Image from White Reindeer courtesy Daryl PittmanClick on a title below to read exclusive interviews with filmmakers presenting films at SXSW 2013. The list will be updated regularly, so stay tuned for updates!
Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker
Director Lily Keber on Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker
Image courtesy Anton Corbijn
Tell us a little about your film.
Bayou Maharajah tells the story of James Booker, the man Dr. John called the "best black, gay, one-eyed junkie piano genius New Orleans has ever produced." A typical Booker solo set (though nothing about him was typical) might start with Rachmaninoff, venture into some 50's R&B, stop off on a church pew before ending up in a Sinatra song. Along the way, he might change the key of the song to match the pitch of a car honking outside. His only charting hit, 'Gonzo,' lent its name to Hunter S. Thompson's writing style. He played with legendary musicians- Aretha, Ray Charles, Jerry Garcia, Little Richard, Ringo- yet his own career never took off.
Ask any New Orleans musician over the age of 40 and they're bound to have a Booker story. He'd show up to gigs dressed in capes and wigs. His signature look was an eyepatch emblazoned with stars. Often he was as likely to sit and rant from the stage as to play. Some nights he'd pull out a cap gun and hold it to his head, shouting that he wouldn't play another note until someone brought him cocaine. In a city known for its crazy characters, Booker is the crown prince.
"
Why did you make the film? 
Lily Keber courtesy
Bayou Maharajah
When I moved to New Orleans, I had no idea who James Booker was. I was bar tending at the 9th Ward dive Vaughan's Lounge and would play him on the jukebox during slow day shifts. The music didn't really make sense to me, but neither did the stories that people would tell about him. I was curious to learn more about him, so I started asking around. I had made short videos and video journalism before, but never anything of this length. Wow. Making a feature-length film is a whole different beast!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I live full time in New Orleans. I'm born in NC and went to school in GA. I haven't been to Austin in a few years and am super excited to come back. I have a long list of things to eat while in Austin: tacos, enchiladas, migas.. mm… . New Orleans is known for its food, but it's next to impossible to get this kinda stuff.
Before You Know It
PJ Raval on Before You Know It
Image courtesy Mike Simpson
Tell us a little about your film.
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT is an intimate portrait of three gay senior men as they experience the adventures and challenges of life and love in their "golden years". However, though the documentary captures the unique experience of three gay men over the age of 60, the film is really about aging and growing older which is a universal experience. As Robert, one of the characters in the film so eloquently states, "You never think about getting older when you're younger, but before you know it creeps up on you and you're there already..."
Why did you start making films? 
PJ Raval, courtesy
Mike Sullivan
Unlike some filmmakers I never dreamed about being a filmmaker. My background is actually in media art and photography but when I was in college I ran out of classes to take so I enrolled in a 16mm black and white film class which at first was a total disaster (images of old wind up Bell and Howell cameras with film accordioning out of it come to mind). But I loved the collaborative nature of filmmaking and I appreciated the accessibility for viewers. People don’t feel like they have to be a film critic to watch a film. I also loved the shared experience aspect of viewing a film in a movie theater. Rarely do strangers get to gather and share a story together and experience laughter or sadness or self-reflection. So a few years later eventually went to graduate school to further explore filmmaking.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I’ve attended SXSW regularly since 2001. I’ve been fortunate to have films I directed in the midnight shorts program and music videos for the past four years. Also being a cinematographer I’ve had numerous features that I’ve shot screening in the festival since 2005. This year I shot a film directed by Bryan Poyser called “The Bounceback”. I’m proud of the cinematography so I’m also excited to see that film as well as sharing BEFORE YOU KNOW IT with an audience. Mostly I love that SXSW is an opportunity to see what the independent film community around the world (many who are great friends) are up to. My advice is to not only see many films, but also talk to many filmmakers and film moviegoers. It’s a great place to discover new work but also a great opportunity to have thoughtful discussions with filmmakers or fellow audience members.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I make films in all shapes and sizes. This year I have another short in the music video category. CHRISTEENE “Big Shot” is part of an ongoing collaboration of videos I direct with close creative collaborator and Christeene creator Paul Soileau. It’s very unapologetic, not-safe-for-work, the sky’s the limit sort of filmmaking. So naturally it’s a blast.
The Bounceback
Bryan Poyser on The Bounceback
Image courtesy Ryan Green
Tell us a little about your film.
The film follows two ex-couples through the course of a wild weekend in Austin, Texas. One couple can't decide if they made a huge mistake by breaking up. The other couple wants to ruin each other's lives. My two co-writers on this project came up with a great story that allowed me to explore the ill-advised things we all do in the pursuit of love. It also allowed me to craft a loving, warts-and-all tribute to Austin, the place I've lived for almost 20 years
Why did you start making films? 
Bryan Poyser courtesy
Ryan Green
I had always been interested in movies as a kid, so I attempted to make my own in my last year in high school. The result was a wretched, 50-minute shot-on-VHS vampires-in-high-school film that I'm still embarrassed about. But, the experience of putting it together completely consumed me. I knew that I'd never be as excited or engaged doing anything else but making movies.
Have you been to SXSW before?
Oh yes. I've attended every festival since 1995. I have the badges hanging in my office to prove it. And always I most look forward to seeing my friends' movies on the big screen and cheering them on. And, since I've been going so long, that's a lot of friends. But, this year especially it's gonna be a real challenge to see all the movies by Texas filmmakers, let alone my out-of-town pals.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Here's one - a student short film I made with some classmates at the University of Texas was actually one of the very first films to ever play in the Alamo Drafthouse, at its old Colorado Street location. It screened before a feature at the 1997 festival and the theater wasn't even officially open at that point - they just had the projector, the screen, and some folding chairs set up. But, the enthusiasm Tim & Karrie League showed for their little movie palace was totally infectious and I started going as soon as they officially opened. Our little student short witnessed the birth of an empire!
Brothers Hypnotic
Director Reuben Atlas on Brothers Hypnotic
Image courtesy James Mooney
Tell us a little about your film.
It's a coming-of-age documentary about the brotherhood of the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble: 8 brothers, extraordinary brass musicians from the South Side of Chicago, all sons of anti-establishment jazz legend, Phil Cohran. Cohran and their mothers raised them together on a strict diet of jazz, funk and Black Consciousness. Family band practice began at 6 AM.
In 2007, when I met them and began filming, they were playing in the streets of New York City. I've followed their journey over 5 years, across continents, and through the tribulations of independent tours, major record label offers, and music superstar collaborations.
"
Why did you start making films? 
Reuben Atlas, courtesy
James Mooney
I started making films in my 3rd year of law school to help people unfairly incarcerated under New York's Rockefeller Drug Laws.
Have you been to SXSW before?
