SXSW festivals kicked off last night.
03/13/2004
I headed down to the Film party at a local pool hall on 6th. I managed to snag a parking space right near the club, the parking God’s were smiling on me!
Met up with a few folks I see year after year, everyone seems to be doing fine, life is good in there corner. I did get a chance to talk with the filmmaker from Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock. His film is a documentary about eating a McDonalds for 30 days, only McDonalds, nothing else. The film won the directors award at the Sundance Film Festival and is getting quite the buzz. I am going to try to make the screening tonight at 9:30. He and his girlfriend were quite nice to speak with; I crashed the conversation they were having with 3 film critics. He told the group that he has gotten a major distributor in place so the movie should be coming to a theater near you shortly. Oh, he had to change one of the music selections for the film; Jimmy Buffet wouldn’t let him use “Cheese Burger in Paradise” for the soundtrack. He gave me a nice promotional pin that I will wear on my badge for the festival.
I also met up with a nice fellow named Kevin who is looking to bring his business to Austin for the winters. He rents movie rigs, mobile homes for the sets of films, green rooms etc. He told me that things shut down in Chicago in the winter and he heard that Austin was in need of equipment for the industry. Sounds like a good business plan to me. I lost Kevin in the crowd after I excused myself to visit the ladies room. I never did find him again.
Plans for today: I am heading down to the Austin Convention Center to take in some panels about Computers and Film and then back to the house to take care of Saba and then head out in the evening for the Interactive Opening Party. It should be a fun day.
