It’s been a big year for Rooster Teeth. Austin’s online entertainment behemoth had its first movie, went international, and now returns to Austin, to celebrate with friends and fans at the sixth annual RTX fest. Rooster Teeth co-founder and RTX co-organizer Gus Sorola said, “I can’t believe it happens again.”
The last couple of years have been ones of exponential growth for Rooster Teeth, which has come a long way from its early days of making funny Halo videos. Indiegogo record-busting feature Lazer Team and critical praise for their new drama Day 5 raised their profile, while anime RWBY and the ever-popular Red vs Blue continued their growth.
As for RTX, the company’s annual gathering of the clans, it went Down Under for RTX Australia (the first dip into global events), and this year its homecoming will be marked with more programming, and a boosted schedule of after-hours events. Sorola said, “Last year was our first year having multiple venues, and we’re returning to those venues this year, but we’re having parties and screenings. Almost like a Downtown takeover.”
Hasn’t that always been the plan?
“We’re working on it,” said Sorola. “We’re getting there, and slowly coming to fruition.”
The screenings will include whole episodes of Day 5, plus the first full glimpses of upcoming SF comedy Crunch Time, “plus we’re going to have a performance of one of our shows, Theater Mode, at the Alamo Drafthouse, which should be pretty awesome,” said Sorola. There’s also a documentary strand, including RT co-founder Burnie Burns searching for The World’s Greatest Head Massage. Plus, Sorola said, “We’re also going to be filming a bit. We’re taking some attendees, rounding them up, and making a video for the website.”
It’s not all live action. Sorola said, “Our animation department loves working themselves to death, apparently, because they are putting on an animation festival as well. I can’t believe they took on that challenge, but they’re having a lot of people coming on and taking part in that.”
While it’s all under the RT banner, not everyone is an RT employee. Sorola will be interviewing Oculus Rift founder Palmer Lucky. As for the animation festival, the guest list includes the talents behind movie satire How It Should Have Ended, and Fred Seibert and Nate Olson of Frederator Studios (the company responsible for Adventure Time, The Fairly Odd Parents, Bravest Warriors, and more), plus screenings from earworm merchants Weebl’s Stuff (Remember “Narwhals, narwhals, swimming in the ocean”? That guy) and more. Sorola said, “They wanted to have a show of appreciation involving people who create animation, high-profile names, to have panels and really connect with fans.”
RTX 2016 runs July 1-3 at the Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez. Tickets and info at www.rtxevent.com
RTX Highlights Guide
If You’re a Fan of RWBY …
Friday
2:30pm: RWBY panel, ACC Exhibit Hall 1
5:30pm: RWBY music panel, Hilton Governor’s Ballroom
7pm: RvB and RWBY stunt team panel, ACC Meeting Room 6
Saturday
4pm: RWBY panel, ACC Exhibit Hall 1
Sunday
12:30pm: RWBY animation, Hilton Room 406
1:30pm: the Tech behind RWBY: Grimm Eclipse, ACC, Meeting Room 9
2pm: RWBY Chibi Animation, Hilton Room 406
If You’re a Fan of Red Vs Blue …
Friday7pm: RvB and RWBY stunt team panel, ACC Meeting Room 6
Saturday
2:30pm: Red vs Blue panel, Hilton Austin Grand Ballroom
5:30pm: the music of Red vs Blue, ACC Meeting Room 12
5:30pm: the voices of Red vs Blue, Hilton Governor’s Ballroom
Sunday
11am: RvB14 animation, Hilton Room 406
3:30pm: RvB14 stop motion, Hilton Room 406
If You’re a Fan of Diversity in Fandom …
Friday
noon: Black Nerd Comedy, JW Grand Ballroom
Saturday
10am: Rooster Teeth LGBT, ACC Meeting Room 6
Sunday
2.30pm: Let’s Gay: Creating Content for LGBT+, ACC Meeting Room 16
If You’re a Fan of Live-Action Rooster Teeth …
Saturday
10am: Lazer Team panel, Hilton Austin Grand Ballroom
1:30pm: Day 5 panel
Sunday
12:30pm: RT Docs, ACC Meeting Room 16
This article appears in June 24 • 2016.
