor. I went in to select them at 8 AM and it was the ONLY one of my films that wasn't available. I tried the first screening with my Premium pack selection and then the second with my Regular. RE: Sam and Madeleine's comments about the "0" showing...yes, that's what I saw. I did continue making my selections and came back but it still showed "0" and I could not select it. Madeleine said, "I think people are getting confused by a screen that shows the number of tickets to purchase as 0...that is a bug." Umm okay...so if it says "0," and doesn't allow you to select it, then you cannot select it. Then what? So I missed out on either or both screenings because of A BUG??? I'd heard that people who went in later in the day were able to get them, also. Now I'm even more furious about not getting them.

@larry411, it appears that what Madeleine said is correct; you thus have every reason to be furious at having been denied tickets to On the Road because of a bug. You might try phoning the box office, perhaps referring them to this thread, and give them a chance to make it right.

The screening of "No" on the 10th is Off Sale. Also SCC #4 was off sale as well but I forget the specific date. The SCC program isn't surprising, I went to one last year and the majority of the theatre was filled to the brim with friends, relatives, friends of friends, etc. with everyone involved in the shorts so those tickets probably go fast. Haven't seen anyone mention the off sale status of "No" yet.

@larry, matthew, etc

I don't know if it's really a bug when it shows 0 tickets. I think what that means is that there are currently 0 tickets available to add to your shopping cart at the time you are checking. And maybe the free tickets are currently sitting in other people's shopping carts. And then once people actually checkout their carts and all available tickets are no longer sitting in shopping carts, THEN it's offsale.

I would be upset about the fact that people weren't told ahead of time the difference between 0 tickets & offsale, but I'd rather them implement it this way rather than saying tickets were available (because they all havent been checked out) and then waiting till you actually check out to find out that some of your tickets that were available are no longer available (which is what I believe the old system did for single ticket purchases)

I don't think anyone has complained yet about tickets disappearing from their shopping carts yet, have they? I want to be reassured that what I put in my shopping cart, stays in my shopping cart until I check out.

The screening of INCH'ALLAH on Saturday the 8th at 6pm is off sale

@matthew5000: Thanks Matthew. TIFF did respond to my tweets. I woke up to find DMs from them to call. I was on the phone with them for awhile this morning. Interestingly, they said my complaint was the first they heard of this, that not one single person had contacted them about it. But that does make some sense, since others who had this happen probably did exactly what I did -- assume it was sold out, move on, and forget about it. The ONLY reason I even followed up with them was because someone had referred me to this thread and I saw others saying it happened to them, too. But apparently I was the only person who contacted them about it.

@Ann: That's what I thought at one point but it really makes no sense. That would imply that at 8:01 AM there were so many people holding so many On the Road tickets in their carts that none were available, and then they checked out without buying them, for both the premium screening as well as the regular screening. Ryerson holds 1250 people. Even allowing for reserved seats for the film being set aside, that's almost a statistical impossibility. Especially since people were still buying them late in the day.

BTW I did refer them to this thread but they indicated to me that since it's not a TIFF-sanctioned site they really couldn't use it or look at it. I don't think she doubted me when I told her to look here and see that others had mentioned this issue, too, but she didn't seem to want to come and look. But, like I said, I don't think she doubted me. I'm a longstanding member with a good history with them, I'm not technically inept, and I'm also a journalist who's been very kind to them over the years. I'd have no reason to make it up. So I have faith that they will look into this (she said tomorrow, when the appropriate managers and tech people are in the office) and they will get back to me.

Sold Out for Saturday
Anna Karenina
The Master ( already saw it)
Seven Psychopaths

First Saturday sell outs
The Master
Anna Karenina
7 Psychopaths

@larry

Hmm, I guess that's an interesting point.

@all
I just finished my ticket selection, and here were the non-premium screenings I noticed were offsale:

9/8 - Anna Karenina, Inch'Allah, A Liar's Autobiography -- The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, The Master, Seven Psychopaths, Short Cuts Canada: Programme #2

9/9 - The Brass Teapot

9/10 - The Hunt, Midnight's Children, No, Short Cuts Canada: Programme #3

9/11 - Short Cuts Canada: Programme #4

9/12 - A Late Quartet

9/14 - Arthur Newman

FUCK. My start time is @ 5 p.m. and I needed both Seven Psychopaths and Anna Karenina. DAMNIT.

Now I must try for premium on Single ticket day.