This is my first SXSW. I'm looking forward to seeing my film with an audience of strangers, spending an entire week watching the best new films out there, and wearing cowboy boots.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
At some point in my life, I have considered all of these professional musicians heroes: Pete Seeger, Tone Loc, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Waylon Jennings, Willie Colon and Bill Withers.
Coldwater
Director Vincent Grashaw on Coldwater
Image courtesy Coldwater
Tell us a little about your film.
Coldwater is about a teenage boy who is sent to a juvenile reform facility in the wilderness. As we learn about the tragic events that sent him there, his struggle becomes one for survival with the inmates, the counselors, and with the retired war colonel in charge. Even though the story is fictional, this story sheds light on some disturbing issues going on today in America's privatized juvenile rehabilitation system.
Why did you start making films? 
Vincent Grashaw, courtesy Coatwolf
I started making films because like any form of expression, filmmaking always felt most suited for me and I have no clue what I would do with my life if I weren't making films. I think I would go insane.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I attended SXSW Film Festival in 2011 for a film I produced called 'Bellflower'. It was a fantastic experience, especially when Tim League attended our cricket eating contest party. If I were to give any tips, it would be to hang out at the High Ball as much as possible. I was sad to hear that it is under renovation this year and will not be open. It was a great place for breakfast, interviews, bowling, karaoke, dinner, and drinking.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Whether I am directing or producing, I don't intend to focus on just one niche or genre. I'd like to think I have a colorful interest in storytelling and the types of films an audience would be interested in seeing. Coldwater is socially relevant and deals a lot with choices, consequences, and in a way discovering your own identity in the process of growing up. This doesn't mean my career will focus on films only about the human condition, or films that are socially relevant. I love horror, comedy, dark dramas, and I plan on dabbling in everything.
Continental
Malcolm Ingram on Continental
Image courtesy Andrew MacDonald
Tell us a little about your film.
Continental is a documentary about the infamous NYC gay bathhouse, The Continental Baths. A place where sex, celebrity, politics....and more sex, combined to create a hedonistic and inclusive club house in post- Stonewall New York.
Why did you start making films? 
Image courtesy
Andrew MacDonald
I used to make really bad narratives.....when I finally came to grips with my predilection for dick my viewpoint changed and I found myself interested in telling stories of Queer misfit community.
My first documentary was 'small town gay bar' which played at SXSW in 2006.
Have you been to SXSW before?
This is my fourth film that has had the privilege to play SXSW.
The only tip I have is to have fun. This is a great festival in a great town surrounded by great people. If you don't take some time to explore....it is a wasted opportunity. Balance the schmooze with adventure.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I've had the privilege of getting drunk with Shane McGowan, eating a greasy breakfast with Tom Waits and bumming a smoke off Hunter S Thompson by the age of 20.
Everything else has been gravy.
The Crash Reel
Lucy Walker on The Crash Reel
Image courtesy the Pearce Family
Tell us a little about your film.
The Crash Reel is an eye-popping and deeply emotional ride through the life of champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce -- from the epic rivalry with Shaun White that propelled him to the top of his sport, to the devastating training accident that left him brain-injured, to his inspirational recovery, assisted by his incredible family (including an older brother with Down syndrome who also has to deal with adversity and disability).
Sadly, it's a film that has become timely and relevant, with news continuing to come in about brain-injured sports stars -- most recently Caleb Moore, who tragically died from injuries sustained at X Games Aspen a few weeks ago, just days after we screened the film there. Tragedy notwithstanding, The Crash Reel is above all an intimate, exhilarating portrait of an immensely inspiring sport and sports star. We like to think of it as a comeback story with a difference. It's hard to describe why the film is so good, all I can say is we're in love with the film and can't wait to share it with the SXSW audience!
Why did you start making films? 
Lucy Walker
Starting from when I was a kid in school, I loved theater and plays and moved from acting to directing them. Then there was an "a-ha!" moment when for the first time I filmed one of my plays with a video camera. I realised I loved close-up shots because of their power to powerfully put you in someone else's perspective. I had always loved watching movies, but it wasn't until I found myself that I could actually be the one to make them.
I applied for a Fulbright Scholarship and told the interview panelists there weren't enough female directors. They must have agreed because they gave me a scholarship to attend the graduate film programme at NYU and it all took off from there. As a filmmaker, I love taking audiences into new worlds that they would never get to experience without me having made a kickass film for them. My films let you experience life as a Tibetan blind kid, or as an Amish teenager, or a Brazilian garbage picker, or an X-Games gold-medal-winning pro snowboarder.
Have you been to SXSW before?
Yes, I was there in 2008 with my film Blindsight, and I've been back just to hang as well. I love SXSW and Austin and can't wait to be coming back. I'm most looking forward to everything -- seeing other films and hearing music, meeting the audiences and the other filmmakers, urm... what's NOT to look forward to? I can't think of anything!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I love music just about as much as I love film, and that's a lot. When I was in film school at NYU I supported myself DJing and was in a band called Byzar -- we were on the Asphodel label and played some incredibly fun shows all over the world and put out some records that we like to think of as highly influential! These days I channel my music taste into trying to get the best possible soundtracks for my films.
This film has surely the most brilliant soundtrack of any film at SXSW: Lykke Li, Groove Armada, Stars of the Lid, Chemical Brothers, DJ Shadow, Cliff Martinez, Sigur Ros, Bon Iver, Spiritualized, Jose Gonzalez, The Hives, Moby, Ben Howard, M83, Ryan Adams... the list goes on, and everyone who's seen the movie so far wants the soundtrack, and we ourselves listen to it on repeat as well!
Downloaded
Director Alex Winter on Downloaded
Alex Winter,
courtesy Trouper
Productions
Tell us a little about your film.
Downloaded is a feature documentary about the rise and fall of Napster and the birth of the digital revolution. It focuses primarily on the key players around the Napster saga; co-founders Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker and the major players in the music industry, the bands and the technology sector.
While the movie is certainly focused on music downloading, the technology created by these very young and brilliant mavericks also paved the way for other forms of media and information distribution. There is a lot of heated debate around the current paradigm shift in world culture. The movie does not attempt to make an argument for either side of the debate, but to provide some context for these highly charged and complex times, and help create a conversation that may suggest some ways forward.
Why did you start making films?
I had a passionate love for the cinema as a child; Chaplin, Hitchcock, Fred Astaire. I watched movies obsessively and tried to get as close to the greats as I could with an 8mm camera and a handful of third graders.
Have you been to SXSW before? Any tips?
