michael favia

Thanks to Matthew Odam for this lovely recap of our day party yesterday. Our slideshow will be posted soon.

Tim Patterson/flickrPolice have filed computer intrusion charges against 20-year-old Omar Ramos-Lopez after he used a web-based vehicle-immobilization system to disable more than 100 cars in the Austin area.

Over a five-day period beginning in late February, drivers found their horns honking continuously or their ignitions disabled, with the only remedy being to remove the car's battery. Texas Auto Center said the complaints stopped after their reset all the passwords to employee accounts.

The Austin Police High Tech Crime Unit then reviewed access logs and traced an IP address to Ramos-Lopez, who was laid off from Texas Auto Center last month. Manager Martin Garcia told Wired's Threat Level blog that Ramos-Lopez got into the system through another employee's account.

The web-based system, called Webtech Plus, is designed to let car dealers get the attention of customers who are behind in payments by turning off the ignition or remotely honking the horn.

On Tuesday night the SXSW Film Festival and Conference announced a bevy of jury and audience selected award winners. We were pleased to see that two of our favorite films of the festival, Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture and Jeff Malmberg's Marwencol (both of which we previewed here and here) were awarded the Narrative Feature Jury Prize and the Documentary Feature Jury Prize, respectively. Expect to see reviews of both films shortly, as they certainly left a mark on our brains. You can read the full list of award winners after the jump and congratulations to all of the winners.

Besides the absolutely outstanding programming this year, there has also been a SXSW Film Festival first: within hours of its World Premiere screening last Saturday night, Monsters, a sci-fi alien infection tale, was picked up by Magnet Releasing. First-time feature director Gareth Edwards' film was part of the SX Fantastic category, which is programmed by Alamo Drafthouse's Tim League. While films have been bought before and after the festival in the past, this was the first time for a film to be snatched up during the festival proper, which possibly changes the landscape of the festival for the future. The great news for us is that there is another screening of Monsters tonight at Midnight at the Alamo South Lamar. Now that many of the gold badges and film badges have left Austin, we are hoping that the general public will have a better chance of getting in to see films, and this is definitely one you don't want to miss.

The 2010 SXSW Film Festival Award Winners:

Feature Film Jury Awards

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Winner: Marwencol
Director: Jeff Malmberg

Runner-up: War Don Don
Director: Rebecca Richman Cohen

NARRATIVE FEATURE

Winner: Tiny Furniture
Director: Lena Dunham

Special Jury Award - Best Ensemble: Myth of the American Sleepover
Director: David Robert Mitchell

Special Jury Award - Best Individual Performance: Brian Hasenfus in Phillip the Fossil
Director: Garth Donovan

Feature Film Audience Awards

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Winner: For Once in My Life
Director: Jim Bigham & Mark Moormann

NARRATIVE FEATURE

Winner: Brotherhood
Director: Will Canon

*Audience Awards for Spotlight Premieres, Emerging Visions, 24 Beats Per Second, Lone Star States, and Midnighters will be announced on Monday, March 22, 2010.

Short Film Jury Awards

NARRATIVE SHORTS

Winner: Cigarette Candy
Director: Lauren Wolkstein

Runner Up: Teleglobal Dreamin'
Director: Eric Flanagan

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Winner: Quadrangle
Director: Amy Grappell

Runner Up: White Lines and The Fever: The Death of DJ Junebug
Director: Travis Senger

ANIMATED SHORTS

Winner: The Orange
Director: Nick Fox-Gieg

Runner Up: One Square Mile of Earth
Director: Jeff Drew

EXPERIMENTAL SHORTS

Winner: Night Mayor
Director: Guy Maddin

Runner Up: Kids Might Fly
Director: Alex Taylor

MUSIC VIDEOS

Winner: Cinnamon Chasers, "Luv Deluxe"
Director: Saman Keshavarz

Runner Up: Grizzly Bear, "Forest"
Director: Allison Schulnik

TEXAS SHORTS

Winner: Petting Sharks
Director: Craig Elrod

Runner Up: The Big Bends
Director: Jason William Marlow

TIME WARNER CABLE & OVATION YOUNG FILMMAKER SCHOLARSHIP for TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORT

Winner: Give the Dog a Bone
Director: Edward Kelley

Runner Up: The Sleep Project
Director: Whitney Bennett & Matthew Cunningham

SXSW Film Design Awards

EXCELLENCE IN POSTER DESIGN

Winner: Feeder
Designer: Joseph Ernst

Runner Up: Amer
Designer: Gilles Vranckx

Audience Award Winner: Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission
Designer: Michael Anderson

Special Jury Award: Equestrian Sexual Response
Designers: Martim Vian & Zeke Hawkins

EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN

Winner: Zombieland
Designer: Ben Conrad

Runner Up: earthwork
Designer: Stan Herd

Audience Award Winner: earthwork
Designer: Stan Herd

Special Jury Award: Enter the Void
Designer: Gaspar Noé and Tom Kam

SXSW Special Awards

SXSW WHOLPHIN AWARD

Winner: Quadrangle
Director: Amy Grappell

SXSW CHICKEN & EGG EMERGENT NARRATIVE WOMAN DIRECTOR AWARD

Winner: Lena Dunham for Tiny Furniture

Special Award - The Chicken & Egg Pictures "We Believe in You" Award: Martha Stephens for Passenger Pigeons

A partygoer trying to get into the Levi's Fader Fort on Monday was denied access, and decided to rob the venue at gunpoint instead.

According to police, after Leandre Darryl Campbell was unable to get into the Fort, the 24-year-old pulled out a semi-automatic handgun from his pants and pointed it at a female employee working in the Levi's pop-up store. Campbell then grabbed two pairs of jeans and fled. Evidently not content with his initial catch, he returned mere moments later to add another pair of jeans to his bounty.

Authorities easily tracked him down as a witness was able to catch his license plate information. Campbell now faces a first-degree felony charge of aggravated robbery.

