SXSW so far...

[RegularKarate]

Kal, I'll be doin' SXSW.  I have a film pass, but being on the list would help make sure I get in since I don't have a badge this year.

All that are going though... here's some SXSW-related, but unofficial comedy shows going on:

- March 15th and 16th 8 PM at Spiderhouse Events Center: TJ & Dave - Comedy improv.  If you've never seen longform improv, this is a great introduction and if you HAVE seen longform, these guys will probably top what you've seen before.  Two of the best out there (yes, TJ is the guy from the Sonic commercials).

- March 15th at Coldtowne Theater: Whitest Kids you know doing some sketch stuff - at least Sam Brown from WKYK and possibly more along with some standup both local and out-of-town.

- Thursday March 19th at Coldtowne: Marc Maron - see a big comic in a very small venue.

- Friday March 20th at Coldtowne: Tig Notaro - very hilarious lady (from Sarah Silverman Show)

- Saturday March 21st at Coldtowne: Chris Hardwick - One half of Hard n Phirm and regular on Attack of the Show - this show will also feature Nick Flanagan, Matt Ruby, and will be hosted by yours truly.

There's more comedy-related junk happenin' if you're looking for it, lemme know.  Looking forward to a very busy, very fun week.

[Ghostboy]

- March 15th and 16th 8 PM at Spiderhouse Events Center: TJ & Dave - Comedy improv.  If you've never seen longform improv, this is a great introduction and if you HAVE seen longform, these guys will probably top what you've seen before.  Two of the best out there (yes, TJ is the guy from the Sonic commercials).

My friend Alex directed a documentary about these guys that will be playing at the festival as well, called TRUST US, THIS IS ALL MADE UP. It's really good. I know they'll be at the second screening, which I believe is on the 16th....

[RegularKarate]

- March 15th and 16th 8 PM at Spiderhouse Events Center: TJ & Dave - Comedy improv.  If you've never seen longform improv, this is a great introduction and if you HAVE seen longform, these guys will probably top what you've seen before.  Two of the best out there (yes, TJ is the guy from the Sonic commercials).

My friend Alex directed a documentary about these guys that will be playing at the festival as well, called TRUST US, THIS IS ALL MADE UP. It's really good. I know they'll be at the second screening, which I believe is on the 16th....

He showed that here last year (unfinished, I believe) for the improv community.  I had a shoot that day and couldn't make it, but I heard it was really good from an improv perspective.

[MacGuffin]

One of you go get us an exclusive:

'Bruno' Footage Added to SXSW Lineup
Source: Cinematical

As if we couldn't be any more excited about SXSW than we already are, a special event was added this morning that's gonna blow the hat off any film lover attending the conference. Under the Fantastic Fest at Midnight sidebar, a new section of the conference curated by the team from Austin's premiere genre festival Fantastic Fest, the brainchild of Alamo Drafthouse owner Tim League, SXSW will present a selection of footage (roughly 20 minutes or so) from Universal Pictures' hotly anticipated summer release Brüno, starring Sacha Baron Coen. Coen's follow-up to the hit comedy Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan centers on another of the characters he created for his HBO show, The Ali G Show, an Australian Austrian fashionista out to make it in America. The screening is free to anyone while there's still room, so get there early because I have a hunch there won't be an empty seat once the projector rolls.

For those who'll be in Austin, the screening will be held at 11pm at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar on Sunday, March 15.

[Kal]

BIG NEWS

Oscilloscope Gets "Paranoids"

Oscilloscope Laboratories acquired the North American distribution rights to Gabriel Medina's Argentine debut feature, "The Paranoids" (Los Paranoicos), which is having its U.S. Premiere today at SXSW.

"The Paranoids," an offbeat comedy about Luciano, an aspiring writer in Buenos Aires, screens at 2:30 PM today at the Alamo Ritz 2 in Austin.  Oscilloscope will open the film in theaters later this year with a DVD and digital release in early 2010.

"Everyone at the o-scope office unanimously had our proverbial wigs blown back by this Argentinean wu-banger. Gabriel Medina is pinning fools to the mat and letting them know how it's done with 'The Paranoids,' his directorial debut," said Adam Yauch in a statement.

The deal was negotiated by Ryan Kampe from Visit Films on behalf of the filmmakers and David Fenkel and Dan Berger for Oscilloscope.

[Sleepless]

That's awesome news! Congrats Kal!

[tpfkabi]

Adam Yauch

Beastie Boys?

[SiliasRuby]

Kick Ass Kal!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Stefen]

Adam Yauch

Beastie Boys?

Yup.

Yauch founded Oscilloscope Laboratories, a NYC-based recording studio, film production and distribution company, and post-production facility. Oscilloscope Pictures' recently released Gunnin For That #1 Spot, and their theatrical lineup includes Irena Salina's Flow (September 12, 2008), Caroline Suh's Frontrunners (October 15, 2008), and Kelly Reichardt's Wendy and Lucy.

[Kal]

Thanks guys. I'm very excited. It's kinda the perfect company for our film because its small but they are really getting shit done. They released "Wendy and Lucy" which is doing well and they are focusing on very specific and quality films. We'll know the release schedule and cities soon.

Also for the DVD, all their boxes are amazing and they put a lot on effort on the quality and presentation.  Plus meeting with Yauch was pretty awesome.

[MacGuffin]

Tarantino, Gondry and Green head to SXSW — panels and shorts announced
Source: Hollywood Reporter

Writer-directors Quentin Tarantino, Michel Gondry and David Gordon Green are all heading to Austin next month to take part in the SXSW Film Conference, which kicks off March 12 in tandem with the annual film festival and runs through March 16.

The SXSW organizers announced the full list of panels — more than 80 in all — and the complete short film program (130 shorts) today. The festival, which includes Gondry's latest, the documentary "The Thorn in the Heart," runs through March 20.

The conference includes a bunch of workshop and mentor sessions, but the panels provide exposure to fascinating filmmakers in town to talk film. Among the panels, are:


A Conversation With Michel Gondry ("Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "The Science of Sleep"). TCM's Elvis Mitchell moderates.

Directing the Dead: Genre Directors Spill Their Guts. Ruben Fleischer ("Zombieland"), Matt Reeves ("Let Me In"), Eli Roth ("Hostel"), Tarantino ("Inglourious Basterds") and Ti West ("House of the Devil") talk horror. Scott Weinberg of Cinematical moderates.

Filmmakers in TV: A Case Study. "Eastbound & Down" creators Danny McBride, David Gordon Green and Jody Hill talk about moving from features to TV with their HBO series.

Creating a Graphic Novel Hollywood Will Buy. David Wohl (Radical Publishing), Martin Shapiro (Night Owl Productions), Matt Hawkins (Top Cow) and Ted Adams (IDW Publishing) explain how to create a graphic novel that will attract the attention of movie producers. Moderated by Pomegranate's Ean Mering.

The film conference will also include Jeffery Tambor's Acting Workshop and a "Kick-Ass" panel with director Matthew Vaughn, actors Aaron Johnson, Cholë Grace Moretz and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and comic writers Mark Millar and John S. Romita.