SXSW

"The culture of drink endures because it offers so many rewards ... above all the elusive promise of friendship and love" -- Pete Hamill, A Drinking Life: A Memoir

The documentary Hey Bartender opens with this fitting introduction into the world of cocktails. The story introduces us to several characters in this lively and engaging film from director Douglas Tirola (All In: The Poker Movie). We are introduced first to Dunville's owner Steve Carpentieri, who is struggling to keep his small business alive in Westport, Connecticut. Cheap beer flows at this hole-in-the-wall where everyone does know your name, but fancy cocktails don't cross the bar here. Carpentieri ponders whether to throw in the towel after almost 20 years in the business.

On the other end of the spectrum is Steve Schneider, a young man trying to advance in the ranks at Employees Only (EO), one of the most prestigious bars in New York City. It can take years to succeed as an EO principal bartender -- starting as a stocker and then serving two years as an apprentice before consideration as a principal. Schneider is proud of his hard-earned apprentice jacket, perhaps a little too much after receiving well deserved press in the print media.

My first day of SXSW 2013 began Friday afternoon with a preview of the Mondo Gallery exhibition of original Game of Thrones artwork (pictured at right) sponsored by HBO, which also included samples of the new Brewery Ommegang's new "Game of Thrones" beer. Look for Katy Daiger Dial's coverage of the exhibit, with more photos, later in the week on Slackerwood.

Although I had planned to catch opening-night movie The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, I decided at the last minute to skip it in favor of a documentary at the Topfer Theatre that I wouldn't have another chance to see, Unhung Hero.

Directed by Brian Spitz, it follows actor Patrick Moote through his rejected Jumbotron marriage proposal that garnered 10 million YouTube hits in four days ... and the subsequent journey he undertakes after being told by his ex-girlfriend that her rejection was due to his extremely small penis.

In spite of his shortcomings, Moote is endowed with charm, charisma, incredibly good looks and an enormous acting talent. All are on public display as he explores sexual culture and penis enlargement techniques in the farthest corners of the world. In spite of his little problem, Moote is self-deprecating but not self-pitying. His honesty and candor about the subject are a rare treat. Unhung Hero is fascinating, informative and hilarious.

The doc screens again at SXSW on Tuesday at 9:30 pm at the Rollins Theatre at the Long Center, and on Friday at 4:15 pm at Rollins.

My first film of SXSW 2013 was a 6:30 showing Friday night of Shane Carruth's movie Upstream Color at Stateside. It looked like only people with badges got in and the screening was packed. As the film was introduced, we were told Carruth's plane was delayed so he couldn't be there. Then the film got underway.

Shot at least partially in Dallas (I surmise from the DART trains that appear), this drama shows how Kris (Amy Seimetz) is taken in/abducted by a brainwashing con man and a year later falls for a man (Carruth) who may also have been a victim.  Also involved in the film are pigs, worms and some guy who likes making music by recording noises from found objects in nature.

At a recent after-work happy hour, I mentioned that Joss Whedon's new movie is Much Ado About Nothing. My mostly twentysomething co-workers' reactions were entirely predictable: Joss Whedon? Shakespeare? A Joss Whedon Shakespeare movie? OMG OMG OMG! A Joss Whedon Shakespeare movie!

As one co-worker said, "You had me at Joss Whedon."

Yeah, people, I get it. I totally understand your enthusiasm. One of Hollywood's hottest talents has taken a detour from his usual fantasy fare and delivered something unexpected: a new twist on one of William Shakespeare's most popular plays. OMG!

To be clear, I'm not mocking Whedon or his fans. But I must explain that while I've seen a fair number of Shakespeare's plays and certainly appreciate his talents, I've seen only one of Whedon's films -- The Cabin in the Woods, which I enjoyed very much -- and none of his TV shows, not a single episode. Yes, I'm that unhip. I don't know enough to pass judgment on or muster much enthusiasm for his work. But I do know a lot of very smart, sophisticated and discerning people who madly adore Whedon, so he must be doing a lot of things right.

Is Whedon's vision of Much Ado About Nothing any good? Yes. It's unusual, clever, creative and expertly rendered. My Whedon-worshipping friends won't be disappointed and will recognize many actors from other Whedon endeavors, which I'm sure will add to the fun. It's also a creative risk, and I credit Whedon for taking it.

Sam Eidson is a comedic savant who moved to Austin after attending Savannah College of Art & Design. In addition to a hilarious appearance in Emily Hagins' 2011 feature film My Sucky Teen Romance, Eidson has appeared in a number of locally produced shorts, as well as stage productions presented by his collaborative company The Old Murder House Theatre. (Read J.C.'s interview for last year's Murder House production, Jurassic Live!)

