Austin Movie Blog

By Jessica

March 16, 2010 4:27 PM | Link to this

I bought one of the $70 passes and was only turned away from one screening - I saw 11 films (nine feature-length films and two shorts showcases) over the course of three days. The thing that’s depressing about SXSW Film is that people flock to the films that are guaranteed release - Kick-***, Leaves of Grass, etc. that will definitely find distributors and will be in theaters and released on DVD in a matter of months. The gems of festivals like SXSW are the films that may never find distribution - they’ll make the festival circuit and die sad, lonely deaths on YouTube and Snagfilms. I have no sympathy for those forking over $300+ in an attempt to guarantee entry into blockbuster films while ignoring the lower-budget features, documentaries and shorts showcases. For SXSW’s size, it was well organized, fairly accessible (getting to Alamo Lamar in time for a screening was a bit close sometimes), and the volunteers were mostly helpful and knowledgeable.

You’re sharing these films with a bunch of other folks and, if you’ve attended pretty much any other festival, you’d know you’re never guaranteed access to every film. Buck up - you can watch Kick-*** on loop til the cows come home in about six months or so.

By Greg Malor

March 16, 2010 12:13 PM | Link to this

Where you from Roscoe? LA? Portland?

To say that something is positive for the sole reason that it “gives our city a major ecomomic boost” is short-sighted and illogical.

By your flawed logic natural disasters are great because the charitable and relief-fund money give the area a “major economic boost.” Hurricane Rita was great for New Orleans, right?

Idiot.

By Roscoe J

March 15, 2010 11:59 PM | Link to this

Complain all you want, but realize that SXSW gives our city a major ecomomic boost and much more! It is major fun for many thousands of Austinites and people from all over the world. It encouages artistic innovation to thrive. Sure, there are flaws in this massive enterprise, but it was started by local people who just wanted to celebrate the best music and movies made from the heart. SXSW is one of the finest things about Austin.

By mdlonghorn

March 15, 2010 10:58 PM | Link to this

As an Austinite of 52 years, I have witnessed that the SXSW culture fest’s growth has only been exceeded by the egos and wallet size of its founders and owners, transplanted Vermont hippie “journalist” Louis Black, Roland Swenson and Nick Barbaro. Rather than the modest and manageable SXSW of the early years, its owners have succeeded in killing the spirit of the original. In its present state SXSW is an enormous cash cow for Black, Swenson and Barbaro who are now multi-millionaires living in the lap of luxury. They accomplished this off the backs of the thousands of band members and their support staffs who journey to Austin to play essentially for free and off the blood and sweat of thousands of “volunteers” who donate the free labor that enriches them. To top it all off, the SXSW owners have entered into deals with the City of Austin and its politicians that, in exchange untold thousands of man-hours of police and fire protection caused by this for-profit event, the politicians essentially get a free T-shirt and a photo op with some Hollywood actor-idiot like Woody Harrellson. Sounds like a public-interest story some new organization should cover. But wait, these same SXSW owners (Black and Barbaro) also own the local alternative weekly rag, the Austin Chronicle. And the “journalists,” editors and publisher of the Austin American Statesman just go along to get along in true small-town cowardice, afraid of “not getting invited to the party.”

Less really is more.

The spirit of art trumps the spirit of greed.

By Chris Davis

March 15, 2010 10:49 PM | Link to this

Went to Alamo South tonight with my badge, 45 minutes before several movies were scheduled to begin but was not able to get into any of them. Heaven forbid I actually want to go to a movie that has been recommended or has a good buzz about it. This was my first time with a Platinum badge. I was really looking forward to checking out some films this year. So much for that. There’s always hope I can somehow squeeze into the 7pm music showcase at Applebee’s South.

By This Article Is Misleading

March 15, 2010 9:47 PM | Link to this

I was promised Alan Thicke or Kirk Cameron. This has nothing to do with Growing Pains.