@jason you can also try for non-premiums on single ticket day. They hold some back.

For experienced TIFFers: is it generally easier to get back-half tix when the single tix go in sale?

Brian, I would say in general, it is easier to get screenings in the back-half of the festival. In past years, I've noticed that screenings in the front half tend to sell out faster.

cloud atlas on the 15th was still available on Sat.15 at 10,34 this morning
I am thrilled with the process took 35 minutes for 28 picks/30 only missed midnights children, 7 psychopaths, the master,npstem

@Brian Yes, as Richard said, it is always easier to get back half-tickets. Even during the festival these are the last ones to sell out. But as was said above, they generally have tickets for all screenings on single-ticket day. They cap sales in the package period so that people aren't logging in/calling/showing up on September 2 to find everything gone.

OFFSALE (Updated Mon Aug 27 10:30am)

Thursday 2012-09-06
KINSHASA KIDS
TIFF Bell Lightbox 3

Saturday 2012-09-08
ANNA KARENINA
Isabel Bader Theatre
INCH'ALLAH
TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
LIAR'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE UNTRUE STORY OF MONTY, A
TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
MASTER, THE
TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS
Scotiabank 1
SHORT CUTS CANADA: PROGRAMME #2
TIFF Bell Lightbox 4

Sunday 2012-09-09
BRASS TEAPOT, THE
Cineplex Yonge & Dundas 5
MUSEUM HOURS
TIFF Bell Lightbox 3

Monday 2012-09-10
COMPANY YOU KEEP, THE
TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
HUNT, THE
TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN
TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
NO
TIFF Bell Lightbox 1
SHORT CUTS CANADA: PROGRAMME #3
TIFF Bell Lightbox 4
SHORT CUTS CANADA: PROGRAMME #3
TIFF Bell Lightbox 4
SHORT CUTS CANADA: PROGRAMME #4
TIFF Bell Lightbox 4

Tuesday 2012-09-11
SHORT CUTS CANADA: PROGRAMME #3
TIFF Bell Lightbox 4
SHORT CUTS CANADA: PROGRAMME #4
TIFF Bell Lightbox 4

Wednesday 2012-09-12
HUNT, THE
TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
LATE QUARTET, A
Scotiabank 4

Friday 2012-09-14
ARTHUR NEWMAN
Scotiabank 2

Sunday 2012-09-16
AMOUR
TIFF Bell Lightbox 2
MASTER, THE
TIFF Bell Lightbox 1

UPDATE: TIFF will not do anything to make good on the "0" ticket issue. I'm told that the reason I couldn't buy On the Road tickets on Saturday morning at 8 AM was (as some mentioned), because so many people logged in and selected OTR that it brought the inventory down to "0." But people were buying them all day Saturday and Sunday. That would mean many people put them in their shopping carts and decided not to buy them. So there would have to have been as many tickets being put in shopping carts at 8 AM Saturday and NOT purchased as have been sold all weekend. That's their explanation. And that sounds like total BS to me. Then he said that I should have called or refreshed my browser. Nobody was told that if they saw a "0" they should refresh their browser or call, or that if they waited there might be tickets released and then the customer wouldn't see a "0." This was never mentioned in any of the emails or the video that TIFF produced to show people how to navigate the new system. Those of us who saw "0" assumed that meant it was sold out (which, essentially, it was at that moment). There was no reason to call them or assume it meant anything else. So once I clicked 'complete' my purchase was done. They will not honor the purchase and will not take responsibility for the fact that customers were not aware of this. I've been covering film festivals since 2006. I've attended over 60 in that time, 10-12 a year. This is my 7th TIFF. This is my first experience dealing with a situation like this and I'm not new to buying tickets online. Previously I spent over 20 years in the music business. I know how ticket sales inventory works. They screwed up or, at least, didn't give the customers enough information and now won't take responsibility for it. Just appalling. So much for being a loyal, long-term contributor and journalist champion of TIFF.

I saw On the Road and it was awful (and I loved The Motorcycle Diaries). You're not missing out on anything. The 0 popping up was just God telling you not to see it. Go see Rust and Bone instead.

@Larry411, I agree with you, their explanation of the "0" you saw is entirely implausible, for the reason you state. It also is unreasonable for them to shift the blame to you, saying you should have known to refresh your browser or telephone. Under the circumstances, there was no particular reason you would have known to attempt that. It is disappointing that the TIFF Box Office refuses to take responsibility for this glitch in their software.