Eidson's first lead film role is in the Austin-shot movie Zero Charisma, which is premiering at SXSW on Monday at 7:15 pm at the Rollins Theatre at the Long Center. But you might also see him onscreen during SXSW in Grow Up, Tony Phillips and the short Hell No. I conducted the following interview with him via email over the course of a few days.

Slackerwood: What can you tell us about your role in Zero Charisma?

Sam Eidson: I play a D&D Dungeon Master (we call them Game Masters in the movie for legalities) who finds his whole life turned around when a hipster comes in and takes over his game. He's a firecracker who's not afraid to get in your face.

Don't forget the shorts programs at SXSW this year. There are a number of great shorts at the fest. Some are from filmmakers you haven't heard of yet -- some feature well-known faces. We were able to get our hands on a few of the shorts before the fest, and here's a rundown on them.

If you're headed to SXSW, remember that in addition to the many world-premiere features there are also really great shorts programs where you can view short films from filmmakers and stars that you may never have another chance to see. Here is a run-down of the ones we were able to screen before the festival.

#PostModem (Shorts Program 1)
According to the filmmakers: "#PostModem is a comedic, satirical sci-fi musical based on the theories of Ray Kurzweil and other futurists. It's the story of two Miami girls and how they deal with the technological singularity, as told through a series of cinematic tweets."

The latest film from Austin director Geoff Marslett, Loves Her Gun, has its world premiere at SXSW, screening tomorrow (Saturday) at 10:30 pm at Violet Crown (screening info). Actress Trieste Kelly Dunn stars as Allie, a troubled woman who heads to Austin after surviving an attack in NYC. 

Dunn herself is a native of Utah, attended North Carolina School for the Arts and is now a resident of Brooklyn.  Before the rush of the film festival starts, she talked with us via email about getting to play a female character who isn't reasonable, going tubing in Texas, and more.

Slackerwood: What was your casting experience like for Loves Her Gun? How did you hear about the film?

Trieste Kelly Dunn: Geoff sent me a Facebook message about it. It sounded really exciting. Then he sent me an outline and I got even more excited. Then he said he wanted to improvise the dialogue and I got terrified.

Just when you think it can't get any bigger, SXSW offers even more amazing content beyond its cornerstones of Film, Interactive and Music conferences. Continuing from 2012, this year's festivities include a SXSW Comedy program March 9-16 spotlighting stand-up comics, and SXSWedu from March 4-7, featuring content for educational innovation. The Tech Career Expo also returns March 8-9 in a new location at 311 East 5th Street, one block from the Austin Convention Center (ACC), open to those seeking careers in the tech and interactive media sectors.

Choosing among so many options can be difficult since the Film and Interactive conferences take place at the same time, from Friday, March 8 through Tuesday, March 12. The film festival starts on Friday as well and runs through Saturday, March 16. This guide will hopefully help you balance both Film and Interactive successfully, whether you have a badge for either conference or the Gold or Platinum badges that provide you access to both.

Here it is: The SXSW Film Fest Omnibus Survival Guide. Slackerwood has been publishing SXSW insider's guides for years, but this year I decided it was everyone else's turn. This guide is essentially a collection of all the guides and tips I could find that would help SXSW filmgoers. I also threw in our own guides from this year and when still relevant, previous years. It is truly One Guide to Rule Them All.

And if this isn't enough guidance, bring your questions to the SXSW Film Conference panel  "A Beginner's Guide to SXSW Film" on Friday at 2 pm at ACC. Agnes Varnum, Yen Tan, David Modigliani, Kimberley Jones and I will attempt to answer them and if we can't, probably someone in the audience can.

Speaking of David Modigliani, let's kick things off with the "SXSW 2013: Do It Like a Local" video from Flow Nonfiction, where he's Creative Director. David's the guy on the left of local chef/restaurant owner Paul Qui. The advice is geared toward Music but there's a lot of universal tips in here (plus, it's fun).

The SXSW Film Pass, a longtime favorite for Austinites wanting to see fest movies, is no more. Instead, the second-tier theater access pass is now the SXSW Film Festival Wristband, mirroring the music fest's access. I don't have a picture of the wristband yet, so enjoy the above photo of the now-obsolete pass that Austin frequent-filmgoer David Roland Strong is holding. Great pass number, you'll notice.

If you don't have one and want one, get them now before they run out (which they do) at Waterloo Records, Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter and Alamo Drafthouse Village. You are actually buying a wristband voucher, which you then have to redeem for a physical wristband at a SXSW venue when the festival starts.

I'm faced with the problem of what to call people who are wearing the wristband, since I can't say "passholder" anymore. "Bandwearer"? "Wristband holder"? I favor "wristbandito" myself. I'll try some variations as we go along, you tell me which one you like.