I went for the first time last year, to offer a small peak at Downloaded and conduct a panel. It's a rare feast of a festival, with equal quality in so many areas; the movies, the music, the technology. Get out into all of it. Don't get distracted by the Hill Country BBQ, which is the best in the world and could easily engulf your time in Austin.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Some of my Acting work: King & I and Peter Pan on Broadway. Lost Boys and Bill & Ted in the movies. Some of my Writer/Director work: MTV's The Idiot Box and Ben 10 on TV. Freaked and Fever in the movies. Lots of TV Commercials and Music Videos.
Drinking Buddies
Director Joe Swanberg on Drinking Buddies
Joe Swanberg,
courtesy Dark Arts
Tell us a little about your film.
Drinking Buddies is my dream movie! It's a fun, complicated, sexy romantic comedy about friends, relationships and craft beer! And it stars Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston! I can't even believe I got to make it. I love beer and complicated relationships! We got to shoot in a brewery. And we got to road trip to Michigan and build fires on the beach and go swimming at night. I was in heaven the whole time!
Why did you start making films?
At some point it became clear to me that I wasn't going to play professional basketball (duh!) 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!
Everyone's Going to Die
Directors Jones on Everyone's Going to Die
Jones, courtesy
Everyone's
Going to Die
Tell us a little about your film.
We were trying to escape the British obsession with period dramas, low rent gangster films and social realism. We want to find a way to tell stories that are relevant anywhere. It’s about two people who feel alone. And then for a while, they don’t, and that changes everything. Along the way it’s (hopefully) funny.
Why did you start making films?
It was either that or get a proper job. That’s a verbatim grandmother quote.
Have you been to SXSW before? Any tips? If not, what are you looking forward to?
Before we even wrote the film we were talking about wanting to bring it to SXSW. That sounds like bullshit but it isn’t. There’s not one moment we aren’t looking forward to.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
We were imprisoned in Bexar County Jail, San Antonio.
We spent every day for a month watching monkeys.
We have eight eyes and no I.
Evil Dead
Director Fede Alvarez on Evil Dead
Fede Alvarez,
courtesy TriStarTell us a little about your film.
Evil Dead is a twisted reinterpretation of the 1981 horror classic. We set out to make the scariest, most suspenseful, violent, shameless, obscene, and relentless film we could possibly commit to film, without compromises, and I believe we did..
Why did you start making films?
When I was just seven years old, my dad got a VHS camera, and I don't know, right away I was shooting stuff, telling stories, making stop-motion movies with toys. Don't know why, I just couldn't help it I guess..
Have you been to SXSW before? Any tips? If not, what are you looking forward to?
I'm a SXSW virgin. I'm looking forward to premiering my first feature film in a full-house-theater, packed with an audience that really cares about this stuff. It's gonna be a dream come true. That, and visiting the Alamo Drafthouse...
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
My favorite movie ever is Back to the Future, and I'm about to buy myself a DeLorean...
Click here to read more about Evil Dead Fall & Winter
Matt Anderson on Fall & Winter
Image courtesy David Black
Tell us a little about your film.
Fall and Winter is my attempt to understand the global crises we face. I hopped in a van and drove around, interviewing dozens of brilliant people to understand the origins of the catastrophes we have created. What I discovered were strategies we can implement as the problems reach a crescendo.
Why did you start making films? 
Image courtesy
David Black
This is my first film. So I guess all I can say is that I wanted to make this film because I recognized we are in a beautiful, scary and overwhelming transition in human history. I wanted to try and capture a glimpse of our world in disarray as we voyage deeper into a process of great transformation... Both the good and the bad!
Have you been to SXSW before?
I've never been! I am excited to show the film, have some great discussions and watch my friend Michael's band VIETNAM perform. Michael came on all of my filming trips around the country as he was writing his new album. So it feels very fitting that our film and his new album will premiere at the same time!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I'm also a DJ. I've played records in a lot of bars and night clubs over the years. I love big sound systems, wild parties, and dancing until I collapse! I have two cats (Sun Ra and Moondog) currently living in Brazil with my girlfriend Renata.
Getting Back to Abnormal
Director Andrew Kolker on Getting Back to Abnormal
Image courtesy Andrew Kolker
Tell us a little about your film.
Getting Back to Abnormal is an unorthodox look and race and politics in that most unorthodox of American cities, New Orleans. Among the stories the film tells -- a city council election featuring a polarizing white woman running for re-election in a majority black district, a former resident of a housing project that was torn down after Katrina who is trying to put her community back together and the pros and cons of a starchitect designed housing development being bult in a devastated neighborhood. This being New Orleans, however, nothing is quite what it seems and the good guys are not always good, and the bad guys not always so bad and the film plays around a bit with the viewers' preconceived ideas of who best to root for.
Why did you start making films? 
(L-R) Louis Alvarez, Andrew
Kolker, Paul Stekler
& Peter Odabashian,
courtesy the filmmakers
Other than odd jobs like working in a box factory for a few days (I got fired), I don't think I've really ever done anything else. I started making documentary films because it gave me the opportunity to peak my nose into other people's business with relative impunity. Thirty years ago making documentaries was still somewhat novel; large cameras parted crowds and people were often surprised and flattered that you wanted to find out about them and tell their stories. (I think my UPS guy has an agent now). I started my career in New Orleans where there was a mother-load of undocumented cultural wonder and where I met a like-minded cohort in Louis Alvarez and we formed a partnership which has lasted to this day.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
This will be the fourth film that we've had a SXSW, the last one being in 2005. Although the festival was plenty big back then, it has grown terrifically in size and stature and I'm looking forward to seeing what's up and I'm wondering if "li'l" Austin can still feel as homey as it did when we started coming here. Back then, we took it upon ourselves to organize publicity (there were no questionnaires like this one), which is of course, still the way to best get the word out about your film especially with the fierce competition these days with so many films being made.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
This is the eighteenth film I've made, and the one with the most inadequate budget.
I also write novels, which cost only your time and a couple reams of paper.
Go For Sisters
Director John Sayles on Go for Sisters
Image from Go For Sisters courtesy John Castillo
Tell us a little about your film.
Two women who grew up so tight they could 'go for sisters' drift apart, then are reunited after twenty years when one is assigned to be the parole officer for the other (just out of jail and fighting a drug habit).
Awkward enough, but then the parole officer's son is kidnapped south of the border and she needs help from the other side of the law.
Why did you start making films?
John Sayles, courtesy
John Castillo
There were so many interesting people and stories around me in the world that I had never seen on screen.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
I've been to the music festival, and seen movies, but never had a film actually in the festival.
Looking forward to some real barbeque and immersion in Barton Springs.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
This is the eighteenth film I've made, and the one with the most inadequate budget.
I also write novels, which cost only your time and a couple reams of paper.
Good Ol' Freda
Director Ryan White on Good Ol' Freda
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 The Great Hip Hop Hoax
Director Jeanie Finlay on The Great Hip Hop Hoax
Image courtesy The Great Hip Hop HoaxTell us a little about your film.
