SXSW: Jeff Spott

Video Team member Jeff Spott spent two weeks at SXSW Interactive and Film Festival in Austin, Texas, March 10th — 19th. SXSW brings together interactive media, film, and music while fostering creative and professional growth. Jeff was afforded the opportunity to attend SXSW through a Travel Scholarship offered by the Digital Corps.

Throughout his travels, Jeff discovered the value in traveling alone as a creative — something he encourages his peers to try. He found value in the conversations that developed and the variety of people he got to talk to.

During his two weeks in Austin, Jeff volunteered 50 hours at SXSW, helping with registration and passing out promotional materials and other goodies. From his time volunteering, he received an event ticket which allowed him to attend different panels and screenings where he gained ideas and inspiration that he was able to bring back and share with the Corps.

Something valuable Jeff took away from SXSW is the importance of diversity within creative fields. As an advocate for diversity, he found value in panels that approached this topic. Jeff wants to bring the idea to the Corps that if you want diversity, you have to have diverse creators. He said that taking the international students at Ball State into consideration when we are creating is important — reaching out to people who have different perspectives and ideas will make our projects more diverse.

Jeff noted the massive international reach at SXSW. During his volunteer time, he remembers greeting guests from Japan, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico and Germany all within one hour.

“I quickly learned to not tell people that I am from the state of Indiana,” said Jeff, as people automatically stereotyped him with the current political environment.

As SXSW takes over the entire city of Austin, Jeff said he bumped into a lot of cool, crazy, and creative people. He learned how to market himself to no end. Just walking down the street with his camera, he got 4 or 5 job offers to shoot music videos. Jeff brings back the advice to never underestimate yourself as a creative.

“You’ve got to own it as a creator.”