You can see an updated list of sold out or off sale films as of 2pm Aug 27 at http://www.bombippy.com/archives/2012/08/sold_out_films_for_tiff_2012.php

I picked my films and went through to see what was sold out. Hope this helps in your planning. Good luck.

@Larry411 Most likely the error was caused because of a timeout between when the ticket ordering system made a request to the inventory management system and the inventory management systems repsonse.

Ideally they should have shown a meaningful message when a timeout occurs. However, technically "0" is a correct value when there is no response from the inventory management system.

Consider this series of events: The ordering system makes a request to the inventory management system asking how many tickets can I make available, the inventory management system removes up to 4 tickets from its available supply, puts them on hold and returns the amount available to the ordering system. This number is displayed to the customer. If the inventory system never replies to the request (that is what a timeout means), the only correct number of tickets the ordering system can assume to exist is 0.

That is what you saw. While this was correct from the point of view of the ordering system, it was not the right thing to display to the customer. They should display a more meaningful message when the situation occurs, so the customer knows that the inventory system is overloaded, the network is congested or one of the million other things that can cause a request timeout and that they, the customer, should try again.

That said. Get over it. If you are an actual journalist, why don't you just catch an industry screening. Or if you are what I suspect is just a crazy person with a blog and an over inflated ego, I would suggest you do what I did the year I got 25 vouchers because I ended up in the last box in the box-lottery system-- Stand in a rush line. I mean what is a couple hours in line for the chance to revel in kstew's dead eyes for 137 minutes.

Tiff doesn't care about your blog, or the fact that you spend all day on twitter, Tiff barely cares about the general public but we put up with their bullshit because they have the movies. And they know it.

(Seriously this new system is way better than the gong show that was the box lottery.)

I was really appreciating Anonymous' comment until I got to the completely unnecessary personal attack. You don't know me, I don't know you. yet I would never presume to know why you say what you say, your motivations, or pass judgment on you. Yet you do that with me. Suffice it to say you're wrong on all accounts, but I won't spend any time justifying who I am or what I do. TIFF does know me, and care, as does the public. Maybe someday you'll find out. But thanks for the kind words.

Totally surprised that The Hunt already completely sold out both screenings. Damn.
My window is tomorrow at 9 AM. I'm staring at a long evening of planning. Good times ahead :)

My timeslot for purchasing is Wednesday at 4pm. Thanks a lot, lottery. Do you know if they release tickets for "offsale" tickets every day? otherwise, aren't the people who draw the end of the timeslot lottery completely out of luck?

I also have Wednesday John, albeit a few hours before you, but yes, we're likely going to be screwed. Once they're off sale in the package selections, they're offsale until at least the 2nd. If you really want tickets for certain screenings, you can try on the 2nd (they hold some back for almost every showing), or try the box office 7 AM the day of or rush it. Of course, you'd have to pay for those tickets and that blows.

@John: anything offsale now is likely to remain so during the advance order period. More will open up on Sep 2 for individual sales (annoying to us, but understandable for PR purposes). If you leave yourself with a voucher, then once people start exchanging tickets some screenings may become available if your timing is right. The morning of the screening is usually the best bet though, or otherwise early in the rush line.

Quick update... I just completed my selections and went back through to see what was offsale. Only additions to the list from a few posts back are:

7 Boxes on 9/9
Much Ado About Nothing on 9/9
English Vinglish on 9/15

This is as of 5:15 on Monday Aug 27.

Good Luck!

Yes Steve, leaving a couple vouchers open isn't a bad idea for people picking on Wednesday. The exchange thing is a long shot, even moreso now with this system. Morning of screening and rush lines are likely your best bet, like you said. Probably better to have a voucher and try your best to get a film you want to see rather than merely settle for one you're not even interested in. I'm likely going to give myself a couple vouchers to give myself this option.

@Larry411

"Larry Richman ‏@larry411

Maybe I'll rethink my festival coverage. Not feelin' the #TIFF12 love right now..."

This tweet was the reason for the personal attack. I'll admit that I may have misinterpreted it.

Did you mean: You are not going to cover the festival? Or you aren't going to cover the festival in a positive way? If you get love from tiff will you reverse your decision?

It sounded to me like an internet version of "Do you know who I am?" I am sorry if this was incorrect.