By Morgan Diesel Brainwhip

March 15, 2010 5:33 PM | Link to this

Like a number of Austinites, I attended the first couple of years of SXSW with only a wristband and had a great time. But it’s a 24/7 Industry Insider VIP Party these days. Which is fine I guess. I understand these posers pump huge sums of cash into the Austin economy. But I’m no longer hip, rich or A-List enough to bother with it. However, I did stroll around downtown last year on a Saturday afternoon and had a great time people-watching the Bubbling Cauldron of Perpetual Adolescence.

By Stephen

March 15, 2010 3:19 PM | Link to this

South-x-SouthPEST. I detest the PEST! It’s only a matter of days before the next issue of the Chronicle is out with Louis Black’s usual indecipherable drivel of excuses, justifications, and self-congratulatory plaudits. I’m sure this incident will be chalked up to a simple and rare incident of poor logistics. Instead, it’s the same ole story of the fat cats with privlege, access and SuperDuper Badges crowding out the poor saps who have to settle for general admission and lower tier badges. It’s all disgusting to me.

By Big John

March 15, 2010 2:07 PM | Link to this

SXSW is a joke. I grew up in Austin and have been attending SXSW music since the early 90s. Sometime around the early 2000s it became such a hassle with the lines, crowds, and uncertainty that it’s no wonder most Austinites flee Austin during the event.

By the way, love the LA comment Dale. It’s right on the money.

Anybody else sick of VIPs?

By stephen becker

March 15, 2010 2:00 PM | Link to this

@Christopher - i tried to go to saturday night at the Alamo Lamar. Showed up at 6:30 and saw a line that stretched from the theater to lamar. Walked straight to the shuttle, defeated. Then the movie i did get into, Electra Luxx, was a bust when the projector broke an hour into the movie. So the score on Sunday was: SXSW 2, Stephen 0.

By Kevin

March 15, 2010 1:19 PM | Link to this

As others have alluded to, these “growing pains” have existed since at least 2001 when I first started attending. Tried to see No Early Birds back then and had essentially the same experience as the author. Can’t believe this is still going on 9 years later.

By michelle

March 15, 2010 11:41 AM | Link to this

And to think people wonder why it has come to be referred to as South by So What…

Those in charge seem to be interested only in how many dollars can be raked in or what the headcount could have been had more tickets been sold. In the process, the quality of the experience has been allowed to deteriorate. Those in charge TRULY need to re-evaluate the current operations and contrast them with what SXSW was originally intended to accomplish…

By Dale G

March 15, 2010 10:27 AM | Link to this

SXSW is more responsible for turning Austin into Los Angeles than anything else. It’s 1% artist, 99% greed.

By liz

March 15, 2010 9:44 AM | Link to this

Why not start COUNTING and reserving. For example, give out up to 75% of the reservations to Badge holders up to a certain point in time (like 1 week ahead) (or have them list their top ones when they purchase the badge). Then, after some point (less than a week ahead) sell the passes (again up to a certain number depending on what’s left), if there are seats left then release those at some point before (3 days? 3 hours whatever). Then the day of seat everyone with a reservation first, and open any not taken. Once all seats are reserved STOP. The day of, if there are open seats 15 minutes before release those to walk-ins. Not everyone will be happy, but there will be rules and a reasonable expectation that if you have a reservation and show up on time you get a seat.

By runswithbeer

March 15, 2010 9:22 AM | Link to this

Most hip Austinites don’t chase the almighty buck on a 24/7 basis and therefore cannot afford SXSW anyway.

By TravelinTex

March 15, 2010 8:56 AM | Link to this

Janet Pierson, you’re so cluelessly pandering as to be insulting. What do you need further “so (you) can understand the specifics” ? The article makes that perfectly clear, along with the comments. You’re obviously just posting to be posting, pretending that you’re going to do something about it.

