There are two parties that are beginning to run together in my head, the post-screening party for Full
Tilt Boogie on Friday night, and the after-Traveller party on
Saturday night (both at the Speakeasy) as part of SXSW Film Conference and
Festival. The second night, with Lou Ann Barton playing and the sublime Derek
O’Brien on guitar, I wandered around the bar watching a crowd that included
Bill Paxton (Twister), Julianna Margulies (E.R.), Quentin
Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Till Dawn),
Elizabeth Avell�n (producer of From Dusk Till Dawn, Mira Sorvino
(Mighty Aphrodite), Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused), Kevin
Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy), Steven Soderbergh (sex, lies and
videotape), Mike Judge (Beavis and Butt-head, King of the Hill),
George Huang (Swimming with Sharks), Rana Joy Glickman (producer of
Full Tilt Boogie), Sarah Kelly (Full Tilt Boogie), and this list
is honestly just the beginning. It was pretty dazzling.
The SXSW Film Conference had brought everybody together but Austin was
clearly the attraction. When Richard Linklater decided to stay here after
Slacker revitalized American low-budget independent filmmaking, and
Robert Rodriguez shot out of here with the $7,000 El Mariachi, Austin
finally evolved into a town with a substantial independent filmmaking
community.
It had been heading in that direction for a long time; Austin is or has been
home to a large group of expatriate industry writers who work for Hollywood/New
York businesses but live here — Bill Witliff, Bud Shrake, Bill Broyles, Sarah
Bird, Gary Cartwright, Emily Haas, Larry Wright, Stephen Harrigan, and the late
Warren Skaaren. Austin has a reputation for interesting independent films
including the Tobe Hooper-directed/Kim Henkel-written Texas Chainsaw
Massacre, Bill Witliff’s Red Headed Stranger, and Eagle Pennell’s Whole Shooting Match. But it is only in the last half of this decade that
there has been an onslaught of independent film production (the Dobie’s
continued and consistent support of independent film has been crucial to this
increase). Producer Linda Obst moving to the area has also, almost
singlehandedly, bred an onslaught of writer projects.
So, after a too-long day spent running around, and standing in that bar (the
two nights run together in my head, so I may be a bit confused as to the exact
guest list), the very talented SXSW Film Executive Producer Nancy Schafer was
there both nights, as she is at every party, SXSW managing director Roland
Swenson was seen actually leaning back and smoking a cigar while the other SXSW
Film driving force, Chronicle publisher Nick Barbaro, was home (which
would have been the sensible and less painful thing to do). I felt like the
work of so many people was being rewarded. This wasn’t simply a name-dropping
celebrity list: These are all people who have done extraordinary work.
More importantly, the whole idea of this event, and the effort that regularly
goes on in this city, is not simply to do great work but to inspire, encourage,
and aid the next generation of American independent filmmakers. These people
weren’t there just to party, they were there to encourage and teach, which made
it not only an exciting time but an inspirational one. There was a generation
of younger talents in the room and at the conference who were excited about
film and dedicated to independent visions.
Each night at the Speakeasy was also a hell of a party. This is the Austin
creed: Do serious, important, and creative work but have fun while you’re doing
it or it is hardly worthwhile.
Talking about great Austin parties, tomorrow (as I write this, but the day before the event as you read
it) is/was the Austin Music Awards. The awards in this issue are being laid
out, Margaret Moser’s legendary awards show hit squad is going through their
practice routines and the line up for the show is fantastic. We’ll show and
tell you all about it next week. The centerpiece of this show is The Austin
Chronicle‘s Music Awards, voted on by you, the readers. Our special thanks
to Karen Rheudasil, Lax Gani, Mark Gates, Jeff Keyton, Amy Baldwin, and
especially Kate Messer, Leah Welborn, Leslie Hill, and Madame Moser for their
extraordinary work tabulating this year’s poll.
Wednesday was also the kick-off night for SXSW Music Conference and Festival,
which many of us will be knee-deep in right about now. Hundreds of bands at
dozens of clubs, music and people everywhere… Austin is an extraordinary town
where wonderful things happen because of the people who live here. In other
words, let’s go watch some movies (SXSW Film Festival runs ’til Saturday) and
go listen to some music. Let’s go eat some food, talk to old friends, and meet
new ones. (And take it with the usual conflict-of-interest.)
Back here, at The Austin Chronicle, the staff has produced 296 pages of
some of the best material we’ve ever produced in just two weeks. If you see
them on the street, looking dragged out and tired, (or in Margaret’s limo —
and we don’t want to go into a description of how they look there) be sure to
tell them what a swell job they do. They deserve to hear it. We do it because
we have an audience that deserves and appreciates our work — you. Which makes
it all worthwhile.
Next week another issue and then another one. Don’t, by the way, mention this
to the staff, it just might be the wrong thing to say….
This article appears in March 14 • 1997 and March 14 • 1997 (Cover).