When I wait in a rush line for 2 hours and some press person shows up 5 minutes before the film starts and gets in before me, taking the seat of someone who has been waiting equally as long, who do I tweet about that? Do I get to make threats about that affecting my coverage? Will it change things? I can't get mad at the press person, Tiff sold them the right to do it (I'd probably buy it, if Tiff made it available to us commoners). I can't complain to Tiff, they literally rank people by the colour of their Visa, so we know where they stand. The preferential treatment that happens in the fest is by policy not by accident. So I am left with 2 options. I can either vote with my wallet and boycot the fest, or I can suck it up because I love the films. I choose to suck it up. When tiff starts dividing theatre seats into classes, like airplanes (easy with online system), will threats on twitter help me?

During my previous 10 fests, I have spent more time in line than I have watching films, and in that time waiting in line I have developed a resentment for the people that materialize out of the douchecloud and seem to get endless preferential treatment. As an un-credentialed, un-lanyarded, un-connected nobody, I am preparing myself for the multitude of times that the festival will remind me that i'm not important. I'm sorry if I attacked you, but it does me more good, to think of you as one of us getting fucked over than one of them getting more special treatment.

I don't think it would do anyone any good to get into a pissing match on here. Talk about ego. I'll just say this: the tickets weren't even for me. One pair was for a very good Canadian friend who can't afford the Premium price. She's taking a friend. The other pair was actually for one of the actors in the film who couldn't get tickets for himself. I've known him a long time - he asked me if I could get them for him and I told him I'd try. beyond that doesn't matter. I'm not going to post my resume and bio on here. But you may want to think twice before anonymously passing judgment on someone you don't know, who just wants to attend and support the festival as you do. If I had such a big head I'd just apply for press credentials and go to press screenings, not spend $300 on a membership and another $1000 on tickets. I prefer to wait in line and enjoy the festival, not get VIP treatment.

And yes, I too am an "un-credentialed, un-lanyarded, un-connected nobody." Because I choose to be. But I expect to be treated fairly as a customer, and I didn't feel like I was. So I expressed my frustration.

Does having the $99 TIFF membership grant you early access to the ticket-buying window? It might be worth it just to ensure yourself the movies you want.

@John: Unfortunately, no. The minimum just went up to $400 (used to be $250 then $300 until last month).

It does not John. You need to pay at least $300 (well it's now $400) to be granted that window.

Nope, you have to spring for the Contributor-level membership, which just leapt up from $300 to $400.

According to http://tifftalk.blogspot.ca/2012/06/ticket-dates-and-process-for-tiff-2012.html

You need at least bronze level to access the single ticket window before the general public.

The TIFF website lists this under festival benifits for patron level support.

"Purchase Premium and Regular single tickets for Festival screenings à la carte before the public*"

There is no such line for Contributor or Principal levels.

That would be for the package purchases that we've been discussing on this thread. ;)

Contributor $400 ($250 tax deductible)

Advance processing of My Choice ticket package orders (Screening selections subject to availability)

http://tiff.net/membership/members

@Larry

Indeed contributor level and up can buy ticket packages before the general public.

Contributor and Principal level people may be under the impression that they will have advance access to the single ticket purchase window before the 2nd.

Members, who for some reason did not get all their picks or wanted to add more films, i.e. an individual premium screening, which they couldn't have added if they didn't get a premium package, might find this information disheartening.

I agree. Hopefully people who do contribute at the package pre-sale levels are aware that to get individual single tickets in advance requires shelling out $1500 (used to be $1200). I've complained about this in the past but, alas...for fundraising purposes (and others) it makes sense.

Until this year even the Contributor level only allowed regular package pre-sales, not Premium purchases. There were no Premium packages at all (other than the now-defunct Roy Thomson Hall and Visa Screening Room packages). To get Premium films you had to be at that Bronze Patrons Circle level and get them in the advance individual sale.

This is the first time they've allowed the "lower level" contributors advance access to any Premium screenings at all, so it is an improvement.

Hey there,

Just wondering if there is any way to keep a running tally of the sold out screenings in the initial post? Or are they listed somewhere else?

The replies to this post got a little off subject today (over 25 posts in the last 24 hours, with very few regarding the subject matter). Thanks so much to MetalMeatwad for keeping on topic! Those choosing ALL of their selections LAST due to "luck of the draw", and who may not even get half of their movies, REALLY appreciate the effort and heads up that this post has created. Perhaps save the other discussions for a less active or less time sensitive post?

