Over spring break, myself and 29 other Ohio University students joined approximately 300,000 attendees at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. Every year, the School of Media Arts and Studies sends a group of students studying film, journalism, music production and media arts to the creative festival as representatives of the school and young professionals looking to make connections and find inspiration within their fields.
According to the program’s website, “The Ohio University SXSW industry immersion course provides students access to the largest creative media industry gathering of the year, offering an unparalleled convergence of the music, interactive, and film industries and fostering an engaging atmosphere for professional and educational growth.”
The program fee (estimated to be around $4,200) includes a platinum badge for full access to all SXSW events. The badge comes with many perks if students are taught how to use it, a job which falls to the program director, Josh Antonuccio.
Antonuccio is an associate professor and the director of the School of Media Arts and Studies. After years of attending this event alongside the revolving cohort of students, Antonuccio has nearly mastered all the tips and tricks to get the most out of the SXSW experience, including using express passes, when to get in line and how to network with festival volunteers.
Partly because of Antonuccio’s guidance, I was able to attend multiple film premieres, including A24’s “Friendship” and “Death of a Unicorn,” Flying Lotus’ “Ash” and multiple independent documentaries. All of these screenings brought me face to face with cast members and creatives who worked on the films, including Aaron Paul, Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, Will Poulter and others.
Utilizing more of Antonuccio’s years of savvy, I was able to attend music showcases from up and coming artists such as Man/Woman/Chainsaw and Sir Woman, artists in the throes of rising success such as Maruja and Freak Slug and established performers such as Band of Horses and John Summit.
The event also offered more than purely fun experiences and proximity to celebrities; it connected me with people working in creative industries. Whether in the form of mentoring sessions or roundtable discussions, SXSW offered multiple chances for young professionals to network with people in their industry, whether to build bridges to future career opportunities or simply to pick the brain of someone working in a position they can see themselves in.
Additionally, the conference tracks offered panel discussions with topics in media and entertainment, and included keynote and session speakers such as Issa Rae, John Fogerty, Michelle Obama, Ben Stiller, Conan O’Brien and countless others. Not only did these titans of culture offer entertaining discussions, but they were each provocative and thought-provoking in their own ways.
The energy in Austin during the nine days of the festival is communal, creative and jubilant, which is part of the reason SXSW is considered a “premier destination for creatives across the globe.” Industry professionals were always eager to help students, and the connection between the group of OU students grew palpably over the course of the week.
Not only is SXSW a perfect way to spend a collegiate spring break, complete with parties, live music and good tanning weather, but it is also a remarkable use of experiential learning and will long stand out as one of the most life-changing immersions of my college career.
Sophia Rooksberry is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Sophia know by tweeting her @sophiarooks_.