Californian hip-hop duo Silibil n' Brains were going to be massive. What no-one knew was the pair were really students from Scotland, with fake American accents and made up identities.
Their 'Hip Hop Hoax' lasted three years and fooled record label execs, girlfriends and band members. For a while the boys lived the dream but in the end the lie destroyed their friendship and almost their lives.
As soon as I read about the deception Silibil n’ Brains pulled off I knew I wanted to make a film about their story. I was intrigued with how the lie took on a life of it’s own and ran away from them.
Everybody lies everyday, it's human nature but what happens when you lie about your whole identity to get what you want? I felt haunted by the idea that the boys changed themselves fundamentally, all for the hollow promise of fame. I wanted to discover how they did it and what the lasting effect on them was…
Why did you start making films? 
Jeanie Finlay,
courtesy filmmakers
I was an artist for many years before ever picking up a film camera. I discovered the conversations I was having with people as I photographed them were fascinating so I decided to start filming them. I've not looked back.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
Yes! I was at SXSW in 2011 for the world premiere of SOUND IT OUT which was absolutely amazing. I've never had so much fun at a film festival. I'm really looking forward to the Austin audiences.
Tips - sleep when you get home.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I am a terrible liar!
I wish that John Waters was my Godfather.
My nice husband makes nasty horror films.
I play the cello and for a while was in a country band called "Tiny Tears". We played sad songs.
Grow Up Tony Phillips
Emily Hagins on Grow Up Tony Phillips
Image courtesy Sam ButlerTell us a little about your film.
Grow Up, Tony Phillips stars Tony Vespe as Tony Phillips, a high school senior who loves Halloween but whose friends believe they are too cool for the holiday. When his older cousin (AJ Bowen) returns home right before Halloween, Tony starts to wonder if he really is the dork everyone thinks he is, or if he’s just ahead of the curve.
Why did you start making films? 
Emily Hagins
I loved the idea of working with a team to tell a story, where everyone in the cast and crew is crucial to bringing the characters and their world to life. As a writer/director, I just wanted to tell stories people would enjoy and relate to.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
Yes. My last film, MY SUCKY TEEN ROMANCE, played at SXSW 2011, and I was a judge of student films in 2012. I recommend finding a place to park for the whole day that's close to where you have to be but out of downtown, maybe south of the river. Good luck!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I directed my first feature when I was 12, which was a zombie movie called PATHOGEN. There was a documentary about my process called ZOMBIE GIRL: THE MOVIE. Since then I have made three more features, and I was 19-20 years old when I made GROW UP, TONY PHILLIPS.
Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction
Director Sophie Huber on Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction
Image courtesy the filmmakers
Tell us a little about your film.
Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction is an homage to the man, the actor, and the extraordinary singer and musician. Putting the focus on the music rather than his person helped to engage him and capture a part of him that few people have seen. We wanted to create an atmosphere that is true to Harry, moving along with him, in his mind, at his pace, rather than to follow a linear or biographical order.
Why did you start making films? 
Sophie Huber, courtesy
Harry Dean Stanton:
Partly Fiction
Originally I studied acting. With a group of other actors we formed a film collective in Berlin where we all were involved in every aspect of making a film and that’s how I started. Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction is the first film that I have directed on my own.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
No. I hear great things about SXSW and Austin and I am looking forward to experience both!
Add Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction to your schedule here
HAWKING
Stephen Finnigan on HAWKING
Image courtesy Andrew Kolker
Tell us a little about your film.
"HAWKING is the intimate story the life and work of Stephen Hawking. The film is told in Stephen's own words and by those who are closest to him. What makes the film different, is that we look at the 'man' more than his 'science'. We tell the inside story of how he became who is today and how he has battled for survival over his illness.
I was privileged to be given unique access to film his daily life and it was great to get to know and understand what kind of a man he is. Stephen is a very, very funny man - with a great sense of humour."
Why did you start making films? 
Stephen Finnigan courtesy
HAWKING
Great documentary's and dramas should make you think about the world in a different way. Oh....and perhaps more importantly, my mum used to take me to cinema all the time......with a packed lunch....cheese and HP sauce sandwiches. Priceless.
Have you been to SXSW before?
This is my first time at SXSW - so I'm looking forward to experiencing the 'buzz' that people say the festival cultivates. Apart from the great films I also want to check the music - I love watching live bands.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Although we share the same name, unlike Stephen Hawking, Physics and Maths were my worst subjects at school......
Holy Ghost People
Director Mitchell Altieri on Holy Ghost People
Image courtesy Holy Ghost People
Tell us a little about your film.
A nineteen-year old girl enlists the help of an ex-Marine alcoholic to infiltrate a sinister Appalachian snake-handling church to find her missing sister. It's a fun and intense ride- snake-handling, Gospel rock and roll- it plays like an old Southern Gothic novel.
Why did you start making films? 
Mitchell Altieri, courtesy
Holy Ghost People
I started at the young age of nineteen. I was inspired by offbeat films like OVER THE EDGE, THE WANDERERS and anything David Lynch. So I would borrow cameras from a public broadcasting studio and would go out and shoot short movies with my friends about growing up in a rough, blue-collar neighborhood. That lead me to shoot my first feature film a few years later. Never stopped after that.
Till this day, it's the only thing I know how to do. I love to film and tell stories.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I have not and very much looking forward to it! Do you have any tips for me?
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
This is my first venture outside the horror genre in a handful of years. I didn't start in that genre but always loved artistic horror films. After my last movie The Thompsons, I really wanted to get back to my roots, the storytelling I always wanted to do; gritty, American tales. Holy Ghost People was the perfect film for me.
I'm also petrified of snakes. So it was rather interesting trying to direct on a set filled with real live snakes!
I Am Divine
Jeffrey Schwarz on I Am Divine
Image courtesy Andrew CurtisTell us a little about your film.
I Am Divine is the story of how an overweight, effeminate, bullied Baltimore kid transformed himself into an internationally recognized drag superstar. He became known around the world for his leading roles in films by John Waters, his appearances on the stage, his recording career, and touring with a disco act. Divine is an inspiration to misfits, outsiders, rebels, and freaks and I hope this movie reignites interest in this incredible individual who had the last laugh on his tormentors.
Why did you start making films? 