By sa

March 15, 2010 7:43 AM | Link to this

I was also at Alamo south yesterday in the Winter’s Bone pass line. I too find many of the film fest volunteers less than knowledgeable at this venue and have taken to just asking the people in line rather than fest staff about which line is which. I did not get in to Winter’s Bone because, as you know not all badge holders got in much less pass holder’s. So I walked over to the pass line for the Spalding Gray doc. We waited as all badge holder’s were let in and waited as more badge holder’s sauntered up and walked in and waited and waited and then were told—nope, no pass holder’s are getting in at all.
This was my third movie of the day and what I had witnessed happening in earlier screenings was badge holders saving seats, sometimes as many as 6 seats—and not just the filmmakers or the ‘official’ reserved seats. Then people wouldn’t show up and there were empty seats with no one to fill them because pass holders were long gone.
This isn’t working sxsw film fest staff! Figure it out! Full disclosure: after being turned away I decided to pack it in for the day but wanted to voice my displeasure—walked inside, looked around and a volunteer asked if I needed help—I told him (matter-of-factly, no anger) that I just wanted to say that they need to figure out this seat saving @#$%$#—he replied that he knew it was a problem and asked what movie had I wanted to see—so I got in to see the Spalding Gray doc because there were still empty seats 2 minutes before the screening!

By Nevermore

March 15, 2010 7:38 AM | Link to this

The producer of SXSW asked before a screening at the Paramount if people were having a hard time getting in to films and many including myself answered a resounding and loud Yes! She instructed us to be patient and if you couldn’t get in to the film you wanted to see to go to another film. Like when they finally tell you that you are not getting into a film that you can quickly fly to another screening which is also packed. And what’s the point if you can’t get into what you really want to see. The venues at the Alamo are too small, too many dang short films, and many of the films shown at the larger Paramount sucked. I will definitely not come back. Waiting in line to buy tickets? That’s a joke.

By John

March 15, 2010 7:26 AM | Link to this

I have to agree with what you and Christopher have experienced, Charles. I had a Film Badge back in 2006 and even then it was painfully clear that those who purchased the passes and tickets were being shut out of most screenings other than the ones held at the Paramount and convention center (and even the single showing narrative features at those venues were hard for them to get into). Nearly every show at the original Drafthouse location wound up being seen by Badgeholders only, with everyone else turned away. I can only imagine it’s worse than ever due to the ever-increasing VIP and press seats that get reserved. SXSW needs to just be honest and stop selling the individual tickets/passes unless they find a way to actually accommodate those folks…otherwise they’re just using those who fork over $70+ for the film passes as a revenue source without providing anything in return. With just a handful of screening venues it’s just not the same as selling wristbands to the music portion of the festival, where there are countless options at hand.

By Barbara Burnham

March 15, 2010 7:21 AM | Link to this

I absolutely agree. A similar situation occurred with the showing of “Leaves of Grass” on Friday. An hour in line, only 100 badge-holders allowed in, with the explanation that the other seats in the 180-seat theater were “reserved.” All the pass-holders and those hoping to purchase tickets were turned away, not to mention of host of folks with badges. Even a publicist I spoke with was shocked—she saw no need for more than 10 seats reserved for most films. I doubt that I will be back next year. The ratio of effort to the cost of the badge is extremely lopsided.

By local film lover

March 15, 2010 7:01 AM | Link to this

great article. i stopped going 4 years ago when i realized i needed a plan A, plan B, AND a plan C. i hope SX is listening.

By Janet Pierson

March 15, 2010 2:12 AM | Link to this

Rebecca alerted me immediately after your call, and kept me abreast of your email exchange, and I saw your blog. I would love to discuss further so I can understand the specifics. I’ll be checking with the SXSW theatre managers, venue staff and film distributor as well to try to understand what happened and how we can better address.

By Christopher Kelly

March 14, 2010 9:28 PM | Link to this

Charles, This is basically why I decided to leave the fest early and skip the ‘Saturday Night’ screening, which I really would have liked to see. Everything was overcrowded and oversold; the bigger titles were in some of the smaller venues; etc. (I barely got into a documentary about in vitro fertilization at noon today.) The organizers call it a “democratic” festival, and that’s a nice idea; but SXSW is only fooling itself if it thinks that’s what’s being practiced here. What an exhausting beatdown.