The 2024 SXSW FOMO Cure-All (A NoPro Guide)

Last year our SXSW FOMO guide was all about the activations, and while that’s still part of the mix — we ARE talking about SXSW — there’s also an almost shocking number of sessions that are using the term “immersive” in the title.

Will they be worth your time? Well, the ones on OUR list should will be. We have pretty good taste.

So let’s get into the ACTIVATIONS, XR ACTION, IMMERSIVE SESSIONS, and NETWORKING & PARTIES you will FEEL FOMO FOR if you skip at this year’s SXSW!

HAVE SOME TORCHY’S FOR US!!!!!

ACTIVATIONS

Yours To Lose
Freedom Forum
1A House; March 8 -10

Discover the freedoms Americans enjoy, thanks to the First Amendment. Be the first to experience the world premiere of Yours to Lose, an immersive theatrical performance where you’ll confront what happens when the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition are lost.

Devised by Third Rail Projects, creators of the legendary Then She Fell

Fallout
Prime Video
Hotel San José; March 8 & 9

Get ready to experience the Wasteland shanty-town of Filly, teeming with eccentric characters, risky endeavors, and oddities around every corner! Do you have what it takes to survive outside of the Vaults? Come find out!

The Lodge: A Paramount+ Experience
Clive Bar; March 8–11

Welcome to Paramount+’s The Lodge! From the Mountain to Rainey St, this tour will take you on a journey through the unique world of Paramount+. Sip on themed cocktails at the Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ speakeasy, or grab an Azalea, the signature drink of The Masters, at the Paramount+ Pub. Fans are invited to harness the potential power of the artifact relic from Halo, step onto the iconic bridge of the U.S.S. Discovery ahead of the Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 premiere at SXSW, and explore interactive experiences inspired by your favorite titles like The Chi, Survivor, Ink Master and many more.

The First Omen Experience
20th Century Studios

712 Congress Ave.; March 8–10

20th Century Studios invites you to an interactive “Confessional Booth” inspired by the upcoming film, THE FIRST OMEN, only in theaters April 5. Guests who dare to enter this immersive experience will uncover a terrifying secret behind the birth of evil, leaving them with the only physical proof that a sinister unholy conspiracy is at work.

3 Body Problem — 3D Visual Experience
Netflix
400 Congress Ave.; March 8, 7–11pm

3 BODY PROBLEM comes to life at SXSW! Festival attendees can watch never-before-seen moments from the series during an epic 3D spectacle projected over the Austin skyline. The fully immersive projection will be timed to the series’ world premiere, giving attendees a first-look at all-new visuals from the series, including a larger-than-life version of Sophon (an avatar appearing in a mysterious VR game in the series) addressing them from the night sky.

ADventure: An immersive experience
Disguise
UK House at Downright Austin; March 9, 1–5pm

Experience the world’s most advanced motorbike as we take you on a ride with stunning visuals, captivating storytelling, and immersive technology to embark on an ADventure unlike any other.

XR ACTION

Astra
Eliza McNitt
Fairmont; Congressional Ballroom; March 10–12

Hidden in the lost belongings of an Astrobiologist are clues for the journey ahead. Welcome to “Astra,” your ticket to the stars. This Mixed Reality Experience transports you from Earth to the deepest corners of the cosmos as you embark on a quest to uncover the key ingredients of life in the Universe. Step foot on planets and their dark moons in a search for future worlds and far away beings.

ChiefKilma Lattin & Catherine Eng
Fairmont, Congressional Ballroom March 10–12

There are 575+ sovereign tribal nations in the U.S. today, each governed by a Chief, Chairman or Chairwoman. Meet dynamic tribal leaders in this XR360º experience developed for VisionPro, from interviews with powerful Chairwomen, to one of the youngest Chairmen ever elected, to an elder reflecting upon his time in tribal leadership. Experience unique perspectives on the history of this country, and the meaning of culture, family and community. See the intersections of modern life and locations that have had cultural significance for thousands of years. Today we are seven generations out from the founding of the U.S. — time to assess how our actions today will affect the next seven…

Emperor
Marion Burger & Ilan J. Cohen
Fairmont, Congressional Ballroom, March 10–12

“Emperor” is an interactive and narrative experience in virtual reality, which invites the user to travel inside the brain of a father, suffering from aphasia.