After the jump: wild speculation.

Some basic Google searching turns up a rather interesting possible backstory for the Monday afternoon incident: LinkedIn shows a "Leandre Campbell" from Houston who runs a marketing outfit called Soul Phunk. The Myspace page of the 24-year-old owner of this company, which he last logged in to on Monday, claims "Cornerstone Promotion" as one of his past employers—Cornerstone being the other half of the company that includes Fader Magazine and the primary folks behind the Fort.

Assuming the two Campbells are one and the same (the odds of this not being the case are pretty slim), Campbell might have been more than just an anonymous guest who failed to crash the Fort—a disgruntled ex-employee perhaps, or someone who was banned from the venue altogether.

SXSW can be a hectic and overwhelming situation for music lovers. There's always a long list of bands you know you want to see, but there's also always a ton of bands that you're intrigued by. Here at Austinist, we've got a few favorites we're excited for, and a handful of under the radar bands that we want to make sure you've got a lead on.

ACTIVE CHILD: Thurs., March 18, Cedar Street 2:40 Pat Grossi is an LA-based musician who goes by the name Active Child. He blends layers of keys, loops and breathtaking beats (listen to "Wilderness") together with his unbelievable voice to create otherworldly tunes. There's something completely magical about his compositions. We're really excited to see how he sounds live, and how he pulls off some of the instrumentation we've heard on record in a live setting. Get more information about this show here.

JULIANNA BARWICK: Thurs., March 18, French Legation Museum 4:30 Brooklyn-based but Louisiana raised, Julianna Barwick makes dreamy electronic pop music that tends to hypnotize her listeners. Known for her exquisite recordings and her unique live show, Barwick is posed to become the new darling of indie rock in 2010. The New York Times said of her show, "Her ethereal multi-tracked harmonies have the devotional quality of gospel choirs, and the oddball allure of Bjork or Yoko Ono." Her latest EP, Florine earned a rave review (and an 8.2) on Pitchfork.

DM STITH: Thurs., March 18, Spiderhouse 3:30 DM Stith's debut album, Heavy Ghost, came out in early 2009. He did some shows at last year's SX, but this year finds him posed for a much wider, and greater, reception. Later this year, he'll release Heavy Ghost Appendices, which we imagine will enlighten his dreamlike, delicate compositions even further. For a songwriter lauded by Entertainment Weekly, Ed Droste and Bat for Lashes, anything seems possible.

BLAIR: Thurs, March 18 at Lamberts, 3:00 p.m. Blair grew up in New Orleans, soaked in NOLA jazz and the eccentricities of one of the world's most fascinating cities. Since then, she's traveled and lived in NY, CA and toured everywhere in between. Her debut EP, Pluto, showcased the sound of a girl highly influenced by the popular indie rock of her formative years. Her latest full length, Die Young, shows her and her band maturing a little and coming into their own. With a slot on Aquarium Drunkard's prestigious day party, we are sure that we'll be hearing more from her very soon.

WARPAINT: Thurs, March 17, 1001 E. 6th Street 3:00 p.m. Warpaint is an LA based experimental rock band consisting of Jenny Lee Lindberg (vocals/bassist), Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (vocals/guitar) and Stella Mozgawa (drums/keyboards). They've been Hollywood darlings for a while (Actress Shannyn Sossamon was the original drummer), but since their CMJ performance last year they've exploded. Their debut LP, Exquisite Corpse, was released on Manimal Vinyl and mixed by John Frusciante. They've signed to Rough Trade. Currently on tour with musical siblings Akron/Family (last year's Gonna Gonna Get Down headliners) the band is definitely one to watch in 2010.

• Germany and Ireland call on Catholic church to hold child sex abuse inquiries
• ‘Sinister’ German Plan Aimed at Hedge Funds, Analysts Say
• 'Jihad Jane' due in federal court in Philadelphia
• Democrats Inch Toward Securing Votes for Health Bill
• SXSW expected to draw $100 million for City of Austin
• NCAA Tournament Preview: Texas vs. Wake Forest
• Study reveals morning-after pill works, but only if you take it

annainaustin/flickrThere are a lot of kinds of parties in the world: birthday parties, toddler bouncy-house parties, work parties.

For South by Southwest Interactive, one of the party-est parties was the Saturday night event, Happy Cog'aoke 2. It was the kind of event where you felt like anything could happen!

Held at the Scoot Inn, this filled-to-capacity event featured serious audience participation. People dressed up and delivered the performance goods!

If you cared about karaoke and you were at SXSWi, it was certainly the place to be.

Here are a few shots that captured the spirit of this entertaining event.

annainaustin/flickr
annainaustin/flickr

Tales from the front lines of SXSWFilm: That movie just let out. Grab an energy drink and one of those ubiquitous Zone® bars, run to the next theater and get back in line for the next screening. It seems like each rapturous moment in front of all these amazing movies is sandwiched between the stress of running to the next one. We don’t know about you, but we’re staying pretty active, and God help us if that energy drink wears off before we can find another. You need a break, but you don’t want your badge to go to waste and miss a good film. We’ve got just the ticket.

As the music portion of SXSW starts to warm up, why not catch some live music and watch a killer film? At the same time! Come catch the second screening of All My Friends Are Funeral Singers and listen to the soundtrack played live by writer/director Tim Rutili and his indy-folk-pop-electronic band Califone. This quirky film about a lonely fortune teller living in a big haunted house with some reasonably benevolent ghosts promises to have an interesting blend of humor and drama that will soothe and invigorate you.

If you’re not familiar with Califone’s music, we seriously suggest you download a couple of free songs from the soundtrack (available after the jump); once you realize how awesome their music is, watch the trailer (also after the jump); we think that’s all the convincing you'll need. This show will provide just the pick-me-up you need—no energy drink required.

Watch the trailer, get screening info, and get free downloads from the soundtrack after the jump.

