Jay Oliver Yip's SXSW Reflections

A Creative Adventure Full of Inspiration, Innovation... and Bats?

Ah, SXSW — a buzzing, chaotic mix of music, tech, film, and creative minds coming together to stir up some serious magic…

It all started at 18:11 local time as I stood in line at Austin-Bergstrom airport, passport in hand, when my phone lit up with a roaming data notification. A rookie mistake, but after a quick purchase and clearing immigration, I was ready to dive into everything Austin had to offer.

Walking out into the blustery Texas winds, I heard what I decided were the infamous Austin bats (though they might have been angry birds). Despite a 10-hour flight, adrenaline kicked in. Skipping the motel entirely, I headed straight to the British Underground welcome party at UK House—why not dive in headfirst?

The next day, the real festival magic began with the XR Experience—an exploration of immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). A few people encouraged me to check out other areas of the festival, but my heart was set on XR—it’s what we came for through the B3 Media and British Underground opportunity. I ended up tossing out my schedule and immersing myself in as many XR installations as possible (until dizziness took over and my eyes felt like they would fall out).

Currents by Jake Oleson was my personal favorite—a 180° film viewed through the Apple Vision Pro that completely blew me away. The film solidified my desire to create a 180° proof-of-concept for my own XR project, Complete Myself / Them Daze. The way Oleson used camera angles and movement to immerse viewers in the protagonist's journey reminded me of what I can bring to the XR space.

Proof As If Proof Were Needed by Blast Theory in collaboration with Ting-Tong Chang, a Taiwanese multidisciplinary artist, took audience participation to another level. Five participants entered a space with a house outline drawn on the floor. Depending on where we stood, the film would react, showing parts of the story relevant to that location. It was fascinating to watch how the audience shifted both physically and emotionally as the story unfolded. The slightly clunky onboarding made me realize how crucial that first interaction is—it’s about engaging audiences from the first second to the last.

Just For You Trilogy by director Craig Quintero left me feeling unsettled—it was voyeuristic, with intricate set design doing most of the work. A conversation with Quintero afterward provided valuable insights into blending analog with digital storytelling techniques.

Instead of waiting for Michelle Obama’s keynote, I seized the opportunity to explore other creative spaces. I found myself at the Alamo Cinema, where I watched I Really Love My Husband, an anti-romcom written and directed by Sasha Gordon. The post-screening Q&A with Gordon provided a key takeaway: “Greenlight your own projects!”—exactly what I needed to hear. I also caught Slanted, a body-horror comedy by director Amy Wang, which was equally inspiring.

The music scene was incredible too. Every night, we discovered jaw-dropping South Asian talent merging traditional sounds with modern beats from London, New York, and LA—a masterclass in musical fusion.

By the end of the week, I was buzzing with inspiration. Every talk, film, and XR experience shaped the direction I wish to take my own work. SXSW wasn’t just a festival; it was a creative rollercoaster that pushed me to dream bigger and bolder. I’m grateful to B3 Media and British Underground for this life-changing opportunity that has transformed how I approach my creative practice.