Joe Swanberg,
courtesy Dark Arts Tell us a little about your film.

Drinking Buddies is a fun, complicated, sexy romantic comedy about friends, relationships and craft beer! And it stars Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston! It was an honor to make this film, and shooting inside a brewery was a fun experience too.

Why did you start making films?

At some point it became clear to me that I wasn't going to play professional basketball and movies were the thing I loved most in life. I got serious about it my freshman year of high-school when I saw Raising Arizona for the first time and read John Pierson's book "Spike, Mike, Slackers and Dykes". That book turned me on to a whole world of movies I didn't know about and that's the world I wanted to be a part of.

Have you been to SXSW before? Any tips?

Drinking Buddies will be my 8th film at SXSW! My first film had its World Premiere at the Festival in 2005 and I've had a film there every year except 2010. And even in 2010 I came to the Festival. I never want to miss it. My tip these days is to book your hotel early! The festival has grown so much in the last few years.

Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.

I live in Chicago and I am a husband, a dad (I have a 2-year-old son!) a filmmaker and a home brewer. I love craft beer and brew my own as much as possible. If you see me around Austin, I'll probably be drinking a beer or talking about the next beer I'm going to drink!

Click here to read more about Drinking Buddies

Ryan White,
courtesy Freda Kelly Tell us a little about your film.

The film is about Freda Kelly, who was the secretary to The Beatles from beginning to end. She's one of the few survivors of the inner circle and the only one to have never gone down on the record, so this is the first time she's sharing her story in 50 years. Ultimately, it's a movie about devotion and what it means to hold a lifelong loyalty.

Why did you start making films?

I always wanted to be a filmmaker. And then I wanted to be a photographer. And then I wanted to be a filmmaker again. I eventually ended up studying both, and realized documentaries were the perfect combination of my passions.

Have you been to SXSW before? Any tips? If not, what are you looking forward to?

Drink lots of water! I premiered my first film there in 2010 and it was one of the most fun weeks of my life. But between all of the press, screenings, festival-going, and parties -- the week after SXSW was rough. I'm pretty sure it involved some sort of flu, and very little activity.

Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.

I've made one film about soccer, one film about the Beatles, and my next one is about gay marriage and the Supreme Court. I love that my job is an excuse for being restless and slightly ADD.

Click here to read more about Good Ol' Freda