Image courtesy filmmakers
I started making films to celebrate iconic, larger than life individuals with a great story to tell. The people I choose to make movies about all created a finely tuned persona that helped cover up any insecurities they may have had. People like horror movie maestro William Castle, 70s porn icon Jack Wrangler, and of course Divine fit into that category. I fall in love with these people, warts and all, and want to illustrate their journeys on film and take an audience for a ride.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
Although I've been to Austin several times and love it, this will be my first trip to SXSW. I'm expecting to see lots of great movies, meet fellow filmmakers, and suffer from sleep deprivation. I'm most excited to unveil I Am Divine in front of an audience for the first time. It's always a thrill for me to watch my work with an enthusiastic crowd - that NEVER gets old!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I've spent the better part of this century making "behind-the-scenes" documentaries and DVD extras so I'm the guy responsible for all those featurettes, audio commentaries, and other "added value" as the studios like to call it. I was happy to see the more inane moments from Arnold Schwarzenegger's audio commentary for Total Recall go viral.
Kilimanjaro
Director Walter Strafford on Kilimanjaro
Image from Kilimanjaro courtesy Ryan Piers WilliamsTell us a little about your film.
Kilimanjaro depicts a man's struggle to escape his routine existence. With this story, I wanted to champion those who strive to live a less ordinary life. Kilimanjaro is my first feature film as a writer-director. We shot for twenty days last summer with six of the shooting days being in my studio apartment!
Why did you start making films? 
Walter Strafford,
courtesy Kilimanjaro
I started making films because I was enthralled by classic movies especially "The Godfather" and I wanted to try to cast the same spell on others.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
I have never been to SXSW before. In fact, I've never been to any major film festival as a filmmaker. I am most looking forward to checking out other films and meeting my fellow filmmakers; as well as having the chance to screen Kilimanjaro before a larger audience.
Looking forward to some real barbeque and immersion in Barton Springs."
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I grew up in a very small town (technically a village) in rural Ohio called Gallipolis. Pronunciations vary.
My parents are physicians who raise goats as a hobby. My father's truck bears the bumper sticker, "Dairy Goats are delightful."
Loves Her Gun
Geoff Marslett on Loves Her Gun
Image courtesy Swerve PicturesTell us a little about your film.
Loves Her Gun is a film about one woman's reaction to fear. We watch her change her response from flight to fight once she feels empowered by a weapon. The issues surrounding gun ownership have become a major press talking point lately, basically because of several high profile events. These however represent only a tiny percentage of a percentage of the effects guns have on life in america. I wanted to explore some of these issues in a much more common setting, so we focused on an un-exagerated look at one woman's personal journey. Loves Her Gun is her story.
When did you start making films? 
Geoff Marslett,
courtesy Swerve Pictures
My co-writer Lauren Modery had been experiencing a lot of fear and anxiety before we wrote the initial script. She had been feeling very vulnerable in urban settings, especially at night. We began talking about what would make her feel safer, and we ended up creating a basic outline from these discussions. -- whoops, i thought you asked why we started making this film-- in general, I started making films because I like telling stories...and making a film lets me up the ante on the story telling. I get to combine music and images and actors into something bigger than I could every make on my own.
Have you been to SXSW before?
Yep. This is my tenth or twelfth year to go to SXSW in some form or fashion. So I obviously love it. I most look forward to seeing the films...but a close second is the chance to see so many of my colleagues and friends who are scattered around the world and I only get to see at events like this. It is a little decadent spending a week just doing nothing but film stuff, but after working on these films for years it feels like we earned it. As for advice...pace yourself, there is a lot of beer and tacos and BBQ and movies.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Hmmm. I grew up in Texas and spent time living in New Mexico, Maryland, Arizona, California...and I guess Portugal. I would like to add New Zealand or Australia to that list someday. I also like really spicy food.
Milius
Joey Figueroa & Zak Knutson on Milius
Image courtesy filmmakersTell us a little about your film.
Milius is about writer/director John Milius, one of the most influential storytellers of his generation. Maybe the last of the “Old School” Hollywood types. A man with a larger than life personality and a resume that is undeniable. A man who speaks with zero filter, which at times can be as unpopular as it celebrated. A self described "Zen Anarchist".
When did you start making films? 
Image courtesy filmmakers
I think like allot of filmmakers, it all begins with just wanting to tell stories. Making documentaries was not our first choice of how to tell stories, but sometimes you take the opportunity that is presented and that came in the form of Docs. The great thing about storytelling via documentaries is that you start with the idea of what you want to present, and it always seems for one reason or another, the story develops as it's being shot. Things change, unexpected surprises that turn out to be gems, and those gems make your story that much better. Sometimes it can be a challenge, but that's part of what drives you.
Have you been to SXSW before?
In 2009 we had the pleasure of hosting a panel during the festival. It was about how to use the web as a marketing tool for your film. Which today, is the absolute norm. As far as tips, make sure you "TIP" your bartender properly, and believe me, your stay will be a memorable one. Aside from looking forward to our Milius premiere, I'm also looking forward to checking out some of the other films, like another documentary titled, A Band Called Death, also produced by our films producers. Oh yeah, and a party or two, or three.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
We are a couple of guys who met in the mid 90’s while working at a strip joint in Santa Ana, Ca. I was the DJ, and Zak was the bouncer whose post was next to the Dj booth. We spent most of our time talking movies, wanting to make movies, quoting dialogue, all while some stripper was getting felt up, and I had an empty stage (obviously not doing our job). In 2005 we formed Chop Shop Entertainment, and began making behind the scenes documentaries. Milius will be our feature debut, and our first independent project.
Mr Angel
Dan Hunt on Mr. Angel
Image courtesy filmmakersTell us a little about your film.
Shot over 6 years, Mr. Angel follows porn pioneer and transgender activist, Buck Angel as he challenges the world's notions of what it means to be a man. It's an intimate portrait of Buck's struggles with addiction and his relentless pursuit of acceptance from his family and the world. His is a truly inspiring story.
Why did you start making films? 
Image courtesy filmmakers
I began making films that address complex social issues in the hopes of prompting discussion and affecting change. Buck's story is amazing because it sits at the intersection of gender and sexuality. He is beyond amazing because he is unwavering in his mission to confront and win over his audience.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I premiered a film entitled Cruel & Unusual at SXSW back in 2006. I am most looking forward to seeing some provocative films and spending time in the amazing city of Austin! Also, I am thrilled and honored to be introducing Buck Angel's story to the SXSW audience.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I've been producing docs for nearly 25 years. In the early days I produced historical docs and then moved to social justice docs about 15 yrs ago.
I'm currently working on an environmental doc about a sustainable art movement in the Hudson Valley region of NY.
Much Ado About Nothing
Director Joss Whedon on Much Ado About Nothing
Image courtesy Roadside AttractionsTell us a little about your film.
It's Much Ado About Nothing, the original text in a modern setting. It's a classic Shakespearean dramedy, with a bit of a noir edge.
Why did you start making films? 
Joss Whedon,
courtesy Michael Buckner
Why on earth would I do anything else?