Yeah, it's frustrating for me when I come in here and I know I'm picking last and all I see is an ego competition between people that have already picked and gotten most, if not all of their picks.

I've consolidated all the comments regarding off sale movies into an update to the post.

Thank you Richard. Hopefully we get some updates tomorrow, so us esteemed last day people can find out just how FUBAR'd we really are!

I wouldn't worry too much about it if your picks aren't until tomorrow - there will still be seats available at some of the bigger venues (Elgin, Ryerson, etc). Plus, some of the best movies I've seen at the fest have been 2nd, or 3rd, or voucher-picks. Maybe you go see stuff that is a little bit less mainstream, but that is what TIFF is about anyway, if you ask me.

Well my picks aren't really 'mainstream' and a lot of them are at really tiny venues. I hate when people assume that in the history of TIFF that if someone merely mentions missing out on their picks it's because they only are seeing films with stars. Look at the list of films off-sale many of them aren't 'big' films, they're just playing at very tiny theatres. It may come off as sincere, but I've always thought it sounded redundant and elitist more than anything.

Have two Off Sale updates as of Sept 28th at 8:46 AM:

Imagine Sept 12 6:00pm
Thermae Romae Sept 15 7:30pm

I noticed that the Cloud Atlas on Sept. 9 was sold out.

Other than Craigslist, is there a place where people can trade their tickets come festival time?

@ John: I've traded using tiffreviews.com before (they have a forum).

Few more things I just noticed were off sale when I was going through:

7th -
The Deep
Out In The Dark

10th -
Color of the Chameleon
The End

I'm really happy that none of my picks are sold out yet. This thread is greatly appreciated. I've got 24 hours to go. I guess most people aren't as sick and twisted as me.

Except for The Hunt (so random that both screenings are sold out), nothing I want has sold out yet. 4pm tomorrow still feels like an eternity from now, though!

It's not really random John. Both screenings are at the Lightbox (not a lot of seating) and it is one of the more highly anticipated films playing. Kind of ridiculous they didn't put at least one of those screenings at one of Ryerson/Elgin/Winter Garden I'll likely try and rush it.

Thanks, to all who have noted "off sales" for those of us with the unfortunate time frame of last day picks. So far, our wish list is still ok. The ones we tend to go to are the ones that never do the rounds or the sleepers...the reason we still do TIFF. Although next year may not be happening...TIFF was fun in the early days; not so much now.
And thanks to the wonderful webmaster who keep this website going!

I also want to echo the thanks to all who are providing updates for the off sale list. As someone who picks next Monday, I am finding the list really helpful.

Sept 08 - Place Beyond the Pines is sold out

Made my picks this morning, the system is indeed very quick and intuitive, I had no problems whatsoever. Took me about 15 minutes to choose my 30 films.
Only a couple of movies I really wanted to see were sold out, I knew they would be thanks to this blog so I had my alternates prepared :)
Now I can't wait for Sunday, I'll try to grab a couple of premium screenings and maybe a couple of the sold out regular ones.
Good times ahead! :)

Guess I'll have to go for a Premium Ticket for Pines, oh well.

If there are not enough tickets available for your chosen screening, try again before you close out your order. I could only get 2 tickets to Saturday screenings of Argo and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but when I tried a few minutes later, I was able to get four tickets to each film this morning. Since neither film has been reported as going off-sale several hours later, I suspect it was some sort of a glitch. So if you think you are out of luck, don't give up.

Does anyone know if you can use vouchers in the rush line? Thanks in advance!

Amour is sold out on the 8th, To the Wonder is sold out on the 16th, Reality is sold out on the 12th.

The Capital on the 8th is sold out as well.

I had some time after finishing my selections, so I ran through the whole schedule. I think this is everything that's offsale as of 7:30am, August 29th:

Sept 6
Kinshasa Kids
Sept 7
After the Battle
Deep, The
Out in the Dark
Sept 8
Amour
Anna Karenina
Attack, The
Brass Teapot
Capital
Imogene
Inch'allah
Liar's Autobiography
Master, The
Place Beyond the Pines
Seven Psychopaths
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #1
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #2
Sept 9
7 Boxes
Brass Teapot, The
Cloud Atlas
Deep, The
Ginger and Rosa
Much Ado About Nothing
Museum Hours
Perks of Being a Wallflower, The
Sept 10
Capital
Color of the Chameleon
Company You Keep, The
End, The
Hunt, The
Midnight's Children
No
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #3
Sept 11
Eagles
Key of Life
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #3
Short Cuts Canada: Programme #4
What Richard Did
Sept 12
Clandestine Childhood
Ghost Graduation
Hunt, The
Imagine
Late Quartet, A
Reality
Sept 13
Penance
Sept 14
Arthur Newman
Passion
Sept 15
English Vinglish
Thermae Romae
Sept 16
Amour
Master, The
To the Wonder

