SXSW 2015: Film, Interactive & Austin!
By Jessica Grabarz
Our inaugural trip to the industry-frequented SXSW festival this year proved to be nothing short of an incredible experience.
Attending the festival for the first time, Ben Jones, our Founder and one of our Directors, and I did the ol’ divide and conquer. Ben checked out several film and startup / entrepreneurship sessions, whereas I focused my time on the interactive / technology meetups and panels.
My snapshot of “South By”…as everyone calls it.
A first to the fest and in Austin, there was much to learn, and to take in - particularly regarding how to best navigate the festival and the city. For example, where to stay? Easy. In the city. It’s a *must* to stay at a hotel or Airbnb location in proximity to the sessions, events, and parties to ensure that there is an option for that late afternoon regroup nap. Also, how to get from one location to the next? SXSW has grown tremendously from its inception as a music festival. The sessions, promotions, and parties span much of the city as it takes over multiple neighborhoods, hotels and restaurants. Walking is, of course, the most common course of transport but for that slightly further distance definitely go with a pedicab! In fact, share a pedicab. This is a great way to meet folks and get to your next destination on time. Where to get that morning caffeine fix? Austin, much like Denver, has a seemingly ubiquitous and abounding array of local coffee shops. A few favorites include Caffe Medici, Houndstooth Coffee, and, of course, the Patika Coffee Truck. All distinct and delicious!
SXSW has grown exponentially since it’s inception. It is now a combination of it’s origin, music, as well as film and interactive. Ben and I each had a Gold Badge, which enables you access to all film and interactive events.
Most of the sessions that I attended were strategically centered around storytelling - rather, immersive storytelling. Further, they were focused on technology and how fellow production companies and agencies around the nation and the world are employing the latest and greatest trends in storytelling and technology to enhance consumer engagement and content marketing campaigns. A marketer by trade and film connoisseur by choice, the intersection of advertising, technology and entertainment, is typically where my head is at most days. I am constantly thinking of how to better engage - and immerse - consumers while offering truly entertaining content that, of course, can also be tracked to ensure that the advertiser / brand / network is optimizing the engagement with the consumer in real time.
The best and most intriguing panel was, without a doubt, Exploring Storytelling in the Digital Age with Andrew Cochrane, Interactive and New Media Director at Los Angeles-based production company Mirada. Andrew gave a comprehensive presentation on how he and the team at Mirada Studios are applying the “craft of storytelling” to emerging technologies across various digital mediums. Andrew shared several case studies that included IBM Think, ro.me. and MirrorWorld. I also had the opportunity to meet Andrew at a Virtual Reality Meetup where he was showcasing an affordable VR experience for which you only need an iPhone and a $35 Google Cardboard box to enjoy this accessible experience.
A close second was the Future of Storytelling with Charlie Melcher, the Founder and CEO of Melcher Media and the Founder and Director of the Future of Storytelling Summit. It was great to reconnect with Charlie, as I had the opportunity to partner with him years ago during my time at HBO, and to see that he, too, is exploring the next chapter in storytelling. In fact, Charlie’s first endeavor in this arena was “S.,” an “interactive” book developed in collaboration with J.J. Abrams that offers a fascinating take and exploration of how we can engage with readers through the printed medium. I highly recommend. An interactive literary experience in print. Looking forward to seeing what Charlie is up to next!
The Future of Storytelling panel also featured Ari Kuschnir, the Founder and Executive Producer of Brooklyn-based production company mssng peces that does great work. Similar to Image Brew, Ari and his team, are also exploring opportunities in the digital realm with interactive video. Check out their Now Is What You Make It video for 2014 Pepsi football campaign. Good stuff.
A few other highlights included…
The National Geographic Captures the World for NOKIA with a Phone panel. This was super cool. The first phone to capture images in 4K. The National Geographic sponsored a photography road trip with the phone that was pretty spectacular.
Hollywood to Silicon Valley: Making a Megahit panel, featuring BBC’s COO Ann Sarnoff.
Not to mention the A&E Bates Motel installation. A replica of the Bates Motel, passersby had the opportunity to sign up to a win a night in the “Motel.” Although I did not win, I’m not exactly sure that I was disappointed ;) That said, this was definitely a well-executed construct in the heart of the festival. I did get to keep a promotional “key” to the Bates Motel…hmmm.
Samsung definitely brought it as well. Featuring their answer to Oculus Rift, Samsung VR had a booth that boasted a two-plus hour wait to check out one of five immersive VR experiences, including the then-sneak peak scene from Insurgent, the second film in the Divergent Series. While it is not Oculus Rift…it is still exciting to see other folks getting in the game. This means competition for market share, which typically leads to lower prices and increased accessibility for consumers. Future of content marketing? Just sayin’.
Lastly, I had the opportunity to check out a few films as well as drop in on some late night comedy. I attended the premiere of Paul Feig’s new comedy, Spy. Hilarious. Although I did not expect to like it, I laughed out loud throughout the film, and would highly recommend. I also saw an early screening of the documentary short, Inventing to Nowhere, at one of Austin’s historic landmarks, The Driskill Hotel. An intriguing film about two first-time inventors and the current patent-law debate that both addresses and raises great questions about the future for entrepreneurs and inventors. Finally, on a whim, I checked out a late night comedy show, which turned out to be a roast led by none other than Comedy Central’s Jeff Ross. The best part? Judd Apatow’s cameo as a judge and…wait for it…his standup to warm up the crowd! Jackpot. Go Judd. Kate Walsh and Malin Akerman were also in attendance.
Needless to say, there was a lot going on! Tons of industry insights, workshops, networking and exposure. Looking forward to next year!