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Southwest Airlines ‘One Square Mile: Texas’ Sneak Peek – Austin, TX

bcrum
Explorer C
OSMTXSouthwest is known for its People and its Culture, and so is Austin.   Whether you are a musician, teacher, filmmaker, student, tech wizard, doctor or culinary genius, if you’re flying Southwest or just living in Austin, you are well aware of the investment both entities make in people to create communities that enable individuals to pursue their dreams and change the world on a meaningful level. I’d like to mention that the One Square Mile: Texas series is now available for viewing on the Southwest Airlines inflight Wi-Fi, including the Austin episode we're recapping today.  So next time you’re flying Southwest, check us out! But even if you aren’t currently soaring 35,000 feet in the sky, you can gain insight into a square mile of Austin through the eyes of Michael “Ski” Golembieski—fifty percent of the production crew.  After that, be sure to check out the sneak peek at www.osmtx.com/southwest.  And leave us a comment as we’d love to hear what you think!   GREETINGS FROM AUSTIN! This is the story of Austin in two parts. Part one is centered around the South By Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. It's March 8, 2013, the opening day of SXSW, and we meet up with festival Producer and Senior Programmer Jarod Neece.  Jarod's day is spent solving problems. He moves fast–really fast—and following him through the convention hall was like chasing after Danny in The Shining as he cruised the halls of The Overlook Hotel on his big wheel.  Thankfully, the crowds were still sparse so we didn’t lose Jarod in a sea of people.  Later on that night, we’re back with Jarod as he introduces the cast and crew at a world premiere film at the Paramount Theater. On day two, the festival is in full swing as the crowds are overflowing and cameras are everywhere.  However, things slow down for us as we visit with Louis Black—one of the founders of the Austin Chronicle and SXSW, as well as an instructor of film history.  We find him in a rather introspective mood as he reflects on the battle of the restless, aging artist: creative indifference versus maintaining the original spark. After concluding our interview with Louis, part one is a wrap. Part two begins on May 17. Carl and I are back in town to give downtown Austin the full one square mile treatment. We're jam-packed for the next few days of shooting. Educationally, we're on the grounds of Khabele School—a private institution that interestingly has the feel of a college campus. There we meet teacher John Mulvaney, an Irish artist who shares his Austin experience with us. Abby Canning is a sixth grader at Khabele and gives us the student's perspective. Andrew Mankin has made the journey from Seattle to pursue his dream of being a dancer in The Academy at Ballet Austin. He takes us through the motions of his performance art. Pedicabs—you've seen them and maybe even ridden in one. Now, you'll hear the peddler's perspective as Dylan Jones of Capital Pedicab takes us on a ride around the square mile. The Driskill Grill at the Driskell Hotel has history. Lyndon B. Johnson brought Ladybird here. The Governor eats here. And deals get made here.  The Driskell Grill oozes elegance and power.  We get a bit of kitchen confidential from Chef de Cuisine Sklyer Golden as he and his talented staff takes us behind the scenes on a busy Saturday night. Mario Troncoso is a true brother in arms. He's the Producer and Director of the KLRU-Austin series Arts in Context. He's an Austin transplant with a great story. We catch up with him at work with his film crew and at play with his family. We practice faith in this episode at Saint Elias Orthodox Church. Father David Barr leads through an impressive Sunday morning service. We found great fellowship and a truly enlightening experience at Saint Elias. Finally, we get to sit down with Roy Spence—a modern day “Mad Men.”  As the Chairmen, CEO, and Co-founder of GSD&M Ad Agency, he’s one of the folks who turned Austin into AUSTIN.  Since he’s a great conversationalist, we enjoyed chatting with him. On a personal note, I'd like to thank Carl's mom, Anne, and her husband, Paul, who put us up for our Austin shoots at their house. We've experienced a lot of great lodgings while shooting the series, but nothing beats staying at a mom's house. The Austin square mile is as eclectic as the city is itself. Thanks to everyone who helped in the participation of it. What more can I say than: Austin Rocks!