It is the story of a man who’s lost his ability to speak, and of the daughter trying to communicate with him. It is the story of a woman, who wasn’t given the chance to know the man behind her father, now obscured by this illness.

The Golden Key
Marc Da Costa & Matthew Niederhauser
Fairmont; Manchester Ballroom C; March 10–12

What power do myths have? How do the myths of the future get shaped? “The Golden Key” brings audiences into contact with the mythological dreams of an AI as it writes and visualizes a never-ending story. The AI has been trained on tens of thousands of folk tales from around the world, a dataset of narrative fragments that echo our most basic stories and concerns. As the installation proceeds, an infinite progression of narrative, sight and sound unfolds as audience members are invited to take on the role of the “trickster” to actively shape the narrative of this generated story and explore the concealed structures that sit behind AI’s purported magic.

Let’s Play & Let’s ExploreThe Immersive Futures Lab
Fairmont, Cyprus, March 10–12

Get No Proscenium’s stories in your inbox

Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.

SubscribeSubscribe

Come to explore at the Immersive Futures Lab and experience the cutting-edge of creativity and innovation. This showcase includes live demos and prototypes with representatives from XR development programmes: My World (UK) and XN Québec (Canada). Discover the ground-breaking potential of creative technology from games to mental health, live performance to generative AI and be part of the live research and development process with some of the most exciting international start-ups

Madame Pirate: Code of Conduct
Morgan Ommer & Dan-Chi Huang
Fairmont, Congressional Ballroom March 10–12

In the midst of a battle between Imperial forces and a fleet of 70,000 Red Flag pirates, a timid young interpreter is taken captive and in her struggle for survival discovers that neither side is what she expected.

“Madame Pirate: Code of Conduct” is a 6DOF room-scale VR experience, blending comic strip format and live action 4DView.

Reimagined Volume III: YOUNG THANG
Melissa Joyner, Julie Cavaliere & Michaela Ternasky-Holland
Fairmont; Congressional Ballroom; March 10–12

Inspired by “The Woman with Two Skins” of Southern Nigeria, the story follows Young Thang, a human girl living within The Community, a place where humans are forbidden; deemed dangerous and ugly. To blend in and survive, Young Thang’s guardians urge her to wear a second skin to transform her appearance. After the pressure to conform pushes Young Thang to the brink, she unknowingly puts her beloved guardians and The Community in peril. Can Young Thang nd the courage to reveal her full self and save the very beings that discriminate and suppress her?

The Tent
Rory Mitchell
Fairmont, Congressional Ballroom March 10–12

“The Tent” is a Mixed Reality cinematic tabletop narrative and a glimpse of the future of immersive entertainment.

A modern fairy tale set in Los Angeles, “The Tent” interrogates the nature of activism and asks the viewer, “What does it take to live a life according to your deepest held values? Why is it so complicated to be a good person?”

A 21-minute experience in two parts for iPadPro, it allows the audience to explore a miniature world from any perspective. Built with volumetric video, it draws upon 2500 years of Acting and Storytelling that is at the core of our shared humanity.

It’s a drama. It’s a satire. It’s a petite bourgeoise fever dream and a fable for society.

Tulpamancer
Marc Da Costa & Matthew Niederhauser
Fairmont; Manchester Ballroom C; March 10–12

Tulpamancer is a machine-learning VR installation that shapes a dreamlike, immersive encounter with the memories and possible futures of each participant. Sitting down at a computer terminal that had been sitting forgotten in a warehouse since 1989, participants encounter the tulpa through a series of questions about their own lives. They are then invited to meet in a world prepared uniquely for them. Participants put on a VR headset and are led on a journey by their tulpa through a series of uniquely generated virtual scenes that invoke and question the memories of their past and their potential fates. Ultimately, every interaction produces a unique work that is deleted after its viewing, left only to resonate in the minds of each participant.

IMMERSIVE SESSIONS

Human-Centric Immersive Experience Design
Nancy Baker Cahill, Neil Carty, Chris Holmes, Guy Reid
JW Marriott, Salon 6, March 8 11:30am-12:30pm

Immersive entertainment has emerged as a powerful channel for driving awe and wonder, with new ways to experience art, films, and music. Innovative tactics and spaces are being designed to experience this new media, drive human connection, and bring people closer to what they love. This conversation with award-winning creators spanning tech, film, and art, will unpack what goes into building authentic immersive experiences, transporting and transforming audiences, trade secrets to creating moments that enable human connection, and visions for the future of immersive and experiential design.