All My Friends Are Funeral Singers has one more screening Friday, March 19 at 12:00 PM at the Alamo Ritz 1. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

laughingsquid/flickr

It looks like the City of Austin might lose their claim on the downtown block which houses the Austin Convention Center parking garage as well as a water chiller built for Austin Energy. In an ironic twist, Austin may have to return the block back to its original owner, Harry Whittington (why yes, that's the hunting buddy accidentally shot by former VP Cheney a few years back), after the city acquired the property in 2001 through eminent domain.

Eminent domain can be a divisive issue, and this matter has been no exception. The city and Whittington have been arguing the issue in court for years. A jury ruled in Whittington's favor in 2007, and in mid February, Austin lost an appeal of that ruling.

Although the city lost, it seems they are quite eager for the legal battle to be over. Anne Morgan, chief of litigation for the City of Austin, told News 8: "We would love to work something out with Mr. Whittington. At this point the litigation has gone on forever. I certainly can't speak for the council members, but I know that the city as a whole would like to have this behind us."

The city has filed a motion of rehearing at the Third Court of Appeals and a decision is expected soon.

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• GOP blasts Democrats' tactic for health-care bill
• Attorney general says bin Laden would be killed rather than captured
• Irish celebrate St. Patrick's Day at home and abroad
• Jogger killed by plane making emergency landing
• Tiger Woods plans to return to golf at next month's Masters
• Several downtown streets to be closed for SXSW music fest

Neil Marshall Presents: Centurion
Wednesday March 17, Midnight
Alamo Lamar 1 (1120 South Lamar)
[info]Probably the festival’s worst-kept secret, Monday’s midnight screening of Centurion was jam-packed despite the rain (after all, the screening was billed as “Neil Marshall Presents Secret Screening”, and it’s too early for Burst 3D just yet). If you’re a horror fan, you probably know Marshall best as Director of the utterly brilliant The Descent, or the cult hit Dog Soldiers. And despite the lukewarm response to his 2008 action flick Doomsday, anticipation has been building for Centurion since this trailer hit the web in early February. So it was elbow-to-elbow as we filed in to watch what would be the world premiere of the quasi-sword-and-sandals flick.

Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds, 300) and Dominic West (The Wire) star as Roman soldiers trapped behind enemy lines after a brutal ambush decimates their legion. Hunted by the relentless Picts—led by a vicious warrior princess named Etain (Olga Kurylenko)—the small band of Romans must fight their way to freedom across an unforgiving Scottish landscape. And along the way (of course), they struggle to keep their friendship and honor intact.

In a lot of ways, Centurion is exactly what we expected it to be—which is to say, good. Full of cursing, fighting and gory kill-shots, it’s a gloriously violent action flick with just the right mix of historical interest, macho posturing and flaming arrows. But unlike, say, 300, Centurion is almost completely devoid of stylized CGI or glossy effects. The characters are at the forefront here, and the story is just as important as the battle scenes (it’s probably going too far to call it a purposeful allegory, but connections to any number of modern wars are easy to see, if you’re into that).

Sometimes the dialog is goofy, and sometimes the story feels rushed, but Fassbender and Kurylenko do well in their respective roles, and Marshall applies his organic visual approach to nearly every scene, from sweeping landscape shots to tightly cut battle sequences.

Centurion isn’t a genre classic on par with The Descent , but it’s a total blast and we enjoyed the hell out of it. You’ll get one more chance to see it tonight as it returns to the Alamo South Lamar for a second Midnight screening.

Before you get out there and stuff your face with free BBQ and breakfast tacos, consider arming yourself with our new iPhone app, now available for download on iTunes.

[Link to App Store]

A little Mild Realistic Violence never hurt anymore.

SXSWist

This launch version includes a special section devoted to all things SXSW, much like our SXSWist Microsite. To view it, click the "About" menu item, then the "Switch" button on the top right.

Here, you can access a mobile version of our Interactive Party Guide, which shows the 400+ day shows and afterparties that we're tracking in our database. View them by day, and easily check out who's playing, where the party is (including a "Map It" option), and surf to any related websites that they may have created.

The SXSWist section also includes our @SXSWist twitter feed, festival posts, and a photo album from this year's fest plus years past.

BUGS

No doubt there are a few, but we'll get these worked out as long as you keep letting us know about 'em. We've spotted some already, such as the errant "special feature" where the bottom menu disappears after you've switched back and forth between the Standard and SXSW views a few times. For now, please just pretend it's an easter egg.

VERSION 1.1

The latest version of the Austinist app corrects a bug that occasionally prevented the complete description for a party to show up, and splits the Parties guide by date for better readability. You can also now view our Flickr slideshows in full.

If there's something else that you'd love to see, just let us know.

THANK YOUS

A special thanks goes out to Gothamist chief tech guru and future Austinite Neil Epstein, who labored for days without sleep or the aide of pharmaceuticals to make this app come to life! Our interactive guide was also made possible by our very own Adi Anand, a gaggle of staffers, and two enterprising strangers from India whom we enlisted via the Mechanical Turk.

SXSW can be a hectic and overwhelming situation for music lovers. There's always a long list of bands you know you want to see, but there's also always a ton of bands that you're intrigued by. Here at Austinist, we've got a few favorites we're excited for, and a handful of under the radar bands that we want to make sure you've got a lead on.

PHANTOGRAM: Wed., March 17 at the Mohawk, 5 p.m. Phantogram is a Saratoga Springs-based duo: guitarist Josh Carter and keyboardist Sarah Barthel. Their psychedelic synth pop has earned them opening spots with bands like Minus The Bear, Zero 7, Ra Ra Riot, Yeasayer, Brazilian Girls and The Slip. In 2009, they signed to Barsuk, and their latest release, Eyelid Movies, is a pop gem, and a reflection of their time spent in a rural NY barn they call Harmony Lodge writing and recording. Their unique approach to beat making and melodic pop make them a perfect indoor headliner, so don't miss out on their set.

