Langoliers, Schmangoliers Dept.: In yet another creative bid to keep people from actually a.) boarding their flights or b.) hailing a cab out to grandma’s house, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has unveiled their new “Austin Films and Filmmakers– and “Film Is– exhibits, the former of which include props from eight different Austin-lensed films, from Miss Congeniality to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and from Spy Kids to Dazed and Confused … which pretty much covers all conceivable bases. In addition, the work of two local filmmaker/writers — William Broyles Jr. and Bill Wittliff — are on loan from the Southwestern Writers Collection at Southwest Texas State University. The “Film Is” exhibit, which showcases “the art and artwork involved in filmmaking and the film industry in Austin,” includes items from the Austin Film Society, Austin Studios, and the Texas Film Hall of Fame. Both exhibits are located in the airport’s West Gallery and are the work of maverick local design studio Marc English Design, which also designed the AFS’s new Web site and graphics. The film displays, along with the proximity of the already-existing BookPeople, musical acts, and way-above-average barbecue, could conceivably pose a risk to the airlines in the form of travelers who’d rather lounge around quaffing Shiner Bocks and listening to the Flatlanders than board their flights home, but then again that’s Austin. Both exhibits run through Friday, Nov. 22… If free = good, then the free acting workshop happening today, Thursday, Sept. 5, and Tuesday, Sept. 10, 7-9pm, at Casting Works L.A. (902 E. Fifth #110 — in Austin, not L.A.) and taught by John Lansch, co-founder of Los Angeles’ “cutting edge” acting workshop APG (Actors — Post Guru), is very good indeed. Lansch’s credits, of which there are many, are available to the curious online at www.johnlansch.com (beware the crappy Flash intro, however). Reservations for the classes should be made in advance by e-mailing john@johnlansch.com or via the above Web site.
This article appears in September 6 • 2002.