In addition to the multiple bands and speakers it’s known for, this year’s South by Southwest Conference and Festival added a host of reality-bending theme park features for geeks called Activations. FLORIDA THEMES Much like his park’s popular Star Wars and Harry Potter immersive experiences, these activations take fictional “worldbuilding” and literally build in the real world.
Given the lingering effects of all the stay-at-homes we’ve done during lockdown, it’s no surprise that we’re all tempted to travel to fictional worlds.
SXSW has a large number of these activations at great expense. Most appear to be for consumer brands and TV series. This is probably because the studio wants people to be emotionally invested in the series, creating demand for multiple seasons.
“I like going to activations because it feels like you are part of the show. herd.
This year’s SXSW kicked off at a show-inspired recording studio. Daisy Jones and the Six, Located at South Congress’s “Prime, Texas” activation about the 70’s Los Angeles rock scene.
We cycled across Lady Bird Lake to a ski lodge-themed event called “Paramount Lodge.” There I really felt the sweaty staff in fuzzy hats in the Texas sunshine.
The day ended with a cookout at the ‘Camp Yellowjackets’ installation tied to the show yellow jacket, A Showtime series about a team of high school soccer players who survived a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness. I walked to the campsite in the snow. The campground included a cozy lodge, a forest with fake snow falling in a wooded setting, and a few snacks that they declared were certainly, definitely, definitely not made of people. rice field.
Somewhere along the first day, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, also gave a talk on Creating Happiness: The Art and Science of Disney Parks Storytelling. This included the debut of Hyperreal his lightsaber, which will soon be used in the immersive Disney Galactic Starcruiser high-priced guest experience.
It also made an interdimensional trip to Roku City. There, it passed through a Purple Rain portal, with a Thunder and Prince soundtrack delivered to the Roku City screensaver.
Despite our best efforts, we were only able to see a fraction of the interactive and immersive experiences, games, and art exhibits at SXSW. I missed a lot more than I saw. At some point, I got tired of the pursuit of fun and tried out a sweet new “pillowtop” VR game. This game was designed to be played while relaxing in bed. There was an actual bed to play games on.
But of all the things I’ve experienced at SXSW, for example, of all the money spent to own a ‘swan car’ at the Porsche House, the event I’ve seen people enjoy the most is , was a simple concept that anyone could do. Relive it at home: A “fake business meetup” inspired by Murder Mystery Party and Dungeons & Dragons.
I met event creator Rico Corazón in the hallway outside the meetup. So I did.
The room was hopping in the best possible way. many. fun. There were no free drinks, no fancy snacks, and no one was wearing costumes. Instead, it was full of people allowed to play. This is not so much as an adult.
After a while, I told everyone at the event the truth about me: I was an extraterrestrial visitor from the planet Tryon. Why did I come to Earth? The travel agent had a great all-inclusive package complete with body shaping, hyperloop transport, cryogenic class relaxing trips and special anti-gravity supplements so you don’t suffer from gravity-related aging was!
Soon I was chatting with a woman making custom wedding dresses for snakes and a man developing a petting zoo that included tigers. Because there aren’t enough petting zoos that include tigers. Many people wanted to know about my home planet. It was as if someone had turned on the faucet and let their creativity run wild.
Corazon spoke of the event, saying that many adults have lost their sense of whimsy and may need a boost to regain it.
With these ideas still flying around in my head, Professor of Game Design and Experiential Media Program at Illinois Institute of Technology, Coin-operated Americans: Reboot Boyhood at Video Game Arcades, Explore how and why video game culture has become the domain of young men and boys. She teaches “hands-on magic” classes at her theme park in Florida. I know her from our time on the now-deceased Austinist’s blog.
“I am a firm believer that adults need room, time and space to play,” Kocurek said. We all know play is important for children, but apparently play is so good for adults that doctors recommend it for adult patients along with exercise, vitamins and enough sleep. need to do it.
When I asked Kocurek why she enjoyed the fake business meeting so much, she said the event gave her space and permission to do silly things that adults rarely do.
We also talked about why there was so much fictional world building at SXSW. She distills the charm of these spaces into “door stories.” This invites you to walk through a door (or fall down a rabbit hole) and spawn in an unexpected location.of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe again alice in wonderland.
It begins with my journey through a portal in Roku City being handed a purple drink from a basket that says “Drink me”, a gateway to another story. spin The party for the magazine “Five Worlds” was a long tunnel.
It makes sense that there will be multiple “Door Stories” at SXSW this year. Some of us are still recovering from having nowhere to go during lockdown. The idea of going through and coming out in a completely different place is pretty appealing.
Given the state of the economy and the fact that SXSW won’t last as long as the TikTok trend, I decided I needed to find a way to bring some creative fun into my life. It may be time to consider creating some sort of free play opportunity. It may be time for a bridal shower or a New Year’s Eve party in March.
You might take inspiration from event planner Thanh Pham, a self-professed “curator of play.” When I met him at SXSW, he said one of his most successful events was a physical education-themed party that included sack races and dodgeball.
Or maybe you just manage to get on the list for tea parties with preschoolers.
Regarding the devotion to immersive experiences, Kocurek cites the growth of escape rooms and themed restaurants as evidence of a social craving for escapist play, saying, “This is what’s happening in our media and entertainment world. It’s a growing trend,” he said.
The only thing you have to be careful about is remembering where you parked your car when you step into a portal to an alternate reality.
Anna Hanks is a writer living in Austin. She wrote this column in her Morning of Dallas Her News.
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