INLETS: Wed., March 17 at Red 7, noon Inlets is Sebastian Krueger, a former choir member and "unfocused student of many instruments." His music blends baroque pop and the darker corners of indie rock with a warm, lo-fi personality. His first release, The Vestibule, came out last Thanksgiving and offered 8 incredible songs as a free download. The new release, Inter Arbiter is a lot like its previous partner, but includes flourishes of strings and a sharper focus that we find intoxicating. Pitchfork recently featured the video for "Bright Orange Air [Twosyllable]", a haunting acoustic number that we've had on repeat. Don't miss this rising star at SXSW. Get more details on the party here.

BODY LANGUAGE: Wed., March 17 at The Hype Machine House (VICE) Body Language are another wildly talented Brooklyn-based group that for some odd reason remains unsigned. The group has been around since 2008, playing music that is influenced by everyone from the Beach Boys to St. Vincent. They've swapped remixes with Toro y Moi and will tour with Zero 7 in 2010.

JAPANDROIDS, Wed., March 17 Emo's, 2:25 Japandroids' first full-length, Post-Nothing, earned a rave review from Pitchfork and started everyone talking about the duo. Since last year, however, we've seen glimpses of what this explosive power duo are capable of, not the least of which was the exhilarating single, "Art Czars" -- a powerful retro-punk anthem full of hooks and dives. Though the band has been on the buzz radar for a while, we have a feeling that new material showcased at this year's SXSW will propel these dudes into a whole new stratosphere. Get more information about the party here.

GIVERS, Wed., March 17 Galaxy Room Louisiana-based Givers offer addictive melodies garnished with sugary sweet vocal harmonies and slew of whimsical instrumentation is the Givers’ forte. Pulsating beats, chiming bleeps, and irresistible rhythms keep those toes tapping throughout, and the nifty compositions are delivered with enough unbridled enthusiasm to trigger an uncontainable urge to dance the night away. It’s all quite captivating. Watch the video for "Saw You First". RSVP here. -Adi Anand

Steve HopsonThe online service Spotify has energized music lovers in Europe with its ease of use and streaming of millions of songs to anyone with an Web connection. Spotify's 27-year-old CEO, Daniel Ek, didn't give specifics as to when the service might come to the United States during his keynote interview Tuesday at South by Southwest Interactive, but even a brief demo made clear that Spotify could have a huge impact when it does arrive.

Ek was interviewed by Wired's Eliot Van Buskirk and said that "we want to make music like water": available to anyone who wants it.

Spotify is up to 320,000 paid subscribers in six countries in Europe, Ek said, and that includes 100 million playlists and seven million total users. The service begins with a brief download that lives on your computer or mobile phone, and the songs are streamed on demand. There is an ad-supported version or an ad-free premium model.

So when will we get to see it? “We are seeing a lot of support. We want to get all of our ducks in a row to make maximum impact” before a full US launch, Ek said.

SXSW staple Bruce Sterling brought the last panel of the day to a rousing close with his annual talk, name-checking everyone from Socrates and Mark Twain. "The future is a process;" Sterling told the final-day crowd. "It's not a destination."

www.sxsw.comThe late Samuel Mockbee was an architect, a teacher and someone who defied boundaries. He was the force behind Auburn University’s Rural Studio, a design program that aims to both educate students and improve an impoverished Alabama community. This desigh/build movement serves as the subject of Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio, a SXSW Documentary Feature and world premiere.

Filmmaker Sam Wainwright Douglas addresses the controversial topic of charity architecture through numerous interviews with Mockbee and other notable architects. Viewing this documentary illustrates the disconnect that so often exists between what is taught in schools and what is needed in the real world, and it highlights the fact that there’s more to buildings than their aesthetics. Issues of poverty, class, education and social interaction are all touched upon, making this an engaging and informative exploration of community involvement and civic responsibility.

This hour long film will also be shown on PBS this summer and is being co-sponsored by the Austin Film Society. At SXSW, Citizen Architect will play alongside another short documentary called Robin Hood Gardens (Or Every Brutalist Structure for Itself) - a British project about an endangered London neighborhood.

See Citizen Architect on Wednesday at 7:45 p.m. at the Alamo Ritz or on Saturday at 10 p.m. at the same theatre. View the entire SXSW film schedule here.

Poster by Public School Austinist Presents Gonna Gonna Get Down
Wed., March 17
The Mohawk (912 Red River)
Free, 21+
[info]Austinist is proud to announce our 5th annual day party during SXSW, happening March 17 at the Mohawk on Red River St. in Austin, Texas. This year's event is our best yet, and we're so proud to announce the lineup, featuring: White Denim, Besnard Lakes, Washed Out, Small Black, Royal Bangs, Toro y Moi, Phantogram, Warpaint, Julianna Barwick, Yukon Blonde, First Aid Kit, Body Language, Anni Rossi, MyNameisJohnMichael, All Get Out, and Dan Black. The party is free and 21+. You don't need to RSVP anywhere to get in, but you can RSVP at Facebook for a chance to win a spot on our VIP guest list. We're informing our contest winners tonight, so there's still time to enter!

The show will be between both the indoor and outdoor stages, and we'll have plenty of surprises for you on-site as well. Admission is free, and things get underway at 11am with a special performance by Neon Noodle, the winners of this year's FOX-7 My Teen Rocks Fox competition. Yes, that's early, but hey, it's the first day of SXSW music and you should be ready to roll. We'll see you there.