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
I came last year for The Cabin in the Woods and had a great time. My tip is, try to squeeze in a day where you don't have to shill for your film so you can really enjoy the fest. And see something small and weird, that you wouldn't see anywhere else. Hey, MY movie's small and weird! Super total hint!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I am revered throughout the film world for my punch up on Waterworld.
I look very much like Channing Tatum, thanks to strenuous hours of photoshop.
I don't have any pets, but if I did, I'm pretty sure they would eventually rebel and make ME their pet in some science-fictiony way.
If I can use the word "viscera" in a sentence, get ready to hear a use of the word "viscera"!
I think movies are stupid.
Mud
Director Jeff Nichols on Mud
Image courtesy James BridgesTell us a little about your film.
Two boys find a man hiding out on an island in the Mississippi River. The boys decide to help the man reunite with the love of his life.
Why did you start making films? 
Jeff Nichols, courtesy
James Bridges
I attended film school directly out of high school. So, the choice to make films was made from a fairly naive place. It wasn't until college that I really understood what it meant to "make" a film. That said, I've always loved movies and I've always had a desire to tell stories. Even before film school, I was drawn to writing and short fiction. I like and admire a well told story, and ultimately that is what I strive to do.
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
Yes. I've participated in panels, but I've never actually had one of my films play in the festival. I'm excited to see what the SXSW audience thinks of my film. As for tips, I can't offer any other than to have fun and enjoy the ride. It is a crazy, busy festival.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I have a dog named Mud. This in no way was an attempt to aggrandize or promote my film. A crew member found a sack of four puppies in the back of a truck and decided to save them. They named the puppies after characters in the film, and all but one was adopted by the time we wrapped. I decided to take it, and it happened to be called Mud. At first, I thought this was cute. During the editing, Mud was a puppy. I'd spend all day listening to the characters talk about Mud, and then have to come home and deal with a puppy by the same name eating my shoes. Mud. Mud. Mud. Honestly, I've heard the word more than I ever need to for the rest of my life.
Our Nixon
Director Penny Lane on Our Nixon
Image courtesy Our NixonTell us a little about your film.
Our Nixon is an all-archival doc featuring the Super 8 home movies of three of Richard Nixon’s closest White House aides (and fellow Watergate conspirators), as well as a whole lot of other rarely or never before seen archival footage and sound. It’s a humanistic, humorous and complicated portrait of the Nixon administration from a whole new angle, and also a kind of statement about history and point of view.
Why did you start making films? 
Penny Lane,
courtesy Our Nixon
When I was an undergraduate, I was an American Studies major with a special interest in film. But I never made any films until a little later, when I was working at a youth media center teaching “media literacy” to kids by helping them make their own movies. Watching these little kids making movies, I thought it looked like a lot more fun than teaching media literacy.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I am a documentary filmmaker who hasn’t actually filmed anything in like four years. I like to scavenge images more than I like to create images. I like editing about a million times more than I like shooting. I felt bad about that for a long time but now I think that’s pretty cool.
Pit Stop
Director Yen Tan on Pit Stop
Image courtesy HutcHTell us a little about your film.
Pit Stop takes an understated approach in telling the parallel stories of two working class gay men in a small Texas town that touches on the universal themes of finding, losing and rediscovering love.
When did you start making films? 
Yen Tan,
courtesy HutcH
In my head: age 12. For real: age 26.
Have you been to SXSW before?
Yes. Stay for the Q&As. There's always something fun and insightful to learn about the films. And don't forget the panels!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
The very first soundtrack I owned was An American Tail. The very first film that made me cry was The Elephant Man.
Reality Show
Director Adam Rifkin on Reality Show
Image courtesy Our NixonTell us a little about your film.
Reality Show is a darkly comedic satire about reality TV producer Mickey Wagner and his amoral attempt to re-invent the genre. Mickey's revolutionary idea is to pick an average family and put them under all encompassing surveillance...without their knowledge. Unfortunately Mickey soon realizes that the family is boring. In a desperate attempt to salvage the show, Mickey begins to interfere by injecting conflict to create drama. As the show gets better, the family starts to disintegrate. Mickey rationalizes that all will be ok in the end, for once the episodes begin airing, fame will heal all wounds.
When did you start making films? 
Adam Rifkin,
courtesy Reality Show
I grew up loving movies from as early an age as I can remember. My first love was monster movies. The classics; Frankenstein, Dracula, etc. I figured out pretty early on that someone had to behind making them. I didn't understand at that age what a director was, I just knew that someday I wanted to make movies too. The first movie I saw that opened my eyes to the idea that film can be more than just scary monsters and rubber heads was One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest. I saw it when I was quite young and it really had a profound effect on me. Suddenly I realized that films can make you cry. Can make you think. Can change the way you look at the world. After that I became a real student of film. All kinds of film. I watched movies constantly. I also spent all of my play time making little movies with my friends. It was always fun...and it still is. I feel so lucky that I get to live out my childhood dream and actually make real movies for a living.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I've never had a film in SXSW before but I love Austin. I actually spent several months there making a film a few years back and I was beyond impressed with the town. Austin is a city that really appreciates movies. I'm looking forward to spending time watching movies, debating movies and enjoying movies with a crowd that I know really understands movies.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I'm a firm believer in never asking for permission to pursue your passion. If you want to make movies, just make them. Don't wait. I know it'd be great to have millions of dollars to make your magnum opus, but in the meantime, if you have $57 in your bank account, make a movie for $57! The technology has finally caught up with people's ambition. Shoot it on your phone if you have to. The cheapest production value is talent, and if you have some you can take any restriction and turn it into a creative challenge. Do it! I dare you.
I love movies. All kinds of movies. I also love telling all types of stories. Funny stories, sad stories, scary stories etc. That's why I feel beyond lucky that I've been able to spend my career so far making all kinds of movies. Big movies, tiny movies, family movies, tragic movies. In Hollywood it can often be perceived as a liability if you're not easily categorized into one box, but I've never been a subscriber to conventional wisdom. When an idea hits me I've learned that the best thing for me to do is to run with it.
Reincarnated
Director Andy Capper on Reincarnated
Image courtesy ReincarnatedTell us a little about your film.
It's Snoop's life and career set to the making of his new album and shows a side to him that nobody outside his family and friends has really seen before. It's an intimate, funny, emotional documentary that charts the life and times of an American icon and shows his reasons for the Snoop Lion incarnation. We shot in places, such as the Nyabinghi Temple, that nobody has ever seen inside before. There's also more weed in this film than any film ever made in the history of cinema.
When did you start making films? 
Andy Capper,
courtesy Reincarnated
I started making films aged like 10 on my dad's cine-camera. I had a 20-odd year break and when Vice began making documentaries I started again. I guess Swansea Love Story, The Vice Guide To Liberia, Krokodil Tears, Mandingo!, Beautiful Liverpool and Donk are the best ones. Reincarnated is my first nationwide theatrical release. Shout outs to Suroosh Alvi, Vice co-founder for commissioning me for Reincarnated. I can honestly say it changed / saved my life.
