SXSW SignSouth by Southwest (SXSW) has hundreds and hundreds of sessions split between the three overlapping conferences (interactive, film and music). As a first-timer, I can vouch for it being overwhelming. Luckily (maybe?) for me, I’m a major type-A person and am practically OCD about preparing for major trips like this. So, naturally, I read the session descriptions for all the events I had access to ahead of time in hopes of figuring out where to be and when. Guess what? Still don’t have a clue. There are just so many cool ones to choose from, so this is going to be a major exercise in learning how to “go with the flow.”

All that being said, there are a few sessions that I am really looking forward to (and hope to get in to).

Friday: “SXSW BBQ Crash Course”

The best BBQ in Austin, all rounded up in one location for us to try. Who could resist? Since this is my first trip to Texas, I think this will be a great introduction to the cuisine!

Much Ado About Nothing posterSaturday: “Much Ado About Nothing”

I’m not actually sure I can get into this. Much Ado About Nothing‘s U.S. premier is part of the film lineup, which I don’t have a badge for, but if there are seats empty in the theater then they’ll let other attendees in for a fee. This film was filmed in under two weeks at Joss Whedon’s house, and the cast includes Nathan Fillion (of ABC’s Castle, which I love!). So keep your fingers crossed for me that I get in, okay?

Sunday: “Shooting, Producing, Selling: Secrets of Web TV”

I don’t currently shoot or sell anything on YouTube, but my office is looking into ramping up our video content. But that’s not why I’m excited about this session. I’m really excited because one of my favorite bloggers, Camille Styles, is one of the presenters. Her bio from the SXSW website is below. If you’re not already reading it, you should check out her blog over at http://camillestyles.com. She covers everything lifestyle: recipes, clothing, makeup, awesome parties / events, books, photography… Just add it to your reader feed. You can thank me later.

Camille Styles bio

Monday – Four-Way Tie: Sports, Infographics, Photos and Money

Monday I’ll be bouncing all around. I plan to start the morning learning how professional sports organizations use social media. I don’t intend to do that in my life, but I think it will be fascinating. Then I’m heading over to learn about designing infographics in hopes of getting some inspiration for a huge project I have waiting for me back at the office. At some point, I plan to swing by Photo Camp. And I absolutely have to hit the session called “How Much Should I Charge?” because I’ve repeatedly asked myself (and others) that since I started freelancing.