In the meantime, learn a bit more about our lineup:

White Denim 5:10 p.m. Outside

It's hard to think of a local band that's a better match for our party than White Denim. We've long been fans of the trio's psych-tinged rock'n'roll compositions, and we've followed them since their first single. Now they're signed to Downtown, have toured the world several times over, and have matured into one of the most exciting bands around. We're certainly proud to say they're from our city, and even prouder to have them headlining our event. [White Denim at Hypemachine]

The Besnard Lakes 4:20 p.m. Outside

Montreal's The Besnard Lakes were formed by married duo Jace Lasek and Olga Goreas. The group has expanded since then, and their expansive, dynamic sound reflects that growth. Their second album, The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse, was recorded with guest appearances from Stars, The Dears and Godspeed You! Black Emperor/Silver Mt. Zion. It was nominated for a Polaris music prize in 2007. This year's release, The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night comes out March 9 on Jagjaguwar. [The Besnard Lakes at Hypemachine]

Washed Out 3:40 p.m. Outside

Washed Out is Georgian Ernest Greene, a talented young man who makes warm bedroom synth-pop and typically stays away from the stage. His debut EP, Life of Leisure first got the attention of music fans everywhere. He's been making music as Washed Out for less than a year, and worked on the songs we've heard in a small studio he built in his parent's house in rural Georgia. Since then, he's gotten married and grown his musical endeavors quite a bit. Despite previous statements saying he wouldn't tour, he will be at SX and we're happy to have him on the bill.

Phantogram 4:45 p.m. Inside

Phantogram is a Saratoga Springs-based duo: guitarist Josh Carter and keyboardist Sarah Barthel. Their psychedelic synth pop has earned them opening spots with bands like Minus The Bear, Zero 7, Ra Ra Riot, Yeasayer, Brazilian Girls and The Slip. In 2009, they signed to Barsuk, and their latest release, Eyelid Movies, is a pop gem, and a reflection of their time spent in a rural NY barn they call Harmony Lodge writing and recording. Their unique approach to beat making and melodic pop make them a perfect indoor headliner, so don't miss out on their set. [Phantogram at Hypemachine]

Small Black 2:55 p.m. Outside

The core of Small Black is Josh Kolenik and Ryan Heyner, joined by Juan Pieczanski and Jeff Curtin for live shows. The young New York City-based group makes bedroom pop that blends heavily processed sounds with light, Casio-rich overtones. The hit from their EP, "Despicable Dogs" earned an 8 from Pitchfork's track review, and the Washed Out remix is just as good. They've recently signed to Jagjaguwar, who will reissue the self-titled EP as well as release their upcoming full-length later in 2010. [Small Black at Hypemachine]

Toro y Moi 1:15 p.m. Inside

Toro y Moi is Chazwick Bundick, a graphic design student from South Carolina with a penchant for blissed-out bedroom pop. Though the project began as a bedroom hobby, it grew into a full blown project, including an incredible live show. The music blends Bundick's admiration for his parents' vinyl collection, his fondness for current acts like Animal Collective and Sonic Youth, and the experimentalism he's become known for in the studio. In January, Car Park Records released his debut LP, Causers of This. [Toro y Moi at Hypemachine]

Royal Bangs 3:45 p.m. Inside

Knoxville quintet Royal Bangs have been together since 2005. Their debut LP, We Breed Champions, came out in 2008 and was released on Audio Eagle, an independent record label founded and run by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys. Their music has been described as "belting garage rock, quirky indie rock and bamboozling electronica, all served up in one smart and super-confident package, rather like a chirpier, younger, less navel-gazing Radiohead." (via) Their latest effort, Let It Beep, is an equally challenging and rewarding rock'n'roll record. We look forward to their loud and raucous show. [Royal Bangs at Hypemachine]

First Aid Kit 3:45 Greenroom

The sister duo of Johanna & Klara Söderberg (ages 18 and 15) have been making a name for themselves in their native Sweden for a while, and we're glad to see them finally coming over to the U.S. for some SXSW dates. They first caught our eye last year with their moving rendition of the Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song", a YouTube sensation and excellent introduction to the girls' wild talents. Their soft folk vibes, paired with their angelic vocal harmonies make them an irresistible duo. They released their EP Drunken Trees on The Knife's homegrown label, Rabid Records and their full length debut, The Big Black & The Blue is out now. Check them out now, and stay tuned for chances to win a spot in our VIP green room to see them live at the day party. First Aid Kit at Hypemachine

Warpaint 2:00 p.m. Inside

Warpaint is an LA based experimental rock band consisting of Jenny Lee Lindberg (vocals/bassist), Emily Kokal (vocals/guitar), Theresa Wayman (vocals/guitar) and Stella Mozgawa (drums/keyboards). They've been Hollywood darlings for a while (Actress Shannyn Sossamon was the original drummer), but since their CMJ performance last year they've exploded. Their debut LP, Exquisite Corpse, was released on Manimal Vinyl and mixed by John Frusciante. They've signed to Rough Trade. Currently on tour with musical siblings Akron/Family (last year's Gonna Gonna Get Down headliners) the band is definitely one to watch in 2010. [Warpaint at Hypemachine]

Body Language 2:45 p.m. Inside

Body Language are another wildly talented Brooklyn-based group that for some odd reason remains unsigned. The group has been around since 2008, playing music that is influenced by everyone from the Beach Boys to St. Vincent. They've swapped remixes with Toro y Moi and will tour with Zero 7 in 2010. We're really excited to have them on the bill! [Body Language at Hypemachine]

Julianna Barwick 11:45 a.m. Inside

Brooklyn-based but Louisiana raised, Julianna Barwick makes dreamy electronic pop music that tends to hypnotize her listeners. Known for her exquisite recordings and her unique live show, Barwick is posed to become the new darling of indie rock in 2010. The New York Times said of her show, "Her ethereal multi-tracked harmonies have the devotional quality of gospel choirs, and the oddball allure of Bjork or Yoko Ono." Her latest EP, Florine earned a rave review (and an 8.2) on Pitchfork. [Julianna Barwick at Hypemachine]