Have you been to SXSW before?
Yeah I love Austin and SXSW. The cops wear cowboy boots.
The Noisey Raps / Ghostface / Bronson / Danny Brown / 100s / Bodega Bamz show is gonna be crazy. Also, obviously SNOOP LION. You hear me?
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I co-founded Vice in the UK 10 years ago. Used to work for NME and before that I was a court reporter in Liverpool.
I moved to New York last year and am finishing up a new feature documentary called Lil Bub & Friendz, about the internet cat of the same name. I also made a bunch of music videos last year two. A$AP Rocky, Black Lips, Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Turbonegro, Popcaaan, Snoop Lion.
I have a GSOH and am into boasting on the internet.
Rewind This!
Director Josh Johnson on Rewind This!
Image courtesy Rewind ThisTell us a little about your film.
Rewind This! is the story of the home video revolution and how it transformed the world. It swings back and forth between personal observations and an overview of the industry itself. It's a nostalgic tribute to the magic of the video store, as well as a look at how that impact continues today in newer forms.
Why did you start making films? 
Josh Johnson,
courtesy Rewind This!
I always wanted to make films, but the opportunity to actually pursue my interest came at age 7, when my uncle purchased a VHS camcorder. I immediately started making stop-motion shorts and live action time travelling epics. I've never considered another career.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I've attended several times in the past, but this will be my first time with a film in the festival. I'm looking forward to seeing amazing movies, meeting new friends, and eating lots of BBQ. The thing I'm looking forward to more than anything else is watching our documentary with an audience.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
I'm a hugger. I will always accept cake.
Scenic Route
Directors Goetz Brothers on Scenic Route
Image courtesy Quid Pro Quo Investments LLCTell us a little about your film.
Our film is about life-long friends who have drifted apart and are on a road trip when their truck breaks down leaving them stranded in the desert. Nobody can pick apart a man like his best friend, and as the elements grind them down we see these two question each other’s lives and decisions with unwavering brutality. Verbal agitation leads to violence and what begins as an inconvenience becomes a very real struggle to survive, one that raises questions about both who they are and who they can be.
Why did you start making films? 
Goetz Brothers, courtesy
Quid Pro Quo Investments LLC
We grew up watching our father perform on stage on Broadway. At one point in a show, the lead had to toss a baseball off stage, and get it thrown back to him on stage. As youngsters, we would wait in the wings and toss the ball back on stage-- since that moment we were hooked on furthering the suspension of disbelief.
We've also always loved telling stories and what better medium to use than film?
Have you been to SXSW before?
"We have shot a couple of spots in Austin and love coming back- the crews and gear are always top notch.
SXSW is one of those festivals you hear so many great things about, we are very excited about premiering here and can think of absolutely nowhere better we'd rather be spending our mid March!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
We made our first film together at the ages of 5 and 9. We have 7 kids between us. Film that made us hooked: ET. When not filmmaking, we're stormchasing. (The two have a lot in common.)
Some Girl(s)
Daisy von Scherler Mayer on Some Girl(s)
Image from Some Girl(s) courtesy Kristin KlierTell us a little about your film.
Based on Neil LaBute's play, the film follows a young man (Adam Brody) as he travels around the country trying to make amends with his ex-girlfriends before he gets married. The five scenes are as different as the women in them (Emily Watson, Zoe Kazan, Jennifer Morrison, Mia Maestro and Kristen Bell) funny, painful, thoughtful and, with LaBute, always surprising.
Why did you start making films? 
Daisy von Scherler
Mayer, courtesy
Some Girl(s)
I couldn't break into theater directing. I grew up backstage in NYC. My mother, Sasha von Scherler, was a favorite of Joe Papp's and brought me to rehearsals. I remember the exact moment, watching Papp, when I was, maybe, seven years old, that I decided to be a director when I grew up. Of course, I always loved movies, made a Super 8 horror film in high school and studied film a bit in college but my real goal was theater.
Then after graduation, my best friend, Harry, suggested we write a movie for me to direct. I thought that sounded hard but also fun. And Party Girl was just that, working hard and having fun. From then on, I was hooked on filmmaking but I am still trying to have that much fun doing it. This film, Some Girl(s) came close!!
Have you been to SXSW before?
No but have always wanted to!
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Allergic to shellfish. Married Mom of two. Love: Louis CK, expensive jeans and Christine Amanpour. Hate: Garrison Keillor, The Doors and spiritual chain letters.
This Ain't No Mouse Music!
Directors Chris Simon & Maureen Gosling on This Ain't No Mouse Music!
Image courtesy filmmakersTell us a little about your film.
Roots music icon Chris Strachwitz (Arhoolie Records) has fought against slick "mouse" music since 1960. We join him for on a hip-shaking stomp from Texas to New Orleans, Cajun country to Appalachia, on a passionate quest for the musical soul of America. Along the way we meet Ry Cooder, Mance Lipscomb, Flaco & Santiago Jimenez, the Savoy family, Richard Thompson and hear a lot of great music.
Why did you start making films? 
(L-R) Chris Simon &
Maureen Gosling,
courtesy filmmakers
We each met renown documentarian Les Blank, who taught us on the job. Maureen was handed a tape-recorder and told "point the microphone at the person talking." She worked with Les for close to 20 years, editing most of his films including "Burden of Dreams" about Werner Herzog. Chris moved next door to Les and eventually married him. She took up filmmaking when it became obvious she'd never see him if she didn't work with him. She produced, did sound, and edited many of his later films including "Innocents Abroad.
Have you been to SXSW before?
No! We're looking forward to being in Austin & hearing lots of music! Plus celebrating the film after 7 years of work.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Maureen started the Austin Film Festival back in 1975 with filmmaker Eagle Pennell.
Chris loves Texas music beyond all other. She used to make more money as a Polynesian dancer than as a filmmaker.
TINY: A Story About Living Small
Christopher Smith & Merete Mueller on TINY: A Story About Living Small
Image courtesy the filmmakersTell us a little about your film.
The film follows our process of building a Tiny House from scratch with no building experience. We also profile other families around the country who have downsized their lives into these houses that are smaller than the average parking space. We're interested in environmental issues and in good design, and in the idea of Home. What does it mean, and how do we find it?
Why did you start making films? 
Merete Mueller & Christopher Smith,
courtesy the filmmakers
Christopher: I've been interested in filmmaking since I was in Middle School. There was a series on The Discovery Channel called "Movie Magic", which focused on special effects, and I watched it religiously. As I grew older my tastes evolved and I became more focused on the entire craft of visual storytelling, and not just on special effects.
