SXSW 2020

SXSW 2020 announces on-sale date for exclusive Austin-only wristbands

SXSW Outdoor Stage Lady Bird Lake Auditorium Shores

SXSW 2020 wristbands go on sale January 22.

There are many special things about living in Austin, like taking a dip in Barton Springs on a random Tuesday morning, seeing the bats for the first time that season, and dancing at Donn's Depot during Christmas.

But one of the best things about calling the Capital City home is the annual gift that SXSW gives us in exchange for taking over downtown: the locals-only wristband.

On Wednesday, January 22, SXSW Music wristbands will go on sale here beginning at 11 am. Available to Austin residents only, the bands are priced at $149 — $20 less than last year — and are released in limited quantities, so first come, first served.

The bands gain entry to SXSW Music-sanctioned shows, as well as the SXSW Gaming Expo (March 19-21) and SXSW Comedy (March 15-21).

Like all years, the wristbands are available only to residents of Austin and the surrounding Central Texas suburbs. To purchase, the credit card used must have a billing ZIP code from the approved list. An individual may purchase up to two wristbands, but a different name and email must be provided for each individual band.

When picking up the wristband, each person must do so individually, using a driver's license or government-issued ID card.

Though wristbands don't guarantee entry to the festival (badges gain access first), they can be a great way to see up-and-coming artists and take part in the festival. For a full list of rules and regulations, head here.

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SXSW 2020

Amazon Prime sets premiere date to stream SXSW 2020 films for free

Photo by Charlie L Harper III

Amazon Prime begins screening SXSW films on April 27.

SXSW is largely a place of discovery, but for technology companies and creatives, it provides a massive platform to get in front of new audiences. In the case of filmmakers, it's an opportunity to debut their work and — fingers crossed — score distribution deals. After the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, these creators and creatives were left without an avenue to showcase their work and audiences without the opportunity to see it.

In early April, Amazon Prime provided one of the only pieces of good news in the wake of this year's cancellation: it will screen the festival's films — for free.

Prime Video presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection launches on Monday, April 27, through Wednesday, May 6, with 39 films ranging from narrative and documentary features to shorts and episodic shows. All titles will be available for free for both Prime members and non-members.

Each film would have been screened during SXSW Film, the movie portion of the 10-day mega-festival. In an earlier release, SXSW said every filmmaker would be invited to take part in the Prime festival, but it was not required. An earlier release noted that filmmakers would receive an undisclosed screening fee to participate. On April 9, the Hollywood Reporter said it had reviewed the fee documents given to filmmakers, but it was unclear what the compensation would be.

Writes THR, "The compensation would be delivered after the projects complete the 10-day run on the service. But it is was unclear to filmmakers what type of compensation that 'screening fee' would be, which was troubling for filmmakers that were trying to accurately weigh the possible financial risk."

"We understand every film has its own strategy and we know this opportunity may not make sense for every filmmaker. However, for those who want to share their stories right now and with as many people as possible, we’re excited to provide them this platform,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, in an April 21 release.

Along with the titles, nonprofit Free the Work is curating Q&As and online panels to accompany the collection, bringing a bit of that South By spirit to the online streaming platform.

"Free the Work's mission is to find new pathways to the discovery of underrepresented creators and we're excited to help celebrate, spotlight, and provide a platform for the voices of these talented filmmakers," said founder and filmmaker Alma Har’e of the organization's part in the collection.

To take part, users must create a free Amazon account and can stream the films through a browser or download the Prime app to watch on personal devices and smart TVs. See a full list of participating titles here, and start planning your very own SXSW Film festival.

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