Two Films at SXSW 2013

I was born and raised in Austin, so the South By Southwest Film Festival is as much a fabric of my life growing up in central Texas as breakfast tacos, bar-b-que or Longhorn football. This festival single handedly shaped my perception of what a film career might could look like. Once I got out in to the real world (and lived & worked in LA for a brief spell), I discovered the many paths you can take in making moving picture stories. Still, SXSW has left its mark.

As a kid surrounded by independent film, I dreamed of having my work play at SXSW, and of being a panelist at the festival (I just thought it was so cool people might sit in a room and willfully listen to me pontificate via microphone; most of the year, I do it against their will... sans microphone.... Basically, I'm yelling my opinions at people when I'm not a panelist at a film festival). I've accomplished both a few times over now, but I still get a thrill when I can share with everyone that I have a project playing at the festival.

The SXSW line-up was announced yesterday and Texas films & filmmakers are well-represented, maybe more so than any other year I can remember. There's a handful of Texas-based or Texas-tied holdovers from Sundance [Yen Tan's Pit Stop (Yen designed the official "Do Over" poster); Andrew Bujalski's Computer Chess; Hannah Fidell's A Teacher; Jeff Nichols' Mud; David Gordon Green's Prince Avalanche; and Richard Linklater's much awaited Before Midnight].

On top of that, we have world premieres from other talented Texas artists, including Jacob Vaughn's Milo, Geoff Marslett's Loves Her Gun, Paul Stekler's Getting Back To Abnormal, and cinematographer-by-day/director-by-night PJ Raval's documentary about gay retirees, Before You Know It.

It's a very exciting year to be a part of the festival and to be a part of the Austin, Texas film community.  Click on the jump to find out which projects I was involved in that will be premiering in March...

The Bounceback

I am currently post production supervisor on Bryan Poyser's The Bounceback, his follow up to 2010's Lover Of Hate. This is my second time working with Poyser (previously, I was editor on a short he directed for USA Films called The Fickle) and it's been a blast. I've supervised before in the past (and most of the projects I edit I end up shepharding in a way), but I've had the chance to flex some new muscles closer to producing along with the usual workflow management that comes with the territory. This is a funny, entertaining film with some faces from other indie films or TV comedies you may recognize. (Check out the SXSW page.)

Good Night

The other project I had a hand in creating is Sean Gallagher's Good Night, in which I served as co-editor. The other editor on the project is Don Howard, who also happens to be my former editing professor at the University of Texas. I have so much respect for Don's work (check out Letters From Waco or Nuclear Family if you can) that it was a real honor to be able to look at each other's work and trade notes back & forth with our team. Because of the unique structure of the film (very novelistic in approach), we were working on sections of the film that were completely different from each other in tone, structure and narrative function. I won't say much more as I think this film is best when it takes you by surprise. (Check out the SXSW page)

Good Night is a labor of love. It's a scrappy little movie made on a shoe string with a strong ensemble led by its two leads, Adrienne Mishler and Jonny Mars. I think those familiar with Alex Karpovsky, Chris Doubek, or Todd Burger in particular (just to name a few members of this talented cast) will be caught off guard by the nuances of their subtle, grounded performances.

Good Night has stuck around long enough that its story echoed a little too closely to events in my own life by the time of yesterday's announcement. I hope it hits audiences the same way.