Timothée Chalamet selfie? Check. Catching 25 films in 11 days. Check. Working the whole day and then attending three different parties in one night? Check. From the red carpet to the hottest A-list parties, we spoke to people who have mastered the art of the Toronto International Film Festival.

Here are the types of TIFF pros you’ll run into and their survival tips for the 11-day event.

The Celeb Selfie Queen

It’s the most wonderful time of the year for corporate accountant Sandi Leung. As most people are headed back to work, Leung takes a few days off to celebrate “TIFFmas,” a term coined by her and her friends for their stargazing adventures. Her area of expertise? Getting close-up selfies with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Think Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Munn and Chris Pratt, just to name a few celebs from her TIFF photo diaries. Yes, this takes a lot of commitment but, for Leung, it’s a passion.

“Movies and TV shows have a big impact on my life and getting to meet the inspiration who plays my favourite character is a joy,” she adds. “And the community of friends I’ve met through this has been a blessing.”

Some of her most memorable moments include catching a selfie with Amy Adams in 2016. “I didn’t think I was going to meet her that year and missed my chance, but she showed up out of the blue and it made my day,” she says. Because of the impressive photo, TIFF even illustrated the selfie in a cartoon, calling Leung a “pro-selfie seeker.”

Last year, Leung ran after a car to grab a selfie with heartthrob Chalamet and it worked. “He told me that he would definitely (grab a selfie) for me because he saw me running,” she says.

Leung thinks she still has a lot to learn when it comes to capturing that perfect celeb selfie, but we grabbed some pro tips for first-time stargazers:

1. Always have someone with you in case you need to get food or use the washroom. You can cover a lot more area than if you are by yourself.

2. Plan ahead, be organized, stay hydrated and layer up.

3. Photo angles: It’s tougher if you’re squished on the red carpet. Give yourself enough space to whip out your camera. Practise before the action happens so you’ll be prepared when chaos hits.

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The ‘Stan’

This year, Diane Blake from New Jersey will make an eight-hour overnight trip to TIFF 2019. Yes, that’s more than 870 kilometres, driving solo in the dead of night, but for a ‘stan’ — celebrity superfan — the gruelling journey is all a part of the thrill.

Admittedly, this is her first TIFF experience, but she’s a seasoned vet when it comes to finding her favourite star, Irish actor Caitriona Balfe. Blake plans to catch the star at the red carpet for Ford v Ferrari, in which Balfe co-stars with Christian Bale and Matt Damon. She plans to get into the city by 5 a.m. and wait all day until the evening festivities.

“I was introduced to Caitriona when I stumbled across her show Outlander a few years ago. I was very drawn to her character and wanted to learn more about her as a person,” Blake says. “(She’s) very much someone to emulate. She’s also really smart and has a wicked sense of humour, which I love.”

Blake had the chance to get up close and personal with Balfe at the New York and San Diego Comic-Cons, and has even flown to the U.K. for an Outlander convention.

Here are her pro tips:

1. Don’t set your expectations too high. You could be disappointed and you have to accept that.

2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, bring plenty of water and snacks, and a book or whatever you need to occupy yourself for the long day.

3. Make friends with those around you. You’re all in it together.

The film aficionado

Dorothy Fraser’s love affair with TIFF has been going strong since the 1970s, back when it was still known as the Festival of Festivals. She was there in 1978 when Martin Scorsese was interviewed by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, with a guest appearance by Robert De Niro. In fact, she missed only a couple festivals in the ’80s and one since 1995. She estimates she has seen 600 to 700 films over the 20-something years.

“Why do I keep going? The films, the joy of sitting in a theatre at 9 a.m. with a cup of coffee knowing you’re going to be doing this all day (and all week) with a bunch of people who are as crazy as you are,” Fraser says.

This year, she’s taking a week off work to catch a list of screenings she planned weeks in advance.

“I was a retail buyer so I put the whole thing on an Excel spreadsheet. Each film, all of its times and venues, colour-coded first, second and third choices, and little snippets of words to remind me what they were about,” Fraser says. “People used to ask me for copies.”

Fraser plans to attend at least 13 screenings, a mix of documentaries and foreign films. She’s not a huge celebrity stargazer; for her, TIFF is all about the films and how it brings people together.

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“In the early days we used to sit in line all night at College Park waiting for the box office to open. There were a lot of seniors and young people. We would talk and compare notes and get ready for the big moment. It was an intergenerational experience,” she recalls.

Here are her pro tips:

1. Start small. Stay away from the big films; they will be in the theatres soon after TIFF.

2. Check the online listings and pick something that sounds interesting, not necessarily a hit.

3. If you know someone who goes to TIFF, ask them to introduce you. It’s a good way to get started.

The best TIFF friend to have

Lynda Del Grande was brought by a friend to her first TIFF in 1988. Thirty-one years later, she hasn’t skipped a single fest. She was there in 1989 for Michael Moore’s breakout documentary, Roger & Me, and met the director before his international acclaim. She also recalls watching a TIFF film during Sept. 11, 2001, leaving the theatre in confusion when the festival was cancelled.

What the last three decades of TIFF have been for Del Grande is a journey through time: through pivotal world events, to meeting new friends, to losing a close friend who used to attend with her. It’s her “once a year bout of madness.”

All this history is what makes Del Grande the perfect mentor for first-time TIFFers. This year will be especially important as she passes the torch to her niece, who is flying in from the U.K. to attend for the first time.

Although she’s not huge on stargazing, one of her favourite parts of the festival is watching the fans, “the screaming ones (waiting by the red carpet) who call out the star’s name hoping they might get a look or a selfie or autograph.”

Here are her pro tips:

1. The hardest thing is figuring out the ticket system. Best to get an experienced TIFF-goer to invite you to come with them. Or buy single tickets and see if you like the TIFF experience.

2. When I bring a friend I make sure they know that they’ll have to stand in line. At least an hour, an hour and a half for unreserved seats, and at least a half-hour at the theatres where seats are reserved.

3. Dress in layers. Some of the theatres are very air-conditioned. And comfortable shoes for standing in line.

The TIFF party pro

Toronto’s Natasha Koifman, president of NKPR, knows a thing or two about TIFF. After two decades as a VIP guest of A-list bashes and party host to the stars, she’s seen the festival and its party scene transform.

“Back then, there were only two venues in the city that were serving until 4 a.m., Bistro 990 and the Rosewater Supper Club. Everyone would really end up in two places,” she says.

Nowadays, celebrities appear on the red carpet, at talks, at premieres and, of course, the parties but fly out that night. “Life is busier for everyone.” That’s why party planning to impress has become such a huge task for festivals like TIFF, one that Koifman has mastered.

For the past few months, Koifman and her team have been busy planning events. She’s the co-chair for the Artists for Peace and Justice Gala hosted by Susan Sarandon. Koifman is also teaming up with Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott to host the IT House x Producer’s Ball.

And Koifman has an exciting inside scoop for stargazers. “Hang out at Bloor-Yorkville. There are a lot of parties happening. You might even see JLo there.”

She also has a message for first-time TIFF partygoers. “The big thing is that celebrities are just like us. I think it’s important to just feel happy to be at the party and make don’t make them feel uncomfortable. Don’t stare, don’t take photos, just enjoy yourself in the moment.”

Here are her pro tips:

1. Stay hydrated. You’ll be OK with your hunger with all the canapés, but make sure to hydrate!

2. As you will often go from event to event, comfortable footwear is very important. Sneakers are cool, too, so whether you’re wearing a dress or pants, stay comfortable.

3. You can’t go wrong with an all-black wardrobe. You can go day to night without heading home in between.