SXSW 2021 was ignited into a firework display as they did a mix of SXSW from Austin and online for fans not attending Austin. SXSW Online 2021 ventured into the online scene to bring the convention to people all around the world. With Keynote speakers such as Willie Nelson, fans were able to sit down at home and watch panels, interviews, concerts, and much more that would bring reminisce of attending the actual SXSW in Austin.
I was able to attend the event as press for SXSW Online and check out the convention in an online fashion. I haven’t been to a SXSW event in many years. I was shocked on how professional and significant the display and showcase was for the the musicians, film directors, and many more that showcased their art throughout the week. The Film Fest and Music Fest was fantastic and enjoyed learning new films and artists to check out. Today, I have wrote a small review below of what I enjoyed of the event and what had me scratching my head!
Here is our review:
Pro:
- Innovative Website
- The website they used for the whole convention was very innovative! Each tab in the website gave access for the attendee to enjoy online shopping, find online meetups, watch panels, listen to music and much more. Everything was at the touch of your finger tips, which I enjoyed hard!
- 5 Channels
- There were 5 different channels to click through to watch various panels, concerts, and even exercise videos for each day. There was a schedule or “TV Guide” that told you what was playing at that time and what was next. This was so unique as I never seen something so advance yet made it easier for fans to view online.
- Networking Email System
- You were able to send and receive emails in their own email system on the website! I thought that was very cool as everything was in house. You can communicate with various people participating in panel and even send them questions to answer prior in panels.
- App to Watch Panels on TV
- Convenience is key! I was able to download the app to my smart TV and was able to watch those 5 channels on my television with ease. I was able to check what was on for that day and at that time through this app. I thought this was fantastic as many online conventions use Discord or Youtube, but SXSW were able to create their own app through their own website. Very unique!
Con:
- Connection Issues
- This was a big issue for me as I had a lot of connection issues or video freezing while watching panels or concerts. I would have to go to another channel and then try that original channel again after 5 minutes to see if it started to work. This happened to me either while watching it on TV or on my laptop.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