Worlds for Change: How XRrts Can Reprogram the Future
Amir Banifatemi, Nonny De La Peña, Cameron Kostopoulos, Amy Seidenwurm, Michaela Ternasky-Holland
Fairmont, Manchester B, March 10 10–11am

Explore the transformative power of XR, immersive technologies and AI for social change through a dynamic conversation moderated by VR field pioneer Nonny de la Peña, program director of Narrative and Emerging Media at Arizona State University. Hear first-hand from four award-winning XR artists, visionary producers and thought leaders advancing and leveraging AI and emerging technology storytelling in pursuit of a resilient, inclusive future.

Empowering Change: Immersive Tech & Global Policies
CIIIC — Creative Industries Immersive Impact CoalitionThe Thompson Hotel Austin, March 10 2–3pm

Join the Dutch Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition (CIIIC) in exploring the path to an immersive world rooted in public values. Discover strategies to empower creative industries and content creators while fostering collaboration between private and public sectors. Engage in a dynamic discussion featuring researchers, creators and policy makers such as Mariette van Huijstee (Rathenau Institute), Eric Albert (PHI Group Canada), Barbera Wolfensberger (Dutch Ministry Culture and Science)

Immersive Experts Unleashed: Building Successful Experiences
Fri Forjindam, Kipp Kjeldgaard, Nick Moran, Sara Thacher
Fairmont, Manchester GG, March 11th 10–11am

Join a global panel of industry experts as they discuss the evolution of immersive experiences. The session will explore how customer demands and technology are influencing the sector, the trade-off between licensing or developing content, and what it takes to craft both compelling and profitable experiences. Topics will include the role of storytelling in crafting successful experiences and whether narratives or world-building are more impactful, how much agency to provide audiences, and the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI and emerging technologies into interactive environments

New Horizons: Empowering the New Generation of XR Creators
Jessica Brillhart, Nonny De La Peña, Fred Volhuer, Sarah Wolozin
Fairmont, Manchester B, March 11 11:30a–12:30p

In a transformative era where technology seamlessly intertwines with creativity, a pioneering generation of storytellers are at the forefront of a revolution. “New Horizons : Empowering the New Generation of XR Creators” invites you to navigate through the uncharted realms of Extended Realities storytelling. Through this panel, we will showcase the groundbreaking projects and delve into the visionary minds of the young creators who transcend the medium. Filmmakers, game developers, technologists, and storytellers are converging to create a new hybrid of experiences. A fusion where narrative richness and interactive engagement collide.

UK Immersive Takeover
Future Art and Culture
UK House at Downright Austin; March 12th 2–4:30pm

You are invited to UK House by the The UK Immersive Takeover partners for an afternoon of conversations and provocations exploring the intersection of art and technology. Featuring SXSW award-winning artist Karen Palmer, Monica Bello from CERN, Dr Mykaell Riley from the Black Music Research Centre and composer Jamie Perera plus contributions from UK artists and directors presenting in the XR Experience. Stick around for the aftershow with music from Kyra and The New Eves. (4:30pm-6pm)

NETWORKING & PARTIES

ASU XRts Worlds for Change Party
ASU MIX Center and Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts
Fairmont, Rules & Regs, March 9 5:30pm-7:30pm

Brilliant artists, storytellers, technologists, and creators from around the globe have shared their visions for the future by submitting an application to Worlds for Change Challenge: ASU XRts Worldbuilding Contest.

Join us in celebrating the next generation of XR creators as we announce the Challenge winners at Rules & Regs alongside a community of XR and immersive technology trailblazers.

UK Immersive Takeover Party
Future Art and Culture
UK House at Downright Austin; March 12th 4:30–6pm

Join us in UK House at the annual UK Immersive Takeover Party for networking with art, immersive and innovation delegates and amazing live music from rising UK stars Kyra and The New Eves. Presented by British Underground, Arts Council England, British Council, Immersive Futures Lab, and UK House

Discover the latest immersive events, festivals, workshops, and more at our new site EVERYTHING IMMERSIVE, home of NoPro’s show listings.

NoPro is a labor of love made possible by our generous Patreon backers. Join them today and get access to our Newsletter and Discord!

In addition to the No Proscenium website and our podcast, and you can find NoPro on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and in the Facebook community also named Everything Immersive.