Really dissapointed Amour was gone when I picked this morning, that and Pines were my 2 most anticipated, oh well, looks like I'll give the 'ole rush line a go.

@TA - thanks for your post. I'm up at 10:00 so I hope things don't change much. And, Richard, a big thank you to you for doing this. A terrific service. BTW, why can't TIFF provide this service? Oh, maybe we know the answer. Cheers.

Let's see how many of the premiums are gone by Sep 2....

Just did my selections. Piece of cake -thanks to TIFF but mostly to all the posters who gave advice. Here are additions to TA's list of films off sale:

Sept. 7
Like Someone in Love
Pervert's Guide...
Stories We Tell

Sept.8
Me and You
Perks of Being a Wallflower

Sept. 9
Thermae Romae

Sept. 10
Ghost Graduation
Inch'Allah
No Place on Earth

Sept. 12
Short Cuts Canada Programme 4

Cheers.

Dang it. I really wanted to see "Like Someone in Love" on the 7th and "Ginger and Rosa" on the 9th.

So many of the films I want are offsale, and they're at the harder theaters like Cineplex/Scotiabank/TIFF Lightbox. It's pretty easy to get tix outside at the bigger theaters, but virtually impossible at those smaller theaters/theaters where there are multiple films showing at once. :-(

Let's see what's available at 4pm today for me.

As of 1:30pm the following viewings are also offsale:

Sept 8
------
Yellow

Sept 9
------
Mr. Pip
Zaytoun

Sept 10
-------
My Awkward Sexual Adventure

Sept 14
--------
Penance

Sept 15
--------
Capital

Also Cloud Atlas for Sept. 15 was down to 2 tickets when I snagged mine, so it's likely to go offsale at any minute

Also the list includes Short Cuts #4 on Sept. 10. It is not playing on the 10th.

Thanks for all the help and good luck.

My first year at the festival. Thank you guys for all the helpful information. I just made my selections (my window was 8/29 1 PM). I was happy with most of my selections. But was disappointed not to get The Master and To The Wonder on 9/16. Those films seem like they could’ve been at a larger venue. Just curious why nothing seems to be playing at Roy Thomson or Elgin all day Sunday? Do screenings ever get moved to bigger theaters?

@steph

Movies very rarely get moved at this point. Sometimes during the fest they get moved but that is usually for technical issues.

re: the master.

Lightbox 1 is actually the best theatre in the city to see The Master because it has the ability to project 70mm. Which I believe is what much of The Master was shot in.
If you live in Toronto. I would wait until it is released on October 12th and see it then. I bet it will end up back in Lightbox 1. I wouldn't count on seeing PTA at any screenings other than the premiere, and I don't get the impression he is one for Q&A, so I don't think you will miss out on much missing it at the fest.

Elgin, Roy Thompson and Princess of Wales are very expensive venues to rent. They aren't going to rent them unless they are doing a premiere or multiple premieres. There are no premieres on the last day, AKA voucher day.

They used to use Elgin for peoples choice but even that has been moved to Ryerson.

Unless the person I spoke to on the TIFF number was wrong. They said a lot of off sale items will have tickets added on single ticket day/Sunday morning.

Probably not a lot of them though... i'm guessing

Cloud Atlas saturday the 15th wasnt sold out!! Got 2 tickets when I made my selections at 3PM.
To the wonder is though :(

So both screenings of On the Road are still available?

Wow, maybe it has something to do with the new premium packs being offered, but I'm kind of surprised that more isn't sold out - there are a lot of pretty high profile movies at the bigger venues that don't seem to be off-sale. Seems different than in previous years...

This is my first Tiff and the online process worked smoothly. I even got most of my picks :-). It seems like the smaller films are getting sold out more than the higher profile ones ( technically they're all smaller profile as opposed to the big blockbusters). Anyway the only thing that I wish was different is knowing the schedule and films before hand so that you can plan your stay smoother. If I'd known that a lot of the films that interests me were playing towards the end of the festival. I would've planned to stay during those days.

