Wrapping up SXSW

I'm writing from 30,000 feet as I make my way home from SXSW and attempt to get my head back in the game of regular life. While reading my previous blog entry, posted when I first arrived, I couldn't help but laugh at the silly anxieties I had about what was to come -- crowds, lines, not getting in. It took just that first screening, the premiere of "Evil Dead," for those small concerns to vaporize and one of the best weeks I've had in years to commence. 

As I charged through each 16+ hour day filled with films, fascinating Q&As with filmmakers and stars, one-on-one interviews, happy hours and meeting interesting people from all over the world, my mind only had room for excitement and appreciation. Even sleep and hunger took a backseat and, considering I'm a big fan of both sleeping and eating, that's saying something.  

Over the next few weeks and months, I'll post the full write-ups of my interviews with Matthew McConaughey and Jeff Nichols (for "Mud"), Joss Whedon (for "Much Ado About Nothing") and Bruce Campbell (for "Evil Dead"), but during the festival I did find some time to chronicle my experiences each day. As a SXSW virgin, I wanted to capture what it felt like to be caught up in the whirlwind as a member of the press. I hope I was able to do that in a way that's interesting to you. You can read my updates at the links below: 

Day 1: Evil Dead premiere and getting in the swing of SXSW

Day 2: Joss Whedon, Bruce Campbell, Richard Linklater and more...

Day 3: Matthew McConaughey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and more...

Day 4: John Sayles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's "Don Jon" and festival final thoughts...

The only downside to making the trip was that I used up all of my vacation time at my day job. But at least I have a reason to save them up again -- SXSW 2014 is less than a year away!

In the meantime, here are some snapshots from my adventures.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tony Danza visited the Fandango press lounge
for  an interview about Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut "Don Jon,"

Inside the beautiful Paramount theater, just
before the "Evil Dead" premiere.

Another view from the Fandango lounge, this time with an iconic Austin view from the Intercontinental Hotel terrace where host Dave Karger interviewed Brian Geraghty about "Kilimanjaro," which premiered at SXSW.

"Downloaded" director Alex Winter (L) with Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning, founders of Napster and subjects in Winter's documentary on the controversial music sharing site's rise and fall, take questions after the premiere.