Yukon Blonde 12:40 p.m. Outside

Yukon Blonde is a name you might not have heard of - yet. Yukon Blonde is Jeff Innes, Brandon Scott, Adam Newton, and Graham Jones make up this group, performing gentle folk tunes in the vein of Fleetwood Mac and Crosy, Stills and Nash (oh, and Fleet Foxes). These Canadian gents have opened for the likes of Ladyhawk, The Constantines, Jon-Rae Fletcher, Magnolia Electric Co, Black Mountain, and Women, but we predict bigger things for them very soon. Their debut full-length, out now on Nevado Records, is a beautiful collection of dreamy harmony, melodic ecstasy and layered perfection. Their live show will undoubtedly be something to behold. [Yukon Blonde at Hypemachine]

Dan Black 2:10 p.m. Outside

UK electro-pop artist Dan Black is a special gem in the pop landscape. A former member of The Servant, Black is also known as a sometimes vocalist for Italian group Planet Funk. If you've heard his stuff, you're familiar with his breakout hit "HYPNTZ", a mashup of Notorious B.I.G.'s "Hypnotize" and Rihanna's "Umbrella". His latest full-length, UN, was released February 16, 2010. The lead single, "Symphonies", was iTunes single of the week. [Dan Black at Hypemachine]

MyNameisJohnMichael 1:25 p.m. Outside

In 2007, New Orleanian John Michael Rouchell decided that in 2008, he was going to write and record one song per week under the moniker MyNameIsJohnMichael. It didn't take long for the solo project to balloon into a group effort. The show is now a six-man affair, featuring songs from Rouchell's solo days as well as new songs composed with the group. The band was nominated for a Big Easy award in 2009. Though they're unsigned for the moment, we predict that will change very soon. [MyNameisJohnMichael at Hypemachine]

Anni Rossi 12:30 p.m. Inside

She's in Chicago now, but she grew up in Minnesota, and at the ripe young age of 23, Rossi is one of the most versatile and interesting performers in indie music today. After signing to 4AD in 2008, she went into Steve Albini's Electrical Audio to record Rockwell. Her live set prominently features the viola, with drums and cello accents at times. She's toured with the Ting Tings, Camera Obscura and Headlights, and she was recently chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival he is curating in May 2010 in Minehead, England. [Anni Rossi at Hypemachine]

All Get Out Noon Outside

South Carolina natives All Get Out are a very young band, one that we're happy to be supporting so early in the game. They've got a full-length in the works for 2010 and a stellar Daytrotter session under their belts so far. We have no doubt their set at our day party will spark interest from many, so be sure to arrive early!

Katie Aselton, director of The Freebie © Jeff Vespa/WireImagePossibly the most pleasant surprise of SXSW Film thus far is Katie Aselton's The Freebie. Darren (Dax Shepard, in a truly brilliant performance) and Annie (Aselton) have been married for a couple of years and have reached a point of stagnation, so to spice up the relationship they decide to have one night where they step outside of their marriage and into the arms of someone else. Of course, this is a terrible idea, and takes a situation that merely was not working and turns it into an emotional blitzkrieg. It is raw and powerful and real and one of our favorite movies at this year's fest.

We had the chance to sit down with Aselton on Sunday to discuss the film, her work on the FX show The League, and hiring yourself when no one else will.

First off...

I'm so excited right now.

We're so excited. We've been pretty excited all day to talk to you. We really love the movie.

Thanks.

We're sure there are a lot of people who love you.

I think there is lot of people that love my husband (fellow director, Mark Duplass), I think there are a couple of people that love me, and there are a couple of people that are like, "Why she is always standing next to him?" There was a girl the opening night party who goes, "Oh my god! He is so awesome. Have so much fun with him." And I was like, thanks. I pledge to you, I will, for as long as we both shall live. Isn't that bizarre?!

That's really bizarre.

I said to Mark, "I think she'd like to sleep with you." Seriously, she just kept saying, "Have so much fun with him. You are such a lucky gal to go out with him tonight. "

We already love you.

I love you.

We're so amused by those types of conversations.

Do your research gals, do your research.

So anyway, loved the film. We suppose we should actually interview you as opposed to just spending the next 20 minutes telling me how great you and your movie are.

You can do that. And that will be one of the better interviews ever, actually. I love you.

You are funny. This is going to be the girliest interview ever.

You are pretty.

Ha! So, we feel like people talk about this all the time, as far as the plot of the film goes, couples and who their celebrity "freebie" get-out-of-jail-free card would be.

Which is very dangerous when you live in Los Angeles, you shouldn’t do that. We have the opportunity all the time. I run into George Clooney all the time.

All the time?

No, I don’t. I always say when Mark leaves me, that is who I am going to marry, just so that he knows.

But, we feel like people are familiar with the idea of The Freebie.

Yes

But, where did the idea for the film come from and why did you think it was needed to be made?

It needed to be made because I needed a job. But the idea came from me and a really good friend of mine sort of complaining about our relationships where nothing was really that wrong. We realized that we were just sort of nostalgic for the good ole days of being single and having that hook up and then giving a fake phone number afterward because you never have to see them again. You don’t have to follow through him. You can have that fun of a first kiss. You get so many beautiful things out of marriage, but you do lose that feeling. That is the one thing I feel like you give up, that feeling of a first kiss.

And we would never ever compromise what we have now to get that back but we miss it and wouldn’t it be so awesome if you could have both and you could be with someone where that was fine where you could explore the possibilities? But that would never really work. And I was like, ding! Here’s my movie. The ding happened after months of me wanting to work. I need to...I want to work on something that I love. I want to do something the way I love to do it. And I wasn’t getting those opportunities, so I just made it happen for myself.

But now you are in The League!

I know. And it also happened to me at the same time. Do you watch the show?

Of course we do.

We met Jackie (Marcus Schaffer) and Jeff (Schaffer), the show runners, in November and totally fell in love with each other all mutually. The show was set up somewhere else than FX—it was set up at HBO at the time. And then it fell out of HBO and went into purgatory somewhere and we sort of thought it was just, you know, gone, so I went off and I made The Freebie. And then the next thing I know, they call us up. They are like, it's at FX, the network needs to see you. And so we we did like this sort of pseudo studio test—I have tested for pilots before where it is this massively stressful thing, but this was more of like a chemistry test between the whole cast. And the next thing we know we have pilot! Oh my god! This show got picked up! Oh my god! We got renewed for another season! Now I get to do what I love to do, the way I like to do it.

