If you are new to the festival, or have attended in the past (but only watched a film or two), then this insight is for you. Attending a film festival can be overwhelming; we've compiled some tips on how to maximize your experience.

Video directed by Adam Lee, Roland Lazarte, and Esther Chung

Think of the 15-day festival as a getaway or a mini vacation. Whether you spend a day, a weekend, or the entire two weeks watching films, you'll get the most by simply planning ahead.

If you really want to treat your festival experience as a vacation or "staycation," consider staying at one of our hotel partners so you don't have to drive home between film screenings. We have discounted rooms at the Doubletree Hotel and Town & Country Resort.

Nearly every day of the festival, something extra is going on. Whether it's a reception, art show, live music, food tasting, film discussion, gala awards dinner, group art project, or karaoke, these special events are what make the festival a festival.

Because we're all so busy, make it easy on yourself to get the latest festival information by subscribing to our eNewsletter, our Facebook Fanpage, or Twitter.

Get festival updates on your cell phone. Simply text "SDAFF" to 53137.

As a member, you get special benefits which include the All-Festival Pass, discounted tickets, exclusive member screenings, and events during the festival and throughout the year.

Only members are able to purchase an All-Festival Pass, which is the most ideal way to experience our festival. With front-of-line privilege, there's no waiting in lines, and the pass gives you unlimited access to all film programs (as long as you arrive 15 minutes before showtime). To learn more about membership, click here.

Save money on tickets by purchasing online or in bulk (4-packs or 10-packs).

We also offer Free Films at 4 PM, thanks to our friends at Target. Also, the following merchants are offering happy hours or food discounts throughout the festival:

All American Grill	15% off meals with festival ticket, nightly happy hour at 10 PM
Sansai Japanese Grill	25% off meals during daily happy hour, 3:30-6 PM
Applebee's	20% off order with festival ticket (Hazard Center location only)
Quizno's	25% for all passholders
Doubletree Windows Lounge	$4 drinks & appetizers everyday 4-6 PM

Plus, our friends at ULAN MedSpa are offering buy one, get one free Hydrafacial during the festival. Just call them to make an appointment at 619-294-8526.

One of the true perks of going to a festival is all the freebies, contests, and giveaways. Here's a look at some of the things we are giving away:

• 7-day cruise for two to Caribbean or Mexico ($10 Star campaign)
• Two (2) $100 Visa gift cards (Texting campaign)
• Two roundtrip Southwest Airlines tickets (Gala Awards/Texting campaign)
• A luxury weekend for two at Harrah's Rincon Casino & Resort (Audience Award Ballot)
• Free food coupons from Jack in the Box
• Gift cards and free 3 oz. coupons for Yogurtland
• Popchips
• Tons of Covergirl Makeup

With nearly 200 films, five panel discussions, a live hip hop showcase, a live comedy showcase, and a star-studded gala awards dinner, the only way to really know what's going on is read through our detailed film list, which breaks down films by schedule, country, genre, and areas of interest. Many of the film descriptions include trailers and reviews.

You can also read through our 2009 program booklet online.

• Bring a sweater. Sometimes the theaters get cold.
• Show up at least 15 minutes before each show. Come earlier to enjoy vendors and artwork in the lobby, or support one of the area merchants.
• Clean up after yourself after each show. This helps us turn around auditoriums faster.
• Be bold. Choose a film program that you wouldn't normally see, you'll be glad you did.