Are you ready to experience one of the many exclusive Film Threat screening events, held in an all-new virtual cinema in Second Life? If you are new to Second Life, here's a few tips to get you started.

PREPARING FOR THE EVENT

Do I need a Second Life account to participate?
Yes. If you are not already a member of Second Life, then sign up for free!

I am already a Second Life member. Do I need to sign up again?
No. You can use your existing Second Life account to participate!

What is Second Life?
Second Life is the Internet’s largest user-created virtual world already experienced by millions of people across the world. Participants can use text and voice chat to socialize, explore, and create together across thousands of unique virtual world experiences and communities. Almost everything you see in Second Life was created by the community! 

How do I get Second Life? Is it safe to download?
Second Life can be downloaded and installed on a PC, Mac or Linux. Once you register, you will automatically be prompted to download the Second Life Viewer. You can also manually download the Viewer directly from the official Second Life website.

Installing Second Life is safe and secure -- it does not contain any spyware. 

Does Second Life work on a mobile device or tablet?
Not officially. While there are some experimental third party Viewers, attendees of this event are strongly encouraged to use a desktop-based Viewer.

Are there any tutorial videos for getting started?
Yes! Check out our New User Video Tutorials on YouTube for tips on customizing your avatar and getting started in Second Life. These are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Turkish, and Polish.

How do I change my look?

The fastest way to change your look in Second Life is via the avatar button. A pop up will appear with several new looks to choose from. Just click any look to instantly transform your avatar. You can watch this tutorial to see how it works.

Feeling more ambitious? You can craft an even more complex avatar if you want to spend a bit of time and money. YouTube has several tutorials that can help. You can also shop for a complete avatar on the Second Life Marketplace.

How do I explore Second Life?

In addition to the special venue created for this event, Second Life is a huge virtual world filled with both public and private experiences including virtual nightclubs, fashion events, art exhibitions, social hangout spots, and much more. Check out the Destination Guide to see a directory of thousands of places. Once you see a virtual world destination you like, you can visit it “inworld” (inside Second Life). 

DURING THE EVENT

Do I need to arrive exactly at showtime?
Once you arrive, head to the movie theater where the video presentation should automatically begin to play. If you don't see the video, make sure to toggle the play/pause icon in the upper right of the Second Life Viewer.

How do I join the screening or visit any location in Second Life?
Assuming you have already downloaded, installed, and logged in to Second Life then you should be ready to go! 

The virtual cinema is open to visit 24/7 but special screening events may be scheduled for specific dates and times. To attend any screening, click this link to get the directory listing with the correct virtual world event location. On this page, select “Teleport” or “Visit this Location”

From the web directory, click the “Teleport” button.

Alternatively, you can choose “View on map” and then you will see a larger map that shows the location in the context of the entire virtual world. From this screen, you can click proceed by clicking “Visit this location.”

Once clicked, your Second Life Viewer will auto-launch and a pop-up “Place Profile” window will appear inside your Viewer - Select the “Teleport” button to travel to your new destination.

During your teleport, you will see an interstitial screen that looks something like this:

After the teleport is complete, you should be at your new destination! 

My teleport is not working! What do I do?
Sometimes a teleport fails if the destination is offline, private, and/or already at full capacity. If so, you will see a message like this:

In the case of a high-demand event with limited capacity, there is a good chance that the event is already at its maximum attendance.

If this is the case, then you can keep trying to teleport to the location. Once space opens up at the location, you should be able to teleport successfully. 

Please note that some events and locations are popular once they initially open up to the public - so keep trying if you can’t get in on your first try!

How do I control the volume within Second Life?
In the Second Life Viewer, look for the speaker icon in the upper right and hover your mouse over it to expand to a pop-up selector that allows you to change the volume on various audio sources in Second Life. 

How do I claim my free virtual gifts?
Look for the free gift tents immediately to the right and left of the stairs as you enter the Film Threat venue. Once there, click the sign to claim your free gifts!

How do I talk to other people in Second Life?
For many events, voice chat is disabled but you can chat with text either privately or publicly to other attendees. To chat, select the Chat button at the bottom of your Viewer. A pop-up will appear where you can type in your text chat.

Someone is harassing me! How do I get them to stop?
You can block anyone by simply right-clicking on any avatar and then select “Block.” 

You can also block them by selecting their name in the chatbox and right-clicking to select “Block Voice” or “Block Text.”

You can also report abuse inside the Viewer. See this video to learn more.

How do I take a picture in Second Life?
Taking pictures in Second Life is simple! Just click the snapshot button in the Second Life Viewer and then save. Don’t forget to share your favorite snapshots with your friends!

What do I do after the event is over?
Return to your normal dismal life. Or get a vibrant Second Life by continuing to explore thousands of cool destinations and events across the metaverse. Happy! Happy!