When we first saw a commercial for The League, we did a double take and were like, wait....is that Mark Duplass? What the hell is going on?!

It is bizarre and it is bizarre for us on both sides. The people that know us like from the indie world, they are like, what they are doing? And then there’s people that only know us from The League and then they see us together and it totally blows their minds, blows their mind that Pete would be with Jenny. They can’t handle it.

There was awhile where we would go to film festivals and people would ask Mark, "Why wasn’t Katie in Baghead?" And Mark would say, "Because they are other actors out there in the world. She doesn’t have to be in everything." So in the indie world, we have to do everything together all the time. But now our movies are playing at the same festivals! I am going to the Boston International Film Festival and I think that is going to be my first film festival without Mark. I don't know what to do. [Laughs] It's terrifying! But yes, in one world we're connected and are inseparable and in another world we don't belong together.

Ok. So back on track, back to film.

Sorry!

No, we did that to ourselves and we're happy to hear about what's going on with The League, frankly.

This is what I do; I have hard time staying on task.

Back to the idea of The Freebie and it not actually being possible. Have you experienced anyone coming up to you and saying, "I did this. That story is my story?"

Well, kind of. The story that I will tell is that there is someone else who is connected with the movie who has had this experience of being in an open relationship, which is really interesting, so we had that experience to draw from. It wasn't me. I will say that, but someone who is very influential in the making of the movie had an open relationship for ages and that was really interesting and is little different than having a freebie.

We premiered at Sundance. After the premier it's crazy, everyone sort of raids the front to talk to you, but there was one girl who was sort of like lurking and she was sort of just in my eye line—I was hugging people and saying thank you thank you, thank you— and she was still there. She was young like 24, or 25, and she stayed in until the very end and she said, "I just had to introduce myself because I just have the most bizarre experience, in that you just told my story. My husband and I got married and six months in we decided to do this and we set it up just like you did. The only thing we did different is that we gave him a three day period because he had the same issue of not thinking he would be able to close the deal; it's so much easier for girls."
There's no reason you can't make these movies yourself. If you have an original idea, go out there and make it; it's too easy, and it's too cheap and if you're at film festivals you know everyone that can do things well,
so use what you have at your fingertips and flippin' make something and stop bitching and moaning, and expecting the world to come to you, which is what I was doing for quite some time.But she said at the very, very last second they decided not to do it, but they had it completely set up and I was like, oh my god, this is so personal, I don't even know you, that's crazy, don't do it.

Well, the film feels so real, and it's so affecting we feel like we could see that happening; we could see people coming up to you and saying, you just told my story. They might have had a different experience or whatever but still....

It was really wild because for me, my biggest fear making it was that it was too surreal, too out there, what couple would really do this? But I think if you're keeping it human as it goes along...people make stupid decisions all the time. I do it all the time. They are constantly messing up, with the best intentions and Annie and Darren have the best intentions when they go into this, they are doing it because they love each other and they convince themselves and it’s a weird head game and they get so far that they don't want to disappoint the other one, because the other one is into it and so they don't want to pull out because they want to be supportive of their spouse's needs you know, which is so sad really.

I watch it now and there are so many points where I think that's the moment where they should have said NO… that is it. You know, but it changes, there are so many moments where I want them to just slam on the brakes and stop.

That's actually a really good point because we were thinking about it yesterday and when the credits rolled and we were so tense from watching it...

That’s what my sister-in-law said because she has seen a number of the cuts but she hasn't seen the final one, and she was like, "I'm so tense. I’m sweating. I’m so stressed out right now!"

The only other movie I can think that made me feel that way was The Hurt Locker .

Oh god, that movie broke my heart.

Every single muscle in my body was tensed up, and I feel like, this film, strangely enough...

[Laughing] You are definitely the first person that is comparing The Freebie to The Hurt Locker, aside from having a female director.

[Laughing] I’m going to be the first one, but because, in a way they are going through their lives and it is like the relationship Hurt Locker, they are coming upon these emotional bombs....

[Laughing] Can I put that on my poster?!

[Laughing] You can if you want.

"The Relationship Hurt Locker."

But, you know, they are coming to these emotional bombs and they are trying to defuse them without hurting each other's feelings.

Dax (Shepard) has a really good point about this: he is always saying that when you are addressing sexual issues in a relationship, that's like the hardest possible mountain to climb because there is so much ego involved and no one ever wants to admit that they are not connected sexually. You can say you aren't connecting emotionally because those are things that are less tactile, but sexually, you are really like killing someone when you are saying there is something missing.

I heard something about the script and I know you worked off the six page synopsis. Did you rehearse at all?

No. Dax—and we're not saying this just because it sounds cool to say—literally came on to the project 12 hours before shooting, including a night of sleep. He came on at 10:30 pm and at 10:45 am the next day he came over for wardrobe, and then we started shooting that afternoon. And I'm pretty sure he signed on without even reading the outline; he had no idea what he was getting into. So no, we didn't rehearse. We just have good chemistry together, we just get along, we really like each other and it's easy to work with people like that. The guy who was before him was not as easy to work with. It was harder.

Well we're really glad that you found someone that you have that chemistry with because it was totally believable.

But it's interesting when you talk about rehearsals, because we could've done two months of rehearsals and created a whole back-story for our couple, like where we met, what we've done and where things started to go wrong, but it was the second that we started shooting it was like, boom, Annie and Darren have mad love for each other, with flaws. I fell madly in love with Dax for eleven days, and then we broke up.

[Laughing] Did you have to mourn the death of your fake relationship?

