SXSW 2011 Wrap-Up: Sensory Overload and Monsters
We created a monster ... It's just sensory overload ... like the first day of school times twenty thousand people.
Prophetic words from Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW, Alan Berg's documentary about how four guys living on next to nothing created one of the largest benchmarks of alternative culture. Check out my interview with director Alan Berg for an insight of how it all began for South by Southwest.
Everything was bigger this year -- the number of attendees and campuses for SXSW Interactive, the crowds of people lining up at the Paramount Theatre for movie premieres, and the swell of music fans filling the streets of downtown and beyond for SXSW Music. Despite years of volunteering in "the belly of the beast" as I call downtown Austin during SXSW Music, I found it overwhelming. I joked that I'm no longer a SXSW veteran, I'm a SXSW old-timer as I no longer care about where the free food, drinks or parking are -- I just wanted to find a seat in a theater and a clean bathroom.
In an attempt to avoid the maddening fray, I went with a light schedule this year. I didn't have every moment planned as I've done in the past, which I found myself regretting only slightly. I didn't regret unplugging from the sensory overload of SXSW Interactive in an effort to balance Film and Interactive simply by cutting back on both.
In retrospect, I had some wonderful serendipitous moments that would never have happened had I stuck to a planned schedule. I also realize that it would have taken me several weeks of research and planning to filter through the hundreds of panels, films and events at SXSW this year, and then fit them into the scheduling tool du jour -- some worked, some didn't and some were often wrong. Here are my favorite aspects of SXSW Film 2011:
Joe Nicolosi's SXSW 2010 Film bumpers -- Nicolosi's Stay Indoors 2010 SXSW Midnight bumper (the shorts promoting the fest that you see before every screening) was so well received that he was asked to create all the bumpers for the film fest this year. As much as I enjoyed every one of his narrative short trailers including the wildly popular mini-epic tale Mario, I particularly enjoyed the documentary bumper Knitta Please. Co-produced by Sarah Gonzalez, the bumper is a teaser to Gonzalez's Yarn Graffiti Documentary, which is currently in pre-production stages of raising funds. Ever wonder about the knitted cover on the drainpipe at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar? Watch the short trailer below:
Narrative Film Shorts -- As I mentioned in my SXSW Review: Narrative Shorts, the short film programming this year was spectacular. Since the time of that post, I've heard from several of the filmmakers expressing gratitude for recognizing their films. I feel strongly about supporting this film format at festival screenings, because more often than not there's not an opportunity to see the films unless they are posted on the Internet.
Attack the Block -- Despite having to crane my neck to view from the front row of the Alamo Ritz, as well as the rather thick accents of the main characters, Attack the Block was an over the top enjoyable "balls to the wall" rollercoaster ride through the gang-infested streets of South London during an alien invasion. The film's writing and character development was reminiscent of James Moran's Severance in its authenticity of characters, witty writing, and realism in their actions. Word of caution to parents -- despite the lead characters being pre-teens, this film is not suitable for children. The twittersphere was abuzz over whether the film should be subtitled to improve its appeal to American audiences, which I would prefer over seeing an Americanized version of the film. May not be long before we find out what happens with Attack the Block, as this SXSW Midnight Feature Award winner has been recently picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures' Screen Gems.
Making of It's About You, A Super 8 documentary panel -- I didn't see as many panels this year, but I'm glad that I caught a crossover panel that wasn't on my radar. Super 8 film industry professional and innovator Phil Vigeant is a frequent panelist for SXSW Film, and this year he was joined by father-and-son filmmaking team Kurt and Ian Markus. The Markus duo had recently completed the documentary film It's About You, shot during singer/songwriter John Mellencamp's 2009 summer tour and recording sessions. In addition to talking about the making of the film, the panelists talked at length about the creative elements, technology, and obstacles faced when shooting a full length feature documentary on Super 8 film. Most of the cameras used are not the classic ones from the Sixties, but rather professional Super 8 units that start at $1700. Check out a trailer from It's About You below:
Natural Selection -- This movie reaffirms my love for film festivals in Austin. Despite the plethora of films to choose from and crowded film parties, every once in awhile there's a gem that shines. This year for me it was the darkly humorous Natural Selection and the modest film party that followed its premiere -- read my review and check out a special photo essay. I'm so pleased that Pickering's film about a middle-aged woman "coming of age" won several awards at SXSW including the Grand Jury prize, as well as Best Director and Best Screenplay. Natural Selection had a lot of heart both onscreen and off from its cast and crew, and I wish continued success for the film.
For SXSW 2012, I've vowed all or nothing -- I enjoyed using the new Metrorail for at least two days during SXSW, but I realized that to be really committed to enjoying SXSW than I need to stay closer to downtown as I had last year. This year I didn't cover the red carpets, which was a nice respite from the crowded photo pit but I missed taking photos. Having at least a tentative schedule mapped out is wise, instead of deciding two hours in advance. Knowing what I want to see allows me the opportunity to pick up the SXXpress passes when available. Most importantly, relaxing and enjoying SXSW without the monstrosity of it eating me whole is the plan for SXSW 2012.