Merete: My background is in writing and this is my first film project. I got involved in this one because the story and the themes captured my attention. I love that in film, you can imply elements of the plot or of a character with an image or a sound, rather than having to say everything outright. I think more now about creating an experience in addition to telling a story. "
Have you been to SXSW before? What are you most looking forward to?
This will be our first SXSW! We're looking forward to seeing so many of the other films playing at the festival and meeting other filmmakers. We're in such talented company. This festival combines many of our different interests: music, tech, design, film...it's sort of overwhelming and also totally amazing.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
(We wrote these for each other:)
Christopher is so full of "random" facts it's hard to know which ones to choose! He was the vocalist in two hardcore bands in his 20s (one of which included Tim Cleary, who wrote the score for TINY). Much later at the University of Colorado, he helped to design a summer program for students learning about energy issues in the American West. Also, his dad served as a psychic spy for the US military.
Merete graduated from an unusual program at Naropa University, called the "Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics." It was founded by Allen Ginsberg. Naropa is the only Buddhist-inspired university in the country and Merete's been a meditation practitioner ever since.
An Unreal Dream
Al Reinert on An Unreal Dream
Image courtesy Williamson County Sun
Tell us a little about your film.
"An Unreal Dream" is a documentary about a man whose life was turned inside-out and upside-down by the justice system. It's the true story of what seemed an unreal dream for twenty-five years, with all the horrors of a bad dream salvaged in the end by some good people in a just world.
Why did you start making films? 
Al Reinert, courtesy
Williamson County Sun
I have been a working journalist for many years, in newspapers and magazines and documentary films, so I've heard a lot of stories. I have tried hard to tell them truly. The incredible tale of Michael Morton is maybe the best I have ever heard and I hope we have told it well and truly.
Have you been to SXSW before?
I am a Texan who has been coming to SXSW since it was just a little music festival. It's nice to get a badge for free this time and I recommend it.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
My wife rescues dogs that I get to feed and walk and clean up after and take to the vet, so I've got a softer side, says she.
We Cause Scenes
Matt Adams on We Cause Scenes
Image courtesy the filmmakersTell us a little about your film.
We Cause Scenes tells the story of Charlie Todd, an actor who moved to New York City with hopes of making it big. Frustrated by the lack of opportunities available to him, Charlie began using the city of New York itself as his stage, causing scenes in bars, parks, and subway cars, documenting these unauthorized performances on the web under the name "Improv Everywhere."
A prank collective ten years in the making, Improv Everywhere has grown from a few 22-year-olds staging guerrilla pranks on the streets to a phenomenon that has spread across the globe. The group is now known as one of the leaders in online video creation with a YouTube channel totaling over a quarter of a billion views. From the No Pants Subway Ride to the Grand Central Freeze, Improv Everywhere's scenes of chaos and joy have inspired pranksters around the world."
When did you start making films? 
Matt Adams
courtesy the filmmaker
Film seemed to be the best way that I could take everything I loved and combine it under one roof. Shortly after I got my first video camera, I moved to NYC. I remember being so excited that I had a camera and could document whatever I wanted - having a video camera was a big deal in 2001!
Within a few weeks of moving to Manhattan, my mother sent me a news clipping about Improv Everywhere and said, “I think you’d like this.” I thought to myself “this is cool,” and I hung up the clipping on my wall, not exactly sure how to get involved, but knowing somehow I would. A few months after that happened, I met Improv Everywhere founder, Charlie Todd, while taking classes at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and told him that if he ever needed an extra hand, I’d love to be able to film his events.
Improv Everywhere quickly became a big part of my life and I found myself in the inner circle of the group, working with Charlie Todd to brainstorm the best ways to transform the group’s ideas into successful internet videos. The deeper I got, the more I needed to make a film about what was happening around me. We Cause Scenes tells the story of Improv Everywhere - I’m just happy that I just sort of stumbled into it, so thanks Mom!
Have you been to SXSW before?
This is my first time! When I started this project, I’d always secretly dreamed that it would make its premiere at SXSW but never could wrap my mind around it actually happening. I could not be more excited to meet all the filmmakers and other participants attending such a cool festival.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Instead of going the traditional route of working as a Production Assistant after film school, I decided to get as many jobs as I possibly could outside of the industry to inform my filmmaking. I love meeting new people and having unique experiences and didn’t want to burn out creatively.
In my free time, I worked on my own projects, making videos with my friends and family. My parents must have starred in every film that I made when I was in college! I think that not starting my career in a traditional filmmaking environment is the thing that actually shaped me most as a filmmaker.
White Reindeer
Zach Clark on White Reindeer
White Reindeer, courtesy Daryl Pittman
- White Reindeer is a sad Christmas sex comedy. It’s about a real estate agent named Suzanne who suddenly loses her husband, discovers he was having an affair and spends the rest of December trying, with varying degrees of success, to come to terms with that. It’s my love letter to the season of giving.
Why did you start making films?
Zach Clark, courtesy
Daryl Pittman
- I like telling stories visually and film is the best medium to accomplish that. There aren’t a lot of movies out there now like the ones I make, so the opportunity to create original work is really exciting. And they’re fun - you get to write scenes and pick out costumes and find locations and come up with cool lighting and camera moves and things like that. I saw Alejandro Jodorowsky do a Q&A once and he said that he uses artificial images to access real emotions. I can’t think of a better explanation of the power of film.
Have you been to SXSW before? Any tips?
This will be my fourth year at SXSW. My first was 2006, as the editor of Dance Party USA. Then back in 2009 with my first feature Modern Love is Automatic. I was on a panel one year. My advice is to make friends and see as many movies as possible. Seriously, as many as possible.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
Douglas Sirk was my guardian angel on White Reindeer, but my all time favorite filmmakers are Russ Meyer and Rainer Werner Fassbinder. You can find my movies somewhere in the middle of those guys.
Zero Charisma
Directors Katie Andrew & Graham Matthews on Zero Charisma
Image courtesy Zero CharismaTell us a little about your film.
Metal-loving gamer geek Scott Weidemeyer cherishes his role as the Game Master. But when neo-nerd hipster Miles joins his game, Scott's insecurities drive him to the brink.
Katie Andrew & Graham
Matthews, courtesy
Zero CharismaHave you been to SXSW before?
We came to SXSW in 2009 as DP (Graham) and Editor (Matthews) on Michael Stephenson's documentary Best Worst Movie. It was an absolute blast! Don't forget to attend a panel or two. Also don't forget to bring hand sanitizer.
Tell us a random fact (or two!) that would help our attendees get a better idea of who you are.
We moved from Los Angeles to Austin in 2009 to be a part of the independent film community. Now, we're not sure if we'll ever leave this incredible town.
Neither of us snowboard.