Yeah, it was so weird the last couple of days when we got into the sad stuff. It was so hard. Dax and I were so sad, because we had the happy montage in the beginning of the film and that was our favorite day of shooting because it was just all this fun, couple-y stuff to do, and then at the end we had to shoot the sad montage stuff and it just sucked. Nat Sanders, the editor, was going through the footage and said, "Katie, you have no sad montage stuff," and I said, "What? No.. we didn't like to shoot it." We weren't enjoying shooting it, so we just shot some more fun montage stuff. He asked why there was fun montage stuff and I said because we were just getting too sad. We couldn't do it, it was so hard. The last day in particular, with the big fight—because we shot it all chronologically—was so sad. It was the fastest, most intense relationship, and then it was over.

Was there ever any variation on the big blow-up kitchen scene, where you discussed what had happened the night that you took your freebie?

Yes, there is a cut that exists on someone's computer that has what actually happened inter-cut into the conversation. It was when everything was much less linear than it is now and it was a lot of flopping back and forth in the story and in the kitchen scene we cut to what actually happens that night, to what each of them did. Talk about defusing, we found that that sort of took all the air out of that scene because you need to stay with them, and when you take them out of it you just get angry at them.

Well you say linear, but the movie is very non-linear...

It was much less linear than it is now, there was a whole lot of flopping back and forth.

Since everything was improvised, what was the editing process like?

Well, we shot everything chronologically, so while the outline, and my intention for the movie was to be non-linear, we shot it all in time order. The editing process was a flippin' miracle. I have no idea how Nat made heads or tails of anything we did, he's a genius. I think what really helped is that Nat, and Ben Kasulke, my DP, and my producer all knew the story that we wanted to tell, and we all wanted to tell the same story. It wasn't as if we came to this with conflicting ideas—which would have been hard because we didn't have a script. But we had an outline, and we knew it backwards and forwards, and we knew what the life of this movie was. We were all, somehow, on the same page.

Nat wanted to tell the same story I wanted to tell, so he could see through this mass of footage to where the story was. We ran these crazy long takes, so that we could get these natural moments. So you have a 40 minute long take, and the first five or ten minutes you're dealing with people who know that the cameras are right there, but at minute eight or twelve the actors forget the cameras are there and they get into the scene. And then, you're into the scene and you're working out the kinks. And then, you know, at minute 25, that's where it's like, you get a totally natural performance and they found their zone, they're in there, no one's yelling cut because I'm the director and I'm in the scene. I'll stop the scene when I damn well please. You get to get into it and find that really natural space where it's easy and comfortable and that's whats really cool. But Nat can see that in the footage, you know, and this is what Nat does, like Nat did Hump Day and he did Medicine for Melancholy, so he's very comfortable in this world. He also did a lot of reality TV. So he's comfortable with tens of hours of footage, and working with that and finding the magic moments in there and scanning through all of the hours that are bullshit.

Yeah, it all seems so natural and we know that you had said during the Q&A that there were 30 minute takes. And we just wondered to ourselves if you guys would forget that the cameras were there.

Yeah, but you need the right actors in the scene to do that, you know what I mean? You can only forget if you truly engage with the person across from you, because if the person across from you isn't engaging you're like, "What the fuck am I doing? Why am I saying all these words?" Dax is so good, he's so good. You can be in a scene with him and he's got these eyes, and their like this big and you just fall right into them. And you're like, "Uh huh, we're married. I love you."

Katie Aselton and Dax Shepard plot out a very bad idea in The FreebieWe can see that happening.

But, and it's not just cause he's cute; he gives you, and he's so open and vulnerable and lovely and cute.

He has very soulful eyes.

He does have very soulful eyes. So that was really awesome to work with because, you know, you work with actors who aren't like that sometimes. And even Steve Rannazzisi, my husband on The League, is like that, it's so easy to believe that he's my husband because you just can get in that place and you're like "I love you, I'll marry you." I've worked too many times with people where you're just like, "I'm just gonna say the words and smile," you know. But we we're lucky, I don't know what the question was so I don't know if I should wrap up this answer. Yes. I'm horrible at ending answers.

No, it's fine, we actually can't remember what we asked either, but... Regarding some of what we talked about, as far as getting the right actors, had you always intended to be the lead?

Yeah, I did, I sculpted this project for me to act in something. Acting is what I love and what I really, really love to do and directing was something that I just sort of ended up having to do so I could get a job because I was the only person who would hire me. Now I'm excited because I think I can do two things, which is awesome. And I'm excited to direct something else, and I'm excited to act in a whole lot more other things.

So what is next?

Well, season 2 of The League is coming up. Are you gonna be here on Tuesday night? Come to Emos Tuesday night. I think it's at 9 o' clock on Tuesday night, they're doing a big stand-up thing with the whole cast, except for Mark, who has to go back and work. So you should totally come. So I've got that.

I was really hoping to get an acting job this spring, but I don't think it's gonna work out. And then, maybe find a project to either act in or direct in the fall, after we finish shooting. I don't know, the world is my oyster! What's it gonna be?

It's totally opened up to you.

I know, and to think there was a time where I had to make movies for myself to act in.

Well, we think that's a good lesson, you know, if you can't get hired then...

Well, that's the Jay and Mark Duplass mentality: there's no reason you can't make these movies yourself. If you have an original idea, go out there and make it, it's too easy, and it's too cheap and if you're at film festivals you know everyone that can do things well, so use what you have at your fingertips and flippin' make something and stop bitching and moaning, and expecting the world to come to you, which is what I was doing for quite some time. And then you're here, at South by Southwest sitting at the Radisson and drinking an iced chai.

And having people tell you that your movie is lovely and wonderful. And It really is.

We're giving away a pair of tickets to Saturday's third annual Perez Hilton "One Night in Austin" party, featuring Snoop Dogg, Alphabeat, Marina & The Diamonds and more. Details about how to participate are over at our @SXSWist twitter account

This giveaway ends at 4pm on Tuesday, March 16th.