I'd just like to say thanks to the people keeping this list up-to-date. Due to an emergency, I missed my allocated My Choice selection window, and now I have to wait until 10am on Sep. 3rd to make any choices. I know TIFF can't really do anything about unforeseen circumstances, but I do feel pretty helpless seeing all my choices slowly sell out. Thanks to everyone submitting to the list though, it's better this way than having to scramble for what remains come the 3rd.

I feel for you Ross. Good luck.

I really expected that a few tickets for each screening would be released on the 2nd, that not ALL tickets were available during the presale.
Does anybody know, from previous experience, if that is generally the case?

My guess is that at least 20% or so are held back for single ticket purchases. Even more for the more Hollywood fare.

If anyone is interested in selling Perks of Being a Wallflower tickets (Sept8)...
http://ontario.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-tickets-TIFF-Perks-of-Being-a-Wallflower-Sept-8-Tickets-W0QQAdIdZ408944056

Would really appreciate it :)
Also thanks to everyone posting the offsale shows, its a big help!

It will be my first time attending the festival (and using tiff.net), therefore could anybody let me know what is the last page we can access before the tickets go on sale? In other words, on which page should I start hitting refresh?
Is it on each film's individual page?
Thanks in advance for your help!

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As per they "key dates" listed at tiff.net, there was to be a ticket availability updated posted at 10am today (Sept 1). However, the box office says they're having trouble with the off-sale list. Does not bode well for single ticket sales tomorrow :(

Thx to @croquetmaster for the informative Tweet.

The festival posted their official list of off-sale screenings

http://tiff.net/offsale

I see a few of my top choices are on the list.

Was hoping they'd release extra tickets for Amour, alas, rush line it is.

Zaytoun on Sept 9 at 6pm is now marked offsale.

Any update since 11:18?

As of Sept 2, 1:25pm:

On Thurs Sept 6, every screening listed is offsale except: Dredd 3D, Jason Reitman's Live Read of American Beauty, and Tabu.

On Fri Sept 7, there are 19 screenings listed offsale.

Argo (Sep. 7), Great Expectations (Sep. 11) and Inescapable (Sep. 11) are all Off-Sale.

Argo (Sep. 7), Great Expectations (Sep. 11) and Inescapable (Sep. 11) are all Off-Sale.

I purchased a Daytime package and my selection window isn't until tomorrow at noon. There is hardly anything left! Does TIFF set aside tickets specifically for these packages?

Argo (Sep. 7), Great Expectations (Sep. 11) and Inescapable (Sep. 11) are all Off-Sale.

@lolly "Does TIFF set aside tickets specifically for [daytime] packages?"

Probably not. (I can't say for certain, however.)

This was a major change for 2012: in previous years, buying a daytime-package would get you in the same lottery as the other packages. For 2012, one of the commenters of this post described daytime-package people as "third class citizens" because they cannot do ticket fulfilment until after other packages and single-ticket purchasers. TIFF certainly disclosed this on their web site before you bought a daytime package this year (and it was discussed on this blog in mid-June) but in my view TIFF did not sufficiently emphasize that this amounts to a major change (compared to previous years) in the value of a daytime package. As a result, I would expect that many daytime package purchasers will feel unhappy with their purchase.

I am one of the daytime passholders who is very upset with the way it worked this year (and no, I didn't read about the change beforehand). I was completely shut out of the first Saturday, and had to settle for second-choices a lot the rest of the time. I have been buying day passes for the past few years, and am a TIFF member. My inclination now is to cancel my membership, and to consider alternative diversions next September.

@Jack, I agree with you that TIFF really screwed up the communications process in relation to this major change in the rights of daytime-package purchasers. For example, they ought to have mentioned this change on their What's New page. I would suggest you write a complaint letter to TIFF, perhaps to Chief Operating Officer Michèle Maheux, and emphasize that you were not aware when purchasing of the demotion this year of the daytime-package in selection priority. The TIFF executives apparently don't read third-party blogs about the festival, and they certainly would not be reading the comments this far down, so I encourage you to write a letter because they need to learn that when they make a major change like this they have to emphasize it to potential purchasers instead of burying it.

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My experiences at the Toronto International Film Festival. Note this blog is not affiliated with the Toronto International Film Festival Group or the festival itself.
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