The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival has announced the initial batch of panel topics and speakers for the 2007 event, including a session billed as “A Conversation with Morgan Spurlock.” For this, the award-winning filmmaker and TV producer will participate in a one-on-one interview for attendees. Spurlock, who’s 2004 Oscar-nominated documentary “Super Size Me” screened at SXSW, has continued an impressive career with upcoming film projects and an award-winning F/X television series called “30 Days.”
“We’re very excited Morgan’s coming back to SXSW,” said SXSW Festival Producer Matt Dentler. “He’s the perfect example of what independent ingenuity can do to spark a prolific and prosperous career in film and television.”
Other panel highlights announced for the 2007 event, taking place March 9-17 in Austin, TX, include:
“New Dogs, New Tricks” – An informative and probing discussion of how media, the Internet, and new technology are transforming the ways in which films are made and seen. Scheduled speakers include: Rick DeVos (CEO, Spout.com), David Gale (Exec. VP New Media, MTV), Scott Kirsner (Founder, Cinematech), Katie Speight (Programmer, More4), and more.
“The State of Non-Profit Film” – It’s an unpredictable climate these days for non-profit film organizations, as some fold and some stand firm. Some of the leaders of this national arena will share their thoughts on the current attitudes and future prospects of non-profit initiatives for filmmakers. Scheduled speakers include: Michelle Byrd (Exec. Dir., Independent Feature Project), Rebecca Campbell (Exec. Dir., Austin Film Society), Brian Newman (Exec. Dir., National Video Resources), and more.
“Sex Scenes Stay Hard” – Onscreen sex has been a combustible topic for decades, and in the changing landscape of independent film, is it any different? Can a filmmaker be frank about sex and still find an audience? For this panel, filmmakers and experts will gather to debate the pros and cons of taking it all off for the camera. Scheduled speakers include: Bryan Poyser (director, “Dear Pillow”), Joe Swanberg (director, “LOL”), Lisa Vandever (Co-founder, CineKink NYC), and more.
Other scheduled SXSW 2007 speakers, thus far, are: Jeffrey Abramson (Gen Art), Paul Bales (SAGIndie), Steven Beer (entertainment attorney), Eamonn Bowles (Magnolia Pictures), Michael Burns (The Documentary Channel), Anne del Castillo (POV), Sean Farnel (Hot Docs), Chris Gore (Film Threat), Eugene Hernandez (indieWIRE), Gill Holland (producer, “Loggerheads”), David Hudson (GreenCine), Roger Kass (entertainment attorney), Tom Koch (WGBH), Ron Mann (director, “Tales of the Rat Fink”), Sejin Park (New Line Cinema), Greg Rhem (HBO), David Poland (Movie City News), Tom Quinn (Magnolia Pictures), Kay Schaber (Writers Guild of America), Katie Speight (More4), Mary Ann Thyken (ITVS), and Diane Weyermann (Participant Productions).
