Written by Victoria Sprowls and Lynn Wu

1. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

The amazing Nicolas Cage is back with a funny, thrilling, and unique revelation about his career. Playing himself, Cage is mixed up with a CIA mission that is light-hearted throughout the entire film. Although it might not satisfy crime show fanatics, it tells a story of friendship that is both funny and moving, reflecting relationships in the real world. Cage restores himself as an artist, a husband, a father, and a man who learns to break his inflated ego while still acknowledging himself as a brilliant and passionate actor. This movie has maintained its 100% rating on RottenTomatoes, and it absolutely lives up to this honor. There are many highlights in this movie that makes it an immediate must-see when it’s released in theaters. You will want to share the experience with an audience because that shared atmosphere makes the experience extra fun. However, be prepared by getting familiar with Cage’s past work if you haven’t already – knowing movie references from his past is crucial to the film’s humor.

2. NFT gallery & Blockchain Creative Labs

NFT was the hot topic of SXSW this year. The NFT gallery and Blockchain Creative Labs are the real-life space for you to experience what NFTs are. The NFT gallery is an immersive narrative curated by NFT artists that displays their dynamic digital artwork. Stepping into the Blockchain Creative Labs allows you to be a part of the Web3, as well as live in the world of Matrix. While many people still don’t believe NFTs are real, these venues exemplify the value of NFTs and how innovative art forms can be generated from this technology.

3. Creative Industries Expo

This four-day event features many technologies, leaders, and startups that are at the forefront of the industry. There are also panels hosted within the Creative Industries Expo such as “How to Make Waves in the Immersive Technology Era,” “The Future of Fashion in the Metaverse,” and “How Open AI Models Enable Artists To Innovate.” Whether you are a professional interested in what the current technology exists in your industry, or you are just someone interested in trying out new games, technologies, and tools, the Creative Industries Expo was the perfect place to explore these curiosities,

4. How Video Game Technology is Influencing TV and Film

Entertainment studios are blurring the lines between gaming and TV/film, and this panel spoke about how gaming technologies are integrated into production, specifically virtual production. Virtual production has been around for many years, with Avatar being the iconic movie that pivoted filmmaking. But that was in 2009, so what has been happening since? This panel focused on Unreal Engine, elaborating on how much it has improved to meet industry standards, including its ability to build near photorealistic imagery. Panelists also discussed how virtual reality has been incorporated into university-level filmmaking classes. Deepak Chetty, an Assistant Professor of Practice at The University of Texas at Austin, talked about how the charm of film cameras and the basics of filmmaking rules are still vital for students’ learning before they are exposed to the industry’s most groundbreaking technologies.

5. Featured Session: Donna Langley & Frank Pallotta

As Chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Donna Langley gave us a peek into the studio’s current productions and its global business strategy. However, this session was also a treat for Jurassic Park fans. Universal released a 5-minute exclusive clip for the upcoming film, Jurassic World Dominion. Without giving spoilers, we just want to say that it looks exciting and thrilling – so stay tuned! One of the highlights of this panel was hearing the next-step strategy for Peacock,  which is making offshoots of their franchises such as Fast & Furious and Jurassic Park. They are currently developing a Pitch Perfect TV show to feature on Peacock. The conversation also touched on threats theatrical releases might face in the future and ways the UFEG copes with them.

6. Future of Podcasting Lies in the Past

I went to several panels at SXSW including "Podcasts and the Art of Adaptation" and “FISHPRIEST: A Conversation with Ethan Hawke, Kelly Garner, and Brittany Jones-Cooper,” which convinced me the future of podcasting lies in immersive narrative podcasts. That’s right, we’re entering the future by looking back to radio plays – the humble beginnings of podcasts. Whether it is adapting novels or producing scripts written specifically for immersive podcast experiences, there will be a marked increase in this kind of fully acted-out audio experience with compelling and impressive sound effects. During the “FISHPRIEST” panel, Ethan Hawke maintained that the key difference between listening to immersive podcasts and watching movies is that there is a level of active imagination wor and creativity involved when you listen to a story. I have to say, I agree with him.

7. Native Representation 

In a panel titled “Forget Mascots. The Native Representation TV Needs,” Sierra Teller Ornelas, showrunner and co-creator of Rutherford Falls, talked about the importance of not just native representation, but a diversity of native stories being told. She spoke of the fact that for a long time, Hollywood was mainly interested in including native representation in stories from at or before the turn of the 20th century, effectively erasing native people from modern films and TV shows - relegating their stories to the nation’s past instead of including them in the nation’s present. In her series, Rutherford Falls, Ornelas successfully portrays a breadth of native experiences in the 21st century. A couple of years ago, Verna Myers made the point that diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance. Hopefully shows like Rutherford Falls and Reservoir Dogs, which both have native showrunners, will mark a turning point in the greater inclusion of native people in their own expansive, diverse narratives. 

8. IP Adaptations 

Have you ever wanted to sell your life’s story? Well now is the perfect time given how popular adapting IP is in the entertainment space. Ubisoft is selling the rights to a lot of its IP, including Just Dance, into the film/TV space. Audible is partnering with Audio Up to adapt novels into immersive narrative podcasts. It seems like every week a new TV show comes out about someone’s life story: The Dropout, Pam & Tommy, Inventing Anna, The Girl from Plainville. The future of entertainment is in owning and selling IP - which can be anything from a New Yorker magazine article to a seemingly plotless video game like Just Dance.

9. Gamification of Entertainment

At a panel on “The Art of Adapting IP,” I asked Margaret Boykin, Head of Film at Ubisoft, if the company saw multiple endings or interactive films as a way to encourage people to go back to movie theaters multiple times to see different narratives play out. After all, one of my favorite films, Clue, has three different endings. She responded that Bandersnatch was a failure and that Netflix and other major players in the film/TV industry dropped the interactive idea entirely. Her reasoning for this was that interactive cinema is too “game-y” for film people and too “film-y” for game people. I still think the interactive cinema could work and, at the time of writing this, Netflix just announced the platform’s first interactive rom-com film, Choose Love. I guess the idea of interactive cinema might not be dead after all. 

10. Bodies Bodies Bodies

This A24 film is sure to be a hit when it comes out later this year. The type of movie where you come for the obvious appeal that is Pete Davidson, but you stay for the psychological warfare these young women inflict upon each other during a party game of bodies bodies bodies. The kind of mind games anyone who’s ever been a part of a toxic friendship can understand. The psychological warfare turns bloody when members of the group of friends, stranded at the house due to a Hurricane, start to turn up dead. Secrets are outed and trust is broken as the group starts to realize the killer is probably one of them. At times a stinging social commentary on how much you can really trust anyone and at times a hilarious slasher romp, this